Geraldine L. (Roberts) Blais, 71, Teacher at Bradford Elementary, Cogswell

Geraldine L. (Roberts) Blais, 71, of Haverhill, died Monday, Sept. 10, in her home.

Born in Winchester on Dec.14, 1946, she was the daughter of the late Donald and Geraldine (Spencer) Roberts. Blais was educated in the Winchester school system before going on to earn her bachelor’s degree from Boston University and her master’s degree from Fitchburg State College.

A lifelong lover of learning, Blais taught in the Haverhill School System for over 35 years, primarily at Cogswell School and later Bradford Elementary School. She was loved and respected by students and colleagues alike and was proud to be a founding Husky at Bradford “El.”

Later in life, she took full advantage of her travel bug, visiting the Greek Isles, Norway, Holland, France, Wales, the Channel Islands, England, Ireland, Scotland, Nova Scotia, Alaska, Puerto Rico, river cruises down the Seine and the Rhine to visit the Christmas Markets, and countless Caribbean cruises. She loved exploring new places and revisiting old favorites, and her traveling companions will miss her dearly.

Blais loved reading, and resisted the switch to an e-reader although it did allow her to bring more books on her vacations. Her to-read list never seemed to get shorter, and she always had a good book recommendation precisely tailored to anyone’s preferred genre. She had a dry wit that caught you off guard, and so many of our memories of her include the kind of laughter that made your belly ache.

She is lovingly missed by her daughter Claire Santarelli and her husband Keith of Wakefield, her son David Blais and his wife Denelda Norwood of San Diego, Calif., her sister, Dianne Toolson, and two brothers, Donald Roberts and his wife Karma of Arlington, and Thomas Roberts. She had five grandchildren who brought her immeasurable joy, Quinn, Griffin and Harrison Norwood, and Lorelai and Jillian Santarelli. She also leaves behind a niece, two nephews, and her very faithful companion Harry the cat.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her calling hours on Sunday, Sept. 16, from 1-3 p.m., at the H.L. Farmer & Sons Bradford Funeral Home, 210 South Main St., Bradford. Her funeral will be Monday morning, Sept. 17 at 10 a.m. at the Bradford Funeral Home. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery, Bradford. Contributions in her memory may be made to Friends of the Kimball Library, 5 Academy Ave., Atkinson, N.H., 03811, or Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, 63 Elm St., Salisbury, Mass., 01952.