Geraldine Winifred Taylor Champa, 81, of West Berrien Community, passed away Sunday, October 1, 2017, at her daughters home in Blaine, Washington.

She was born April 5, 1936 in TyTy, Georgia to the late Martin Taylor and the late Maliscia Holloway Taylor. Geraldine would like you to know that her work here is done. Heaven is the place of perfect happiness, and she will rejoice in reunion with family and friends she has not seen in a long time. Geraldine has longed to hold her loving husbands hand, and to feel his comforting embrace.

As a child, Geraldine attended New River School in West Berrien. Mom had asthma and she always felt badly about struggling with school. Later in life she understood that her style was visual learning. That's why she was so good at so many things.

Mom was an artist, enjoyed wood working as well as gardening, and spent much of her time as a skilled quilter. Mom was a creator. Mom loved inventing useful gadgets such as a switch that could reach rowdy children clear to the back of a station wagon, a knit scarf that could wrap around your ears and nose five times and still enable you to breathe, a Watkins suave drenched cloth that would stay in place without help of a safety pin…to name a few. Later in life we would joke around with Mom how she would tie us to her In a big crowd. She would simply say, "No one was going to get my babies!"

Geraldine was very proud of family's gospel music background. Her father, "Martin Taylor and the Singing Taylor Family; was from the earliest days of singing schools taught in this region. Geraldine, along with twin sister Josephine and younger sister Rudine, performed as the "Taylor Trio."

She married Richard Champa on March 4, 1956 in Tifton and were together until his death in 1993. They moved to Massachusetts where they lived for 20 years. After being tired of shoveling snow They moved to South Georgia. Mom and Dad retired from Champa Enterprises and Sealcoating. Giving them to visit their favorite place which was Shell Point.

Her sweet spirit was a comfort to many and she will be missed greatly by all who knew and loved her.

She is preceded in death by her parents: Martin and Maliscia Taylor; husband: Richard Champa; three sisters: Trudy McNabb, Gertie Barber, and Ruth Harris; and four brothers James Taylor, Reuben Taylor, Riley Taylor, and Rancil Taylor.

She leaves behind two sons David (Lisa) Champa of Mission Viejo, California; Derrick Champa of Phoenix, Arizona. Three daughters Darlene (David) of Blaine, Washington; Denise (Bill) Binner of Enigma, Georgia; and Dale(Carter) Harper of Nashville, Georgia. Also surviving are ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Funeral services will be held Sunday October 8, 2017 at 5:00 PM in Flat Creek Church with the Rev. Mickey Lindsey officiating. Interment will follow in Westview Cemetery. Visitation is one hour prior to the service.