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Obituary of Geraldine E. Matzel Langdon
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Geraldine "Geri" Elizabeth Matzel Langdon, 75, of Plains Township, was welcomed home by her Lord and Savior on Thursday, January 30, 2025, while in the care of the Commonwealth Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.
Born on May 18, 1949, she was a daughter of the late Adam and Mary Zapotoczny Matzel of Wilkes-Barre. Geri grew up in the North End section of the city and attended St. John's Catholic Elementary School and was a graduate of James M. Coughlin High School, class of 1967.
Geraldine married Donald Langdon and together raised four children. For many years she was a homemaker and very active in each of the children's lives, especially through sports and their schools. Geri was on the PTA at Cotton Avenue Elementary, helped the Plains Soccer Association, Plains American Legion Baseball, the Coughlin High School Soccer and Baseball Booster Clubs. She was a familiar and welcoming parent to everyone.
Geri was also very active in her church, Saints Peter and Paul Parish of Plains, for many years. She began working for the Church with the past pastor, Joseph Greskiewicz, who became a close friend. For many years she helped by chairing the annual summer bazaar which was a successful fundraiser, but more importantly to Geri, it brought everyone at the church together.
Geri was a eucharist minister and helped to deliver communion to homebound parishioners. She also volunteered her time as a CCD teacher and at the Rose Center in Clarks Summit. In her time at SS. Peter and Paul Church Geri especially enjoyed the responsibility of tending to the beautiful flowers on the church property and would stop anything she was doing to welcome a familiar or unfamiliar person into the church.
In her later years, Geri found the most joy in spending time with her family and friends. She especially loved to watch a grandchild’s sporting event or attend a school play. Geri also loved gardening and was generous with her time and was always a helping hand. In her last act of life, she donated her organs to help others live.
In additional to her parents she was preceded in death by her former spouse and sister Carol.
Surviving are her children Brian (Elizabeth), Berea, OH; Michael, West Pittston; Donald (Courtney), Wyoming; and Jennifer, Dallas; sisters Evelyn Matzel, Pittston; and June Januszko, Pittston; brothers Robert Matzel (Gail), Harvey's Lake; and Richard Matzel (Katherine), Friendship, MD; grandchildren: Cassandra, Adam, Benjamin, Natasha, Haylie, Ayden, Maxwell, Olivia, Matthew, Michael, and Donny Jr., and great grandchildren Gabriel, Beau, Parker, Finn, and Blake, and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial visitation will be held on Friday, February 7, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Yanaitis Funeral Home Inc., 55 Stark Street, Plains. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, February 8, at 9:30 a.m. in Saints Peter and Paul Church, 13 Hudson Road. Mass will be officiated by MSGR. John Sempa. For those wishing to attend mass, please go directly to church. Interment will follow in parish cemetery, Plains.
The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the dedicated staff at Allied Services for their loving care and support given to Geri. They would also like to thank Dr. John Ellis for his compassionate care.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Gift of Life Donor Program, 401 North 3rd Street Philadelphia, PA 19123 or at, www.donors1.org.
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