Germaine "Gerri" L. Wilkinson-Ronca

Germaine (Gerri) L. Wilkinson-Ronca

February 5, 1928 – May 2, 2018

Germaine Lucille (Martineau) Wilkinson-Ronca, 90, of Seal Beach, CA, passed away on May 2, 2018 at Los Alamitos Medical Center in Los Alamitos, CA.

Known to family and friends as Gerri, she was born in Fall River, MA on February 5, She was the daughter of the late William and Aurore (Legault) Martineau.  Germaine attended Fall River’s Durfee High School and met her future husband through  their mutual love of roller skating at a local skating rink. After marriage, she worked for St. Jean Baptiste Credit Union until her family moved to Long Beach, CA in 1963. She  then worked for Equitable Savings and Loan and later became the senior loan officer for the Long Beach City Employees Federal Credit Union where she retired after 25 years of service in 1993.

For many years, Germaine was an active parishioner of St. Barnabas Catholic Church in Long Beach, CA. She and her first husband were on the Board of the Long Beach Queen Mary Club as well as on the Board of the Annual Fall River Picnic and members of the Long Beach Civil War Roundtable. She also was a member of Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach Auxiliary, a volunteer women’s organization that hosts events to benefit children at Miller Children’s Hospital. Germaine and her second husband later moved to Leisure World in Seal Beach, CA, where she was active in the Leisure World Italian Club. In February 2017, she moved to Sunrise of Seal Beach, CA.

Germaine loved music and played the piano and organ for many years. She had a knack for hearing a song and playing it by ear. In her later years, she enjoyed visits with her family and friends, as well as sharing daily meals with her small group of lady friends at Sunrise. Germaine was preceded in death by her first husband of 42 years, Francis (Frank) Wilkinson (1990), her second husband of 7 years, Vincent Ronca, Sr. (2010); her sisters Edna Dumas, Doris Auger, Theresa Normandin, and Beatrice Heywood; and her brother Joseph Martineau. She is survived by her 2 daughters, Joan (Bob) Bernstrom of Bemidji, MN, and Gail Boyce of Sherman, TX. She also leaves behind 3 grandchildren, Heidi Neely, Justin Boyce, and Kathleen (Bob) Glesener; 4 great-grandchildren, Katelyn Neely, Connor Neely, Eva Boyce, and Imogen Glesener; a brother, Roland Martineau of Swansea, MA; and many nieces and nephews.

Viewing is Monday, May 14, 2018 from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm at Luyben Dilday Mortuary Chapel, 5161 E. Arbor Road, Long Beach, CA 90808. A funeral mass celebrating Germaine’s life will be on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 from 10:00 – 11:00 am at Holy Family Catholic Church in Seal Beach Leisure World, 13900 Church Place, Seal Beach, CA Graveside Service will follow on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 11:45 am at All Souls Catholic Cemetery, 4400 Cherry Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90807. Online guest book is available at www.luybendilday.com