OBITUARY: Geraldine Mae Appleton

Geraldine Mae Appleton passed away August 13, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. Gerry was born in Ely, Nevada January 27, 1931.

In her youth, she lived 18 years in Ruth, Nevada, a small mining town where her father worked. She was the daughter of Karl William Booker and Anna Mae White Booker.

During school she was a talented academic student and a clarinetist. Gerry played in the marching band and remembered fondly marching through the old downtown “strip” of Las Vegas with her fellow high school musicians. After high school, Gerry attended the University of Colorado in Boulder as a mathematics major. It was there she met David Ten Eyck Appleton, and they were married February 9, 1952. Dave was her best friend as well as her husband. He was an aerospace engineer, and they lived in several states over the years including Texas, where Dave was a participant in the Apollo Program. This was one of the highlights of their lives.

Gerry and Dave raised two wonderful daughters, Carolyn Mae Appleton of Texas and Katharine Ann Appleton Cole of California. Once their daughters were grown, Gerry attended the University of Houston and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology (Research).
After returning to California with Dave’s new position with Northrop Grumman, Gerry was employed as a Church Secretary/Administrator and then as Manager of Benefits and Payroll in the corporate office of Bridgestone Tire Company (U.S.A.), Inc. When Dave retired from the company, they had a home built in Green Valley, and they moved to Arizona in 1991.

Gerry contributed financially to and volunteered for several nonprofit organizations throughout her life from P.E.O. International to Valley Presbyterian in Green Valley, Arizona. In 2025, Gerry was elected to membership in the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, and she joined the Madera Canyon Chapter. Eventually, the couple moved to the retirement community La Posada in Green Valley. They enjoyed living there and they wished to convey thanks to the staff and fellow residents of La Posada for their attentive care and friendship.

Private family services were held. Memorial donations should be made to Valley Presbyterian Church, 2800 S Camino Del Sol, Green Valley, AZ 85622. Gerry and Dave have public profiles on Ancestry.com for those with an interest.