Marilyn Hilliard Geraty

In Sacramento on January 26, 2013. Beloved wife of Eugene T. Geraty "Gino" of 57 years. Loving mother of Catherine, Jenny, Martha and Sarah and son in-laws, Vernon and Arturo. Daughter of the late Mabel and Edward Hilliard and daughter-in-law of Dr. George and Marian Geraty. Sister of Jerry and Edward Hilliard. Cherished grandmother of Valerie, Cassandra and Christopher. A native of Sacramento and resident for 83 years. She loved swimming, gardening, cooking, traveling, Broadway shows/music. Her family was the center of her life. She will be remembered for her service to others, dedication to early childhood education, unflailing devotion to her Catholic faith and the many lives she touched. A graduate of UC Berkeley where she was a member of the Delta Gamma Sorority and the Junior League. Friends are invited to attend a Vigil Service on Feb. 4 at 7pm at W.F. Gormley & Sons. The Funeral Mass will be held on Feb. 5 at 10am at Sacred Heart Church. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sacred Heart Church, St. Francis High School, East Portal Bocce Club's Special Olympics, and Friends of McKinley Park. Special Thanks to Mercy General Hospital Physicians and Staff for their care and compassion. Marilyn Hilliard Geraty was an 83 year beloved native of East Sacramento California. Her unconditional giving spirit earned her the utmost respect and admiration from her family, friends, colleagues and countless individuals whose lives she touched. Marilyn was the first female Chair of the Sacramento County Children's Commission and was President of the National Association of Education for Young Children. As a Professor at Sacramento City College and educator with Sacramento City Unified School District for over 40 years, she was a 100% committed to the advancement of early childhood education, while advocating for parent involvement in the classroom. A mentor to aspiring teachers in the Sacramento community, she developed a grassroots program in Sacramento called Parent Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS). She lobbied for federal funding in Washington DC to expand the PALS program. PALS fostered the federal Infant Stimulation Program. Marilyn was a philanthropist in the truest sense of the word. The number of individuals in need whose lives she impacted through her lifetime of service is immeasurable. She was dedicated to positively impacting the lives of children of all ages and cultures in underserved communities. Through her lifetime, she served as a founding member of multiple boards for a variety of local community organizations including: Family Services Agency Sacred Heart and Saint Francis School Community Services Planning Council UC Davis Mind Institute UC Davis Center for Healthy Aging Sacramento Food Bank Bridge-Builders Sacramento Crisis Nursery Sacramento Junior Museum Big Brothers/Big Sisters Casa De Los Ninos Junior League of Sacramento and their many philanthropic projects Marilyn will be remembered for her service to others, dedication to early childhood education, devotion to her Catholic faith and the many lives she touched.