Geraldine Powers

Geraldine (Jerry) Jannazo Powers, age 87, passed away January 25, 2016 after a brief illness. She was born in Cleveland, the eleventh of twelve children of Maria (LaScala) and Louis Jannazo. She worked her way through school, graduating from Notre Dame Academy, where she was editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, and from Notre Dame College, where she was a campus leader, earning a place in Who’s Who In American Colleges. She earned a master’s in library science from Western Reserve University in 1950 despite the reservations of her immigrant parents who doubted the value of advanced degrees for women.

Jerry married her husband of 64 years, A. Thomas Powers (Tom), at St. Francis Church in Cleveland in 1950. She worked as a children’s librarian at the Cleveland Public Library before devoting two decades to raising her seven children: Maureen (John) Vela of Tiffin, OH; Cathy (Mike) Brady of Prospect Hts., IL; Mary Ellen (Danny Sauls) of Alexandria, VA; Tom (Ann) of Cincinnati, OH; Jerry (Therese Sullivan) of South Bend, IN; Nancy (John Duffey) of Dublin, OH; and Tony (Cecilia) of Folsom, CA. Jerry lived in St. Clare Parish in Mayfield Heights for 63 years before moving to Tiffin, Ohio one year ago, where she quickly became a friend to many at Elmwood at the Shawhan.

A quick wit and a talented writer, Jerry in her spare time published humorous articles about family life and wrote parodies to songs from musicals for every family event. When her youngest child entered middle school, she began working with Tom at Bauer Surveys Company, serving with patience and good humor as the jack-of-all-trades in what had become the “family business” until they both retired in 1997. Jerry and Tom were active in a Christian Life Community group which they had joined while in college and they counted its members as among their closest friends for 65 years.

Jerry was the devoted grandmother of 28 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. In addition to her children and grandchildren, she is survived by her youngest sister, Virginia, and a host of loving nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Tom, her brothers Dom, Frank and Tony Jannazo, and her sisters Kate (Sr. Louis Francis SBS), Genevieve, Rose, Angela Renda, Mary, Carmella Storti and Grace Valencia.

Contributions may be made in Jerry’s name to The Rev. Michael J. Lavelle, S.J. Memorial Scholarship, Office of University Advancement, 1 John Carroll University Blvd., University Hts., OH 44118. The scholarship, named after the late President of John Carroll, a member of Jerry’s Christian Life Community group, is available to current John Carroll students who face financial difficulties that would imperil their continuing education.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, January 30 at St. Clare Catholic Church at 10:30 AM. Burial will follow at Lake View Cemetery. The family will receive friends at THE DeJOHN-FLYNN-MYLOTT FUNERAL HOME OF SOUTH EUCLID, 4600 MAYFIELD RD. (just east of Green Rd.) FRIDAY, January 29, from 4 – 8 PM.

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