Joyce D. Gates Gerbasi

JOYCE DELPHINE GATES GERBASI, age 72, of Bone Plain Rd., Freeville, NY passed away, March 11, 2011 at Roswell Park Memorial Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY after a brief and unexpected battle with cancer. She was born June 24, 1938 in Hartford, CT and was predeceased by her parents, Frank Ward Gates and Pearl Delphine Woods Gates.Survivors include her husband of nearly 49 years, Ross P. Gerbasi of Freeville; her children Paul (Jean) Gerbasi of Lansing and Jennifer (Brian) Gerbasi of Houma, Louisiana and sister, Ruth Smith of Laconia, New Hampshire.

Joyce was the proud grandmother of Michael, Jordan, Sophia Pearl, Bethany Rose, Joseph, A.J., and Daniel and great grandmother to Shyler, Julia and Hailie. Joyce graduated from Hall High (1956) in West Hartford, CT and the University of Connecticut (1960) and continued with graduate work at Cornell University first at the Veterinary School and then the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. She dedicated her life to her family and civic engagement. Joyce worked for the Department of Labor for nearly 26 years. She was active in the Republican Party for over 40 years and served on the Tompkins County Environmental Management Council, Fall Creek Watershed Committee, and the Town of Dryden Conservation Advisory Council. Joyce taught Sunday school at the First Congregational Church in Ithaca for more than 40 years and supported a number of charities. Since retirement she and her husband continued to travel to see natural wonders and covered 46 of the lower 48 states in their R.V. crisscrossing the country.

A celebration of her life will be held at 11 AM, Saturday, March 19, 2011 at the Perkins Funeral Home with Rev. Douglas Green officiating.

Dryden. Friends are invited to call from 7 to 9 PM, Friday, at the funeral home, 55 West Main St., Dryden. In keeping with these hobbies and interests, in lieu of flowers, those who wish to honor Joyce may do so by contributing to a memorial for the Dryden Lake Park. Please send donations to the Joyce Gerbasi Memorial, 93 East Main St., Dryden, NY 13053.