Geri was born on January 4, 1920, in Joliet, Illinois to Harry and Bertha Apgar. Her siblings were Robert, Fred, Juanita, Junior, and Glen. Louis Glen Apgar, her last surviving brother, lives with his wife Jane in Mesa, Arizona. Her husband of 50 years, Donald Dowrey, Jr. passed away in 2001 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Her daughter, Donna Thomas-Krabbe, resides in Springfield, Virginia with her husband, William Krabbe. Her grandson, Joshua Thomas, together with his wife Ashley reside in Clifton, Virginia. Her granddaughter, Jena Pasko, resides in Springfield, Virginia. Until her death, Geri was a resident at Aarondale Assisted Living and Retirement Facility in Springfield, Virginia.