Joan Marie Berliner Gerardi

Joan Gerardi, 96, of Brevard passed away peacefully on July 3, 2025, at Cedar Mountain House Assisted Living.

Joan was born in Brooklyn, New York on August 26, 1928 to Grace Skidmore and Francis J. Berliner. The second of four children, she was predeceased by her brother George, and sisters Grace and Marilyn. Her family moved to Manhasset, NY during the Great Depression, where Joan attended Manhasset High School and Seton Hill College in Greensburg PA.

On Valentine's Day in 1953 Joan married a grade school acquaintance, Joseph A. (Jerry) Gerardi, Jr. They started a family and moved to Northport, Long Island, NY where, as was the custom of the day, Joan stayed at home to raise their five children. The family was blessed with Joan’s orderly housekeeping and well-planned, sometimes fancy, meals with dinner always on the table at 6 o’clock. During summer vacations Joan and Jerry took the kids on road trips around the Northeast, to visit Joan’s relatives in upstate New York and to a shared family summer house on Fire Island.

Joan enjoyed playing tennis and was an avid golfer. She was a steady league player at Crab Meadow and Indian Hills Golf Clubs on Long Island. With their children grown, Joan enjoyed sailing with her skipper, Jerry, as they cruised to many ports on Long Island Sound. She was also co-owner of Irene’s Gift Shop on Main Street in Northport.

When Jerry retired, they moved to Connestee Falls in Brevard North Carolina, where Joan continued to enjoy golf well into her 80s, and was a longtime volunteer at Sharing House in Brevard. They also enjoyed travels to Europe and Alaska. They downsized to a smaller home in Deer Lake community before taking an apartment at College Walk and eventually went into assisted living at Cedar Mountain House. Joan’s manner was funny, direct and sometimes unvarnished, which endeared her to us all. She was married to her sweetheart, Jerry, for 71 years when he passed away in February of 2025.

Joan is survived by her daughter, Virginia, of Long Island and sons Richard (Lillian), Andrew (Carolyn), and Peter of North Carolina, five grandchildren and five great-Grandchildren. She was preceded by her son Thomas (Fe).

A mass celebrating Joan’s life will be held Saturday, July 19, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church 150 Brian Berg Drive, Brevard, NC 28712. There will be a reception afterward at the church with refreshments.

The family would like to recognize the staff at Cedar Mountain House and Four Seasons Hospice for their compassionate care during Joan’s final days.

The family has asked that donations in Joan’s honor be directed to Sacred Heart Catholic Church and to Four Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care, 571 South Allen Road, Flat Rock NC 28731.