Obituary: Geraldine ‘Geri’ Orrell

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8/24/1934 – 1/12/2024
Lawrence, Kansas

Geraldine Ann (Schrag) Orrell—known as Geri to family and friends, passed away on Friday, January 12, 2024 at Presbyterian Manor in Lawrence, Kansas. Geri was born on August 24, 1932 in McPherson, Kansas. She and her husband Donald lived in Raytown, Missouri, until a few years ago when they moved to Lawrence to be nearer to family.

Geri was a church secretary and an active volunteer in her community. She was also an avid baker, a lover of books, and a wonderful mother, aunt, sister, and confidant to many.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Herbert Jacob and Hilda Maurine (Dyck) Schrag. She is also preceded in death by both of her children, Barton Jay, and Susanne Kay Orrell. Her husband Donald, survives of the home. Don and Geri were planning to celebrate 70 years of marriage in July 2024.

The family would like to express sincere gratitude to the caring staff at Presbyterian Manor in Lawrence, the doctors, nurses, and staff who cared for Geri at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, and the nurses from Visiting Nurses Association who eased her passing.

A memorial service and celebration of her life will be held at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor Chapel (1429 Kasold Dr, Lawrence, KS 66049) on Friday, January 26, 2024 at 4:30 PM.

In lieu of flowers, you can honor Geri by supporting your local library.

Note: The Lawrence Times is offering Lawrence and Douglas County community members space to publish remembrances of loved ones who lived in this community, free of charge. These pieces are submitted by family and friends of the deceased and not written by our staff. Photos are also provided to the publication, and some may have been altered prior to submission. Read more obituaries here.

We are honored to be able to offer this service free to community members in mourning. We believe the last thing our neighbors need in those difficult moments is another financial matter to worry about. Please support the Times to help us continue providing this service — and news access — for all.

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