Geraldine "Geri" Mary (Paden) Long

Geraldine "Geri" Mary Long, 93, of Newton died on Friday, May 15, 2026, at her home in Park Centre.  A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorials to the Park Centre Activities Fund may be left at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory.

Geri, the daughter of Matthew and Lillian (Corbett) Paden, was born on September 11, 1932, in Rockford, Illinois.  She grew up in Rockford and graduated from East High School in Rockford.  On June 21, 1952, Geraldine was united in marriage with James D. Long.  She was a homemaker, raising the couple’s four children. They enjoyed traveling, boating, and going to her children’s activities. Geri moved to Newton in 2001, where she resided at Park Centre for the following 25 years. She loved the nurses, staff, and other residents at Park Centre deeply. Geri was known for her diamond art projects, painting her nails daily to match her outfits, her love for shopping trips, and her kind and generous heart. Geri loved having family and friends join her for Sunday lunch at Park Centre, playing BINGO, and reading.  She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. 

Geri is survived by her children, Tom (Joyce) Long, Nancy (Ron) Schoonover,  Jim (Sherri) Long, and Ron (Tamra) Long; grandchildren, Mike Kelly, Rachel Long (Brock), Hannah Wilson (Matt), Kyle Long, Jennifer Long (Marcus), Ryan Long (Nicole), Andrew Long (Savannah), Tyler Haack, Kendra Weston (Maddie), Nicole Hesson (Kalob), Payton Haack, and Bailey Reynaldo-Cruz (Erick); and her great-grandchildren, Lukas, Brexley, Calvin, Margaret, Ryland, Emelia, Everleigh, Finley, Rowan, Mirabelle, Oren, Teegan, Asher, Lee, Parker, Emerson, and Santana.  She was preceded in death by her father, Matthew Paden; mother and step-father, Lillian (Ambrose) Marelli; and husband, James.

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