Geraldine Lou (Thornbrough) Follis
©Cheyenne Star, Cheyenne, OK
Reprinted with permission
Submitted by: Wanda Purcell

Geraldine Lou Thornbrough Follis passed away on March 2, 2001 from chronic lymphoeytic leukemia. Gerry was born September 12, 1925 to Lela Goff Thornbrough and Zora Leaford Thornbrough in Bulter, Custer County, Oklahoma. Her husband Percy Follis, Lt. Col. USAF (retired) and brother Leaford Thornbrough, M.D., also preceded her in death.

Fond memories of Gerry remains with the many people whose lives she touched, including her loving sons Dr. and Mrs. Howard Follis of Springfield, Missouri, Roger Follis of San Francisco, California, Earl and Kaye Follis of Round Rock, Texas and stepson Ronnie and Linda Follis of Houston, Texas. She also leaves and indelible impression of wisdom and grace with her grandchildren: Steven, Daniel, Karly, Rhonda Kay, Denise, Laura, Matt and Haley. She was also very proud of her two great-grandchildren, Taylor and Brianna.

Gerry is survived by her sisters, Marlene Anderson of Houston, Texas, Evalyene Williams of Leedey, Oklahoma, Pat Bodkin of Edmond, Oklahoma, and Janie Hire of Yukon, Oklahoma. Gerry is survived by two brothers, Sam Thornbrough of Sayre, Oklahoma and Kenneth LeDon Thornbrough of Mountain View, Oklahoma and many nieces, nephews, and a very speical sister-in-law, Sarah Thornbrough. The annual Thornbrough family reunion was a high point of Gerry's life for 30 years.

Gerry graduated Valedictorian from Leedey High School in 1942 and she received a degree in mathematics from the Universtiy of Oklahoma in 1945. Gerry moved to Houston shorty after graduation where she met Percy. She and Percy married on Halloween night of 1955 and immediately began Air Force life, living at various posts around the world including Janpan, England and Washington, D.C. until Percy's retirement in 1965.

After retirement, Percy and Gerry Settled back in Houston where she became a full-time housewife, mother, home-remodeler and part-time physician for her husband and three young sons. In 1974, Gerry resumed her school-teaching career, first with Houston ISD, then with the Baptist Temple School in the Houston Heights. Gerry loved children and was a teacher all of her life, teaching students in the classroom and teaching the rest of us daily by example. She premanently retired from teaching in 1986.

Always active in her church and reveling in her many friendships there, Gerry has been a faithful member of Baptist Temple in Houston since 1965. She also enjoyed many hobbies throughout her life including arts and crafter, accountin, surfing the Internet, tax preparation, singing with tthe Golden Voice Choir and playing with the Golden Ukes. An avid member of the Houston Genelogical Society, Gerry found many new friends at their meetings and located lost family members through her research.

She touched us all in a way that none will forget.

Services were held at the Kiseau Funeral Home in Clinton; Oklahoma on Monday, March 5, 2001 at 1 p.m, followed by interment next to her parents at the Arapaho Cemetery. Donations in memory of Geraldine Follis may be made to: Music Program at Baptist Temple, 200 West 29th St., Houston, Texas, 77009 , or Cullen Residence Hall, Center for the Retarded, 810 Marsten St., Houston, Texas, 77010.

Cheyenne Star, Cheyenne, OK