- Date Of Birth: June 8, 1934
- Date Of Death: January 27, 2022
- State: Massachusetts
NORTH ANDOVER – Catherine M. “Geri” Gable (Fantasia), Queen of Punch Lines, Empress of Flea Markets, Maven of Middlesex Street, and the biggest fan of everyone she loved, died peacefully on January 27, 2022
Geri was born in Boston’s North End to parents Marie (Steriti) and Charles Fantasia. She attended Our Lady of Nazareth Academy where she was a scholar, class secretary and head cheerleader. She was awarded a scholarship to Boston College and attended night classes while working at Chelsea Clock. She met Robert Gable during her sophomore year and left academia to marry and raise a family. Ahead of her time, she always believed women had the innate capability and the right to have a career outside of the home if they so choose. She had a successful housekeeping business, honed her comedy act tending bar throughout the Merrimack Valley, owned a thrift store (Up Your Attic), was an avid flea market dealer/shopper, and worked for many years at St. Vincent de Paul’s thrift store.
Geri lit up any room with her smile (and her lipstick), was passionate about life and loved to make others laugh. She would do anything for her family and friends.
Geri is survived by her children Cathleen Gable of North Andover, Laurie Gable of Andover, Vernon Gable and his fiancée Dawn Vitiello of Haverhill. She was predeceased by her husband and their youngest daughter, Brenda Gable. The memories her children hold in their hearts are happy moments of riding to Maine in her ’64 Impala convertible singing along to The Supremes, raking leaves in the fall, eating warm bread pudding on Sunday nights, blasting Broadway show tunes on the hi-fi, and just being together sharing a meal, a song and a good belly laugh.
