Geraldine "Gerry" Pederson Bowers, 100, of Princeton, NJ passed away on February 6, 2022.

Born in August 1921 in southern Minnesota, she was raised in several small cities in central Iowa during the Great Depression and learned the values of simplicity, thrift, and self-reliance, which she carried throughout her life. Gerry graduated from Nevada High School in Nevada, IA in 1938, and then attended Iowa State College (University) where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and remained an active alumna for the rest of her life. After college, she taught high school science and home economics in rural South Dakota. Later, Gerry volunteered for the Navy WAVES during World War II. She served as an air traffic control tower operator in Pensacola, FL. After being honorably discharged from the US Navy, Gerry moved back to Iowa where she became engaged to former high school classmate, Fred Bowers. Gerry and Fred were married in Iowa in 1945. Their son Steven Bowers was born in Ames, IA. After Fred graduated with a chemistry degree, the young family moved to Elizabethton, TN where daughter Nancy (Bowers) Zuber was born. The family moved to Princeton, NJ in 1959.

Gerry was a beloved member of Nassau Presbyterian Church for 63 years, serving as an ordained Elder and Deacon, leading committees, and teaching church school. She was a member and leader of Presbyterian Women and in 1998 commissioned a new hymn entitled Praise the God of All Beginnings to the tune of "Bowers".

Gerry often said, "If you choose to join a group, use your talents and take an active part." She did just that with: Princeton Area Church Women United (president); P.E.O. Sisterhood (74-year member, attending state and international conventions, and president); The Women's College Club of Princeton (president); The Present Day Club; Girl Scouts (troop leader and Council Board member); and Princeton Embroiderers' Guild. She even taught hat-making at the Princeton YMCA.

Gerry was a daily crossword puzzler and an avid reader with a personal collection of over 1,000 books. She was a lover of the arts, regularly attending concerts and exploring museums. And she was an advocate of education for all women.

Gerry's lifelong passion for learning extended to her travels. She joined fellow group members on trips around the world including Egypt-Israel-Jordan, Australia-New Zealand, Germany-Switzerland, and Italy-Sicily with her Nassau church members; Turkey, where she went swimming in the Mediterranean off the back of a sailboat at age 88, and a river cruise on the Elbe with Iowa State University Alumni (the "Traveling Cyclones"); and trips to Norway, France, the former Yugoslavia, Jamaica, Nova Scotia, and all over the US with family and friends. Later in life, she enjoyed seasonal vacations with her family to Florida.

She loved Princeton, and most of all, she loved people. Each individual was important to her. She made deep, lasting friendships. She asked the best questions, had a terrific sense of humor and a sharp wit, and was well-known for always being cheerful and positive. She kept in active correspondence with family and friends. On her 100th birthday, she received over 100 birthday cards from around the world.

Gerry was preceded in death by her parents Carl J. and E. Melia Pederson, her loving husband Fred M. Bowers, her younger brothers George Pederson and Curtis Pederson, and her son-in-law Leo Zuber, Jr. She is survived by her son Steven F. Bowers and daughter-in-law Dora (Updike) Bowers; her daughter Nancy (Bowers) Zuber; her grandchildren Mary Grace Zuber (Todd Magreta), Andrew Zuber (Amanda), and Scott Bowers; and her great-grandchildren Max Zuber, Josephine Magreta, and Beatrice Magreta.

An open memorial is planned for February 21, 2022 at 11:00 am in the Nassau Presbyterian Church Sanctuary, 61 Nassau St, Princeton, NJ 08542. Due to COVID precautions, masks are required and there will be no reception. A Zoom livestream will be facilitated by the family and is available upon request.

Private burial will take place at a later date in Nevada, IA.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to her beloved Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton or to the charity of your choice.