Celebrating the Life of Dee Geddis

I first met the Geddis family twelve years ago. Joseph, the son of Dee and Eddie, attended the elementary school that I worked at and every single day I would see Eddie walking Jojo to class and waiting to pick him up at dismissal. Then I started attending Journey Church in Orange Park and the Geddis family was there each Sunday. Dee sang with the praise and worship team, and when I joined the team, she was the first to introduce herself to me. We instantly developed a bond. She mentored me, as I was a young mother of two children. She held my hands and prayed for me. She would wrap me up in these amazing hugs that made my worries melt away. And her voice...oh she has this voice that drips gold. This family is very special to me, and they need our help. In 2015, Dee was diagnosed with Grade 2 Astrocytomas- cancerous tumors growing in her brain. With chemotherapy and radiation, she was able to beat the cancer. A majorly unfavorable side effect was that her mobility and vision took a pretty significant hit, but she was upbeat and kept on truckin’. Fast forward to January 2019. The pain and massive headaches returned with a vengeance. After multiple scans, a devastating diagnosis was handed to Dee: the Grade 2 Astrocytomas were back, and this time it was accompanied by Glioblastoma, an incurable, very fast-growing type of malignant brain cancer. She endured more rounds of chemo and radiation, which left her almost completely blind, and now immobile. As of last week, Dee was hospitalized due to the amount of fluid collecting in her skull that was putting immense pressure on her spinal cord, leaving her nearly paralyzed. She has now been moved to hospice, where her husband of 16 years, Eddie, has been by her side every single step of the way. Her 16 year old daughter, Gabrielle, and 22 year old son, Joseph, have helped in every way possible. Dee took an early retirement from JEA where she had worked for 21 years. The family has mounting medical bills as well as monthly bills that need to be taken care of. Now it’s our turn. Might you be moved to step out in faith and bless this family with any amount you’re able to give. Pay it forward. God bless, Anna Phillips