Geraldine “Gerri” Walker (Goracke), 94, passed away on September 11, 2025, at her home in Omaha, Nebraska. She was born November 26, 1931, in Tecumseh, NE to Roy C. and Emma (Schuster) Goracke. Gerri was survived by her beloved husband of 67 years, James C. “Chuck” Walker and by her son, Dan Walker, daughter, Julie Ann Walker-Berner, and three grandchildren, Zack Walker, Cory Berner, and Reilly Berner, as well as her sister Darlene (Goracke) Webb of Geneva, NE.

Gerri was one of 10 children (5 boys and 5 girls) and grew up on the family farm outside Tecumseh, NE, before attending Mount St. Scholastica (Atchison, KS) with her younger sister, Darlene. Gerri graduated from “The Mount” in 1949, after excelling academically. After graduation, Gerri moved to Northern California, where she worked at a local newspaper, before deciding to move back to the Midwest eventually settling in Kansas City where she worked for Mid-Continent Airlines as a reservation agent. When Mid-Continent merged with Braniff Airlines, Gerri ‘s love of adventure set her on a path of travel and romance, as she met Chuck during the many social gatherings held by the growing numbers of young and single employees joining the ranks of the booming airline and travel industry.

Before settling down with Chuck to start a family in 1958, Gerri travelled throughout much of the western Hemisphere. Between 1952 and 1958, Gerri took many trips, visiting exotic locales in Bermuda, Cuba, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina and Hawaii. From 1958 to 1969, Chuck and Gerri moved from Kansas City to Denver and back, finally settling in the Midwest when they bought a 135-acre farm near Gower, Missouri. Chuck worked for Braniff in the evenings and farmed during the day until Braniff ceased operations in 1989, and Gerri stayed active with the local parish, maintained a large garden, and excelled at home canning, jelly making, baking, candy making, while raising son Dan and daughter Julie.

Deregulation of the airline industry in the late 1970’s led to considerable volatility and combined with high fuel prices in the late 1980’s, work in the industry became unpredictable. So, in 1989 at 55, after 35 years in the industry Chuck changed careers by obtaining computer technician certifications to support the growing market for personal computers, especially Apple products, and took a position in Denver. After selling the family farmhouse in Gower in 1990, Gerri joined Chuck in Denver. With granddaughter Reilly attending Creighton, and Julie taking a position with Children’s Hospital in Omaha, Chuck and Gerri decided to make the move to be close to family in 2020.

In honor of Chuck and Gerri’s wedding on February 1, 1958 at St. Mary Catholic Church, a joint Memorial Mass for her and husband Chuck will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 30, 2026 at the St. Mary Catholic Church in St. Mary, Nebraska with Father Christopher Kubat officiating. Chuck and Gerri will be interred in a graveside service immediately following in the St. Mary Catholic Cemetery. A luncheon will follow the graveside in the basement of the St. Mary Catholic Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials or masses may be given to the church in Chuck and Gerri’s memory. Services are entrusted to Wherry Mortuary, Tecumseh, NE.