Had a love of music and enjoyed cooking her Italian specialties
WAKEFIELD — Geraldine V. “Geri” (Soule) Cruickshank, formerly of Wakefield, passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, July 2 in Fall River just days after her 86th birthday.
Born in Newton on June 28, 1938, she was one of three children of the late Jerome Soule and M. Virginia (Grosse) Soule. As a young woman in Newton, Geri heard music. While her peers were swooning over Elvis Presley and rocking to The Beatles, Geri fell in love with Brahms and Beethoven. Hours at the piano led her to Boston where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance and Master’s Degree in Music Education from Boston University.
She married the late John E. Wright Jr. settling in Wakefield to raise a family of two children James and Tara. With selflessness, passion and uplifting encouragement, she excelled in her role as THE music teacher for Stoneham Public Schools for nearly 30 years. Lugging her boxes filled with obscure musical instruments from school to school, into whichever basement room or glorified closet made available for her…again and again, she happily accepted the challenge and awakened the creative spark in even the most restless young minds.
Geri was recognized for the growth and achievement of her students. While teaching music to nearly every grade level, she helped establish a local student choir and developed an award winning music composition program for students all on her own time. Geri believed in an immersive teaching style. Using methods developed by Carl Orff and Zoltan Kodaly, she focused her young student’s energy into making music with whatever they could. It could be a simple rhythmic whistle or several notes banged out on a glockenspiel or marimba or a clap or snap woven into the rhythm. She made learning music fun for her kids and made all feel included and successful. These methods aided Geri in developing the musical ear of students from Stoneham to Beverly where she worked at Harborlight Montessori School. When not teaching, Geri also wrote ten children’s music books, as well as the award winning song, “Roses & Cobblestones” still sung by youth choirs around the Country. She also generously donated her time as the longtime director of music at the Greenwood Union Church in Wakefield.
She married her second husband, the late Dr. Robert Cruickshank in 1982 and lived in Wakefield for many years. She and Bob enjoyed travel together with a memorable visit to her roots in Italy. They also found comfort in returning often to the dry air of Arizona. She and Bob loved going out to dinner, playing a quick game of Keno and catching the Red Sox game. She loved watching Jeopardy, cooking her Italian specialties and exercised her mind through near daily writing. Bob and Geri loved their massive Weimaraner Wolfie until his passing.
With her strength of spirit, vivacious personality and independent streak, Geri was larger than life. She paved her own way while making friends everywhere and brought joy with her love of music. She will be deeply missed, but lovingly remembered for her selfless and caring way, her passion for music and her strong endearing will.
The last decade of her life were plagued by various maladies. She became virtually blind and beat back several cancer scares, a heart attack, relentless arthritis, a hip replacement and a stroke. Yet, she never lost that positive attitude or the sparkle in her eye. She and her son and caregiver Jim found ways to stay active and brighten the days of those she encountered.
Geri was the beloved wife of the late Rev. Dr. Robert A. Cruickshank with whom she shared 34 years of marriage and former wife of the late John E. Wright Jr. Devoted mother of James A. Wright of Fall River and Tara L. Wright of Dover, NH. Cherished grandmother of Auston and Morningstar Wright. Dear sister of Anthony Soule of Enfield, CT and the late David Soule.
Relatives and friends were invited to gather in honor of Geri’s life during visiting hours at the Robinson Funeral Home, 809 Main St., Melrose on Wednesday, July 10 from 4 to 7 p.m. and for her funeral service at the First Congregational Church, 1 Church St., Stoneham on Thursday, July 11 at 11 a.m. Interment at Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. For online tribute, visit RobinsonFuneralHome.com.
