Geri was born Blairsville, one of four children. The family moved to Young Harris after Geri completed the first grade. She attended Towns County Schools until the eleventh grade. The family must have resided close to the county line as Geri attended Towns County High until her senior year when she transferred to Union County High School graduating with the kids she started with in the first grade.
;)
Hartwell Dam RunGeri is a survivor. She moved to Atlanta when she was seventeen. Her graduation gifts were a suitcase from her grandfather and a Bible from her parents. Her father loaned her $25 which she repaid when she found a job. Her first husband was also from “the mountains”. Geri had met him before her move to Atlanta, as his sister was her best friend her senior year in High School. They parted after twelve years and two children. Thanks to her daughter and son, Geri now has for grandchildren. Geri met her second husband in Atlanta in the doctor’s office where she was working. He was a CPA and after marriage Geri worked in his office for twenty-eight years until his death in 2002 from Alzhimer’s. Geri’s administrative position was “stressful” enough being coupled with taking care of somone who doesn’t know who you are takes a toll.
;)
Geri should have been a poster child for Match.com as she met her next two husbands from that site. Geri’s daughter, on her own, listed Geri on Match.com after her husband’s death had settled in. She connected with Dr. David Whitaker, who had retired from his practice in Florida and moved to Toccoa in 1998 where he had build his retirement home. David practiced part time at the Toccoa Clinic and had started hiking with the Old Farts Hiking Club which was entirely men. Geri moved from Alpharetta to Toccoa in 2004 and married David. Geri started hiking with the group leading to the politically correct name change to “Old Friends” Hiking Club (OFHC). The OFHC is now about 50% female. Tony Presley was the leader of the group, an avid runner, and holder of many Georgia records. His wife Donna is also a runner and has become Gerri’s best friend. When Geri told Donna she could run her driveway three times, she was ready for a 5K. They both particiapted in the 2006 Hartwell Dam 5K when Geri was age 62. Both have been running races together ever since.
Unfortunately David was killed tragically in a tractor accident in 2012. Geri was angry at God when David died, as her life before David had been “difficult”. The running community in Northeast Georgia was a comfort to Geri after David’s death as running became her therapy. Geri recalls going to an Elk’s Club dinner before a choir practice. She was directed to sit at the widow’s table where all the women “looked like they were waiting to die”. Geri was not willing to die and begin to realize that she was “being watched over” by God as her faith returned. Geri attended the 2013 Memorial Day parade in Dacula. After observing the motorcyles in the parade, she remarked to friends that she wanted a motorcycle. They dismissed the idea and advised that she just meet an old biker who will let her ride on the back. Divine intervention occurred as Gerri got back on Match.com, met, and married Wayne Barrios in 2014. Wayne broadened her athletic endeavors to include biking and motorcycle riding. Geri has Zip lined, riden in a helicopter, and gone tubing among other activities. They rode on Wayne’s motorcycle to Mardi Gras and attended bike week in Daytona. Her latest venture is tandem bike riding. Wayne just completed the Bike Ride Across Georgia or BRAG. Geri accompained him towing their pop up tent camper.
;)
Geri in her BBRS singletGeri is a very competative runner and usually places in the female age group 70-74 when she and Donna participate in Run and See Georgia as well as Black Bag Race Series area races. Her favorite race is the Hartwell Dam 5k as this race was the start of her running career. Other favorites are the Rabun Ramble, Currahee Challenge, and Soque River Ramble.
Geri, a member of the St. Matthias Episcopal Church in Toccoa since 2004, advises senior runners to never give up as “God is not through with you yet”!
Bob checking out from the back of the pack. Watch for the profile on George Morse and the profile on Mary Lou Kau