Daughter of William Levert Alvey and Bertha Roth
Married Joseph Lyle Grossman, 12 July 1946, Logan, Cache, Utah
Married Harvey Stephen Hansen, 12 February 1975, Logan, Cache, Utah
Tribute - She was known by everyone as Gerri. I grew up calling her Grandma. Gerri was the 7th of 11 children born to William Levert Alvey and Bertha Roth. She was born in Twin Falls, Idaho, but grew up in Richmond, Utah.
Gerri was a nurse, who received her education and training through the United States Cadet Nurse Corps. She spent her nursing career mainly in obstetrics and pediatrics.
In 1946, she married her first husband, Joseph Lyle Grossman. They had three children together; Lynda Marie, William Duke, and Charlyn Kay. Joseph suffered from PTSD, and after an incident where he held the family at gunpoint, they divorced.
In 1975, Gerri met and married her second husband, Harvey Stephen Hansen. They were together until her death.
Gerri was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent a lobectomy and radiation treatments around 1982-83. The treatments left her weak and made her hair fall out, but she tried to make the best of it.
I recall a story she told to me about that time. A young Asian girl was selling Girl Scout Cookies in the neighborhood with her mother. Gerri was in the parlor in a caftan style robe, and not wearing her wig. When the girl saw Gerri, she burst into tears and exclaimed, "Look, a Buddha!" Her mother was apologizing profusely, explaining that they had just moved to the area, and the little girl was feeling homesick. Gerri told the mother it was okay, and then quietly told the little girl, "I wish I was a Buddha, but I am just a lady who has been sick."
Gerri never really recovered her strength or her hair after she was declared lung cancer free. She had various problems, but was told by her doctors that she was "just getting old" or "it was all in her head".
In May of 1987, Gerri called my Mother and told her they were coming for a visit. It would be the last time we would see her. Her doctor finally listened to her, and tests had revealed an inoperable brain tumor. Her problems really were "in her head". She spent two weeks with us in June, and then went home and started Hospice care. She went home to our Heavenly Father on October 20, 1987.
When I was a child, Grandma was a voice over the phone and letters, cards, and packages in the mail. Living so far apart, I didn't have a lot of physical contact, but she was still a big part of my life.
In 1977, we spent the entire summer with her and Grandpa. What a wonderful time we had doing the most ordinary things! Grandma introduced us to the joy of growing your own food, and how wonderful things tasted fresh from her garden. The neighbor behind her had a young steer in their back yard. My sister and I would pull weeds and hand feed them to the steer, giggling the whole time. Grandma didn't have the heart to tell us he was destined for the dinner table.
When I was a teenager, Grandma was advice and comfort when my parents divorced. When my sister and I needed a place to be and heal emotionally, Grandma welcomed us with open arms. A summer for my sister, and a white Christmas for me.
As an adult, I see Grandma in my Mother's face, and take comfort in knowing we will be together again someday. - Marni A. Pearson
Married Joseph Lyle Grossman, 12 July 1946, Logan, Cache, Utah
Married Harvey Stephen Hansen, 12 February 1975, Logan, Cache, Utah
Tribute - She was known by everyone as Gerri. I grew up calling her Grandma. Gerri was the 7th of 11 children born to William Levert Alvey and Bertha Roth. She was born in Twin Falls, Idaho, but grew up in Richmond, Utah.
Gerri was a nurse, who received her education and training through the United States Cadet Nurse Corps. She spent her nursing career mainly in obstetrics and pediatrics.
In 1946, she married her first husband, Joseph Lyle Grossman. They had three children together; Lynda Marie, William Duke, and Charlyn Kay. Joseph suffered from PTSD, and after an incident where he held the family at gunpoint, they divorced.
In 1975, Gerri met and married her second husband, Harvey Stephen Hansen. They were together until her death.
Gerri was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent a lobectomy and radiation treatments around 1982-83. The treatments left her weak and made her hair fall out, but she tried to make the best of it.
I recall a story she told to me about that time. A young Asian girl was selling Girl Scout Cookies in the neighborhood with her mother. Gerri was in the parlor in a caftan style robe, and not wearing her wig. When the girl saw Gerri, she burst into tears and exclaimed, "Look, a Buddha!" Her mother was apologizing profusely, explaining that they had just moved to the area, and the little girl was feeling homesick. Gerri told the mother it was okay, and then quietly told the little girl, "I wish I was a Buddha, but I am just a lady who has been sick."
Gerri never really recovered her strength or her hair after she was declared lung cancer free. She had various problems, but was told by her doctors that she was "just getting old" or "it was all in her head".
In May of 1987, Gerri called my Mother and told her they were coming for a visit. It would be the last time we would see her. Her doctor finally listened to her, and tests had revealed an inoperable brain tumor. Her problems really were "in her head". She spent two weeks with us in June, and then went home and started Hospice care. She went home to our Heavenly Father on October 20, 1987.
When I was a child, Grandma was a voice over the phone and letters, cards, and packages in the mail. Living so far apart, I didn't have a lot of physical contact, but she was still a big part of my life.
In 1977, we spent the entire summer with her and Grandpa. What a wonderful time we had doing the most ordinary things! Grandma introduced us to the joy of growing your own food, and how wonderful things tasted fresh from her garden. The neighbor behind her had a young steer in their back yard. My sister and I would pull weeds and hand feed them to the steer, giggling the whole time. Grandma didn't have the heart to tell us he was destined for the dinner table.
When I was a teenager, Grandma was advice and comfort when my parents divorced. When my sister and I needed a place to be and heal emotionally, Grandma welcomed us with open arms. A summer for my sister, and a white Christmas for me.
