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Geri Herling

Geri Herling was born Aug. 15, 1953, in Butte, Mont., and died peacefully March 13, 2019, in Scottsdale, Ariz., surrounded by her beloved family.

Geri was the middle of three children born to Otto and Marion Staack. Geri often talked about being the test pilot for her big brother Eddie’s chainsaw motor-powered go-carts and a homemade roller coaster. Geri was delighted to help her parents in caring for her little baby sister, Dianna. Geri loved the outdoors, camping, fishing and skiing, as well as being a Girl Scout. Beautiful Holland Lake was her favorite as a child and after she married.

Geri had an impeccable work ethic and at age 13, she was the first female newspaper carrier in the state of Montana. She worked as a candy striper volunteer at St. James Hospital in high school, where her passion for science and healthcare started. Geri graduated from Butte High School in 1971. She was intelligent and excelled in her studies. She pursued a college education and attended Montana Tech, then later graduated from the University of Montana with a bachelor’s of science in microbiology. It was at Montana Tech where she met her first husband, Marty Trzeciak, with whom she later was blessed with her twin girls, Stacie and Wendy.

After graduation, Geri moved from Butte to Spokane, Wash., where her Auntie and Uncle lived. Geri began her professional career as a medical technologist at Deaconess Hospital. When the pharmaceutical industry began to grow, Geri was recruited by Parke-Davis (later acquired by Warner Lambert) and was amongst the first female pharmaceutical representatives in the industry. She excelled in sales and marketing, her true calling.

She earned an MBA while working full-time and raising her twin daughters. Following merger and acquisitions, she transitioned to Merck Pharmaceuticals, where she later retired after 20 years. Geri had many opportunities for promotion but turned them down to keep her family together in Spokane. She was even awarded the National President’s Award in 1998 and was a Top Sales Executive for Merck.

Geri, a single mother for most of her daughters’ childhood, married Stephen R. Herling in 1998 in Spokane. They were married for 21 years. Geri was not only adventurous in her career, but also in her hobbies. These included paragliding, heli-skiing, scuba diving, golfing and boating. Geri, along with Steve, held charter sailing certificates and sailed many places, including the Caribbean, Sea of Cortez, San Juan Islands and the Hawaiian Islands. She also swam with humpback whales in Tahiti.

For 15 years, Geri and Steve owned a beach house on Molokai, Hawaii, where they enjoyed local Hawaii and met great friends. Geri and Steve lived at home on the Spokane River in Post Falls, Idaho, and were also snowbirds to their home in Scottsdale, Ariz. They are members of the Hayden Lake Country Club in Hayden, Idaho.

Throughout her life she always had dogs (many of them); sometimes her sister often joked of Geri having “the dog of the week.” Most recently, Geri loved dearly her little Maltese, Lola … the 3rd. Geri was caring and a friend to many along her life’s journey. She is adored for her integrity, compassion and strong-will; always helping others even through her own terminal illness.

Geri loved children and children loved her. Geri and her grandchildren, nieces and nephews all enjoyed picking raspberries in her garden, planting flowers and swimming in the river. Grandma Geri’s, aka Auntie Cherry’s, warm embrace was a favorite place for her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She was always proud of them and they were the pride of her life and gave her strength through her illness. Each individual child, grandchild and her dear friends felt her individual love and attention; this was her strength.

Geri is survived by her husband, Steve Herling of Post Falls, Idaho; mother, Marion Staack of Westminster, Colo.; siblings Ed (JoAnn) Staack of Butte, Mont. and Dianna (Kent) Stolz of Arvada, Colo. Also survived by two twin daughters: Stacie (Mike) Tracy of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Wendy (Rich) deBlaquiere of Hayden, Idaho; Brad (Maria) Herling of Astoria, N.Y.; Heidi (Anthony) Greene of Atlanta, Ga. and Stephenie Herling of Los Angeles, Calif.; and her seven grandchildren: Aria, Corrine, Grace, Marshall, Paige, Reeve and Tenley.

She was preceded in death by her father, Otto William Staack.

A celebration of Geri’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on April 13, 2019, at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Coeur d’Alene, with a reception to follow at the Coeur d’Alene Resort (Bay 6) from 1-4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Kathy’s House (www.kathys-house.org/support-us/donate).

Interment of Geri’s ashes will be next to her father at Holy Cross Cemetery in Butte at a later date.