Geraldine "Gerri" Coates

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Geraldine (Gerri) Coates, wife, mother, grandmother, teacher on October 26, 2025 after a courageous battle with lung cancer.

Gerri was born on December 23, 1947 to Leo and Carmela Constantino Billock. Gerri married the love of her life, Bill on the last Saturday in 1969. Together, they shared 55 years of a tremendous life together raising 4 wonderful children and eight grandchildren. Those 12 were without a doubt the high point of her life.

Gerri knew she wanted to be a teacher from her earliest childhood. She taught 2nd grade at St. Nicholas School in Struthers for five years before taking time away to raise her four children to school age before returning to teaching. While at home with the children, she became President of Canfield Junior Women's League where she chaired Safety City.

After graduating from Cardinal Mooney High School in 1966, she received her Bachelor’s Degree in education in 1970 and her Masters Degree in Education in 2002, both from Youngstown State University. She taught special education in the Austintown School System where she received the Martha Holden Jennings Scholar award. Her passion for reading led her to become the President of the Mahoning County Reading Association, where she received the Commitment to Literacy Award. In addition, she was presented with the Phi Delta Kappa Best Practice Award. She also became President of the Green Leaves Garden Club, sharing fun activities with many wonderful friends.

Gerri taught Special Education for an additional 25 years. She was an advocate for both her students and parents. She often guided parents to receive the help they were lawfully entitled. Upon retiring, she became a proud member of The Austintown Retired Teachers Association. Her organizational and interpersonal skills were on display in the many organizations in which she participated, but her husband's proudest memory is of all the children that she tutored after school, never charging a penny, and making sure there was a snack and trinket for each session.

She was a wonderful friend to all her eating buddies (retired teachers, birthday club, Wednesday breakfast/lunch group, JWL Alumnae group, school colleagues and the list goes on.) She cherished you all as great friends.

Gerri belonged to St. Michael’s Parish in Canfield, where she was a Eucharistic Minister, Minister to the Sick, taught children's liturgy, and was an R.C.I.A. sponsor.

She will be missed by many. Her husband Bill and children, Kelly (Don) Pendergast, Kristen (Tom) McCormick, Kari (Paul) DeLucia, and Bill (Marcie McClintic) Coates. She adored her grandchildren, and they also adored her. Dominic, Anthony, Matthew and Isabella DeLucia, along with Andrew and Emerson McCormick, and Addington and Leo Coates.

Her sister, Darlene (Kenny) Greenawalt and brother Steven (Ann) Billock, along with brother-in-law and wife Mark and Cathy Coates and sister-in-law Susan (Richard) Ferrier along with her cherished nieces and nephews share their grief and happy memories of fun times with Gerri.  She was preceded in death by her loving mother and father, Carmel and Leo Billock.

Gerri and her family would especially like to thank Dr. Joseph Zeno for all of his concern as well as wonderful medical treatment.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, at Vaschek-Kirlia Funeral Home, 3100 Canfield Rd., Youngstown, Ohio 44511. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, October 30 at 10:00 am at St. Michael Church, 300 N Broad St., Canfield, OH 44406, (please go directly to the church not the funeral home), followed by interment at the Canfield Cemetery on Main St. A mercy meal at St. Michaels will follow.

Gerri has requested that you consider a donation in her name to St. Jude Children's Hospital.

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