As an adult, I see Grandma in my Mother's face, and take comfort in knowing we will be together again someday. - Marni A. Pearson
Daughter of William Levert Alvey and Bertha Roth
Married Joseph Lyle Grossman, 12 July 1946, Logan, Cache, Utah
Married Harvey Stephen Hansen, 12 February 1975, Logan, Cache, Utah
Tribute - She was known by everyone as Gerri. I grew up calling her Grandma. Gerri was the 7th of 11 children born to William Levert Alvey and Bertha Roth. She was born in Twin Falls, Idaho, but grew up in Richmond, Utah.
Gerri was a nurse, who received her education and training through the United States Cadet Nurse Corps. She spent her nursing career mainly in obstetrics and pediatrics.
In 1946, she married her first husband, Joseph Lyle Grossman. They had three children together; Lynda Marie, William Duke, and Charlyn Kay. Joseph suffered from PTSD, and after an incident where he held the family at gunpoint, they divorced.
In 1975, Gerri met and married her second husband, Harvey Stephen Hansen. They were together until her death.
Gerri was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent a lobectomy and radiation treatments around 1982-83. The treatments left her weak and made her hair fall out, but she tried to make the best of it.
I recall a story she told to me about that time. A young Asian girl was selling Girl Scout Cookies in the neighborhood with her mother. Gerri was in the parlor in a caftan style robe, and not wearing her wig. When the girl saw Gerri, she burst into tears and exclaimed, "Look, a Buddha!" Her mother was apologizing profusely, explaining that they had just moved to the area, and the little girl was feeling homesick. Gerri told the mother it was okay, and then quietly told the little girl, "I wish I was a Buddha, but I am just a lady who has been sick."
Gerri never really recovered her strength or her hair after she was declared lung cancer free. She had various problems, but was told by her doctors that she was "just getting old" or "it was all in her head".
In May of 1987, Gerri called my Mother and told her they were coming for a visit. It would be the last time we would see her. Her doctor finally listened to her, and tests had revealed an inoperable brain tumor. Her problems really were "in her head". She spent two weeks with us in June, and then went home and started Hospice care. She went home to our Heavenly Father on October 20, 1987.
When I was a child, Grandma was a voice over the phone and letters, cards, and packages in the mail. Living so far apart, I didn't have a lot of physical contact, but she was still a big part of my life.
In 1977, we spent the entire summer with her and Grandpa. What a wonderful time we had doing the most ordinary things! Grandma introduced us to the joy of growing your own food, and how wonderful things tasted fresh from her garden. The neighbor behind her had a young steer in their back yard. My sister and I would pull weeds and hand feed them to the steer, giggling the whole time. Grandma didn't have the heart to tell us he was destined for the dinner table.
When I was a teenager, Grandma was advice and comfort when my parents divorced. When my sister and I needed a place to be and heal emotionally, Grandma welcomed us with open arms. A summer for my sister, and a white Christmas for me.
As an adult, I see Grandma in my Mother's face, and take comfort in knowing we will be together again someday. - Marni A. Pearson
Married Joseph Lyle Grossman, 12 July 1946, Logan, Cache, Utah
Married Harvey Stephen Hansen, 12 February 1975, Logan, Cache, Utah
Tribute - She was known by everyone as Gerri. I grew up calling her Grandma. Gerri was the 7th of 11 children born to William Levert Alvey and Bertha Roth. She was born in Twin Falls, Idaho, but grew up in Richmond, Utah.
Gerri was a nurse, who received her education and training through the United States Cadet Nurse Corps. She spent her nursing career mainly in obstetrics and pediatrics.
In 1946, she married her first husband, Joseph Lyle Grossman. They had three children together; Lynda Marie, William Duke, and Charlyn Kay. Joseph suffered from PTSD, and after an incident where he held the family at gunpoint, they divorced.
In 1975, Gerri met and married her second husband, Harvey Stephen Hansen. They were together until her death.
Gerri was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent a lobectomy and radiation treatments around 1982-83. The treatments left her weak and made her hair fall out, but she tried to make the best of it.
I recall a story she told to me about that time. A young Asian girl was selling Girl Scout Cookies in the neighborhood with her mother. Gerri was in the parlor in a caftan style robe, and not wearing her wig. When the girl saw Gerri, she burst into tears and exclaimed, "Look, a Buddha!" Her mother was apologizing profusely, explaining that they had just moved to the area, and the little girl was feeling homesick. Gerri told the mother it was okay, and then quietly told the little girl, "I wish I was a Buddha, but I am just a lady who has been sick."
Gerri never really recovered her strength or her hair after she was declared lung cancer free. She had various problems, but was told by her doctors that she was "just getting old" or "it was all in her head".
In May of 1987, Gerri called my Mother and told her they were coming for a visit. It would be the last time we would see her. Her doctor finally listened to her, and tests had revealed an inoperable brain tumor. Her problems really were "in her head". She spent two weeks with us in June, and then went home and started Hospice care. She went home to our Heavenly Father on October 20, 1987.
When I was a child, Grandma was a voice over the phone and letters, cards, and packages in the mail. Living so far apart, I didn't have a lot of physical contact, but she was still a big part of my life.
In 1977, we spent the entire summer with her and Grandpa. What a wonderful time we had doing the most ordinary things! Grandma introduced us to the joy of growing your own food, and how wonderful things tasted fresh from her garden. The neighbor behind her had a young steer in their back yard. My sister and I would pull weeds and hand feed them to the steer, giggling the whole time. Grandma didn't have the heart to tell us he was destined for the dinner table.
When I was a teenager, Grandma was advice and comfort when my parents divorced. When my sister and I needed a place to be and heal emotionally, Grandma welcomed us with open arms. A summer for my sister, and a white Christmas for me.
As an adult, I see Grandma in my Mother's face, and take comfort in knowing we will be together again someday. - Marni A. Pearson
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