Geri Cecil

Born in Spokane, Washington to an Air Force Surgeon and his wife, I was named after my father, Gerald Alexander, who was sure that he and my mother were having a boy.  Surprised when I popped out a girl, they had not planned a name, so they called me Gerri Ann.  I, later, being very sophisticated, dropped an “r” from Gerri to become Geri, and my late husband always teased me when introducing me by saying “that’s Geri with an “i”.  A younger sister completed our family; I keep trying to get Pam and her husband Rich to take a look at WC.

I have had the most interesting life.  I have travelled the world and have lived from Alaska to Spain to Seoul, Korea and many points in between.  Interestingly enough, I have never lived in the Northeast.  I do consider myself a Southerner, although not born and bred.  I came to Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and never left Lynchburg, which was my life plan all along…to stay in one place and establish roots.  Being in Spain for four years during high school was the key formative experience of my life.  I left the USA as a child and came back to a country that, as a teenager, I did not understand.  I became an observer, an outsider, and have always felt comfortable in that role. My friends have been very patient with me because I generally choose the road less travelled and sometimes that can be a bore!

Married twice to two lovely men, Pete Leggett (Gordon is my brother-in-law) and Lamar Cecil, my life has been incredibly fulfilling as mother to six children, 4 personal and 2 steps, and grandmother to thirteen; homemaker; community volunteer; friend; owner of The Silver Thistle; and teacher to many young hopefuls at the school right across the street, VES.  I can remember looking over at Westminster-Canterbury while teaching at VES and thinking “How like Mr. Chips…all my students can come visit me at the Home!”  We’ll see!

 I am so delighted to have finally made it to the Big House after four years of waiting.  This fulfills Lamar’s and my plan for retirement.  I can’t imagine anything better than not having to unpack one more box!  Lamar had a policy as a professor at W&L that, if the door to his office was open, come on in.  And his door was always open.  That is the way it will be at my new home in Woods Edge.  Please stop by for a visit…I would like to get to know you!