Geraldine Anderson Nieber

Geraldine Mae (Anderson) Nieber, 91, of Filer, Idaho, passed away peacefully on November 17 at St. Luke’s Medical Center. Geraldine “Jerri” was born on February 25, 1931, in Ayrshire, Iowa, to Ervin Anderson and Bernice (Stephas). She lived and grew up in the house she was born in. Jerri attended Silver Lake High School, where her daddy was a custodian and her mother a school cook. Jerri was very close with her daddy and her first job was working alongside him after school. She also spent her summers helping her daddy out on the farm driving tractor and doing chores. After completing high school, Jerri enlisted into the United States Army. She was stationed in Tokyo, Japan and worked as an administrative clerk for the Surgeon General’s Office. One of her duties was recording KIA, WIA, and MIA of the Korean War. While in service, Jerri received a Korean Service Medal. While still in Japan, Jerri met naval officer Bob Andy Jones Jr. They married on September 26, 1951 in Tokyo, Japan. Shortly after, Bob was to be transferred to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Jerri was granted an honorable discharge and they made the move to the states. They had two children, Cathy (“Angelica”) and Joe. A few years later Bob was to be transferred again, this time to Florida where they had four more children: Mike, Larry, John, and Gerry. After 13 years together, the marriage ended in divorce. After the divorce, Jerri packed up all of her belongings, the six children, and two cats into her Rambler station wagon and drove from Jacksonville, Florida all the way to El Cajon, California not knowing a soul in the area. After the move, Jerri tried to make ends meet by sewing and selling clothes, coats, and such. Eventually she moved the family to Rialto, California. In 1965, Jerri met Army Staff Sergeant Gilbert John Nieber. At the time, Gil was stationed at Fort Irwin and served as NCOIC of Fort Irwin’s MARS station. Jerri and Gil were married September 9, 1966. To this marriage, twin daughters were born, Dee and Lisa. Ten years later the family moved to Filer, Idaho where Jerri still resided at the time of her death. Jerri found work at Lamb Weston in Twin Falls and worked the graveyard shift for nearly 40 years. She worked her way up from specking potatoes to being a Lead Worker. She was a tough woman and earned herself the nickname “Dragon Lady”, which she found humor in. Despite her nickname everybody loved her, and especially her cooking. Jerri was head of the company potlucks and her coworkers couldn’t wait to taste the homemade meals she would bring so often to work. Jerri had been a devout Catholic all her life. After the sudden death of her husband in 1995, she found solace at church and started volunteering for the St. Edwards parish hall cooking dinners for families after their loved ones funerals. She always loved to help those in need and often donated to a nonprofit organization called La Posada, ran by Sister RoseMary Boessen. Jerri will be greatly missed. She was tough-as-nails and fiercely independent right up until her last days. She could fix just about anything, was a master organizer, expert seamstress, great cook, and loved to find bargains at the thrift store. Jerri is survived by her children, Angelica, Joe (Teresa), Mike, John (Debbie), Dee (Carl), Lisa (Brad), numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, and a soon-to-be great, great granddaughter. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, a sister, two sons, four grandchildren, and a daughter in law. A rosary is to be held 10:30am, Thursday, December 1, at St. Edward’s Catholic Church. Mass will follow at 11:00, with Father Julio Vicente officiating. Private family interment to be held at the Filer I.O.O.F. Cemetery, with Father Julio Vicente officiating along with military rites by local area veterans and the Army Idaho National Guard. Indian flute music to be performed by Loren Shane Ridley-Stevens. Cremation will precede the services. Arrangements are under the direction of Rosenau Funeral Home & Crematory in Twin Falls.