Alfred Leonard Geraci was born on Oct. 21, 1925, in the Bronx, N.Y., the youngest of six boys in an Italian-American family.
Alfred attended PS 34 and was part of the first class to enter Christopher Columbus High School. His memories of his youth include trips to Manhattan to listen to symphonies and Radio City Music Hall events. He also had many fond memories of his family traveling to visit extended family in Troy, N.Y.
Alfred joined the U.S. Army after graduating high school. He was enrolled in electrical engineering courses at Princeton University for a semester before getting called for duty to serve in the Pacific Theater in WWII.
Alfred kept an extensive diary about his time in the Philippines as well as in Japan after the atomic bombs were dropped. Though a soldier who was trained for war, his greatest love was for peace and harmony among mankind. His hope was that mankind would solve its disputes without war.
Alfred returned to his family to attend Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he graduated in 1950 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He recalled with great fondness his first job at the Lehigh Valley railroad. He also worked for IBM for a short period of time.
Alfred ultimately secured a job with the Sperry Gyroscope Company in Long Island, N.Y., where he remained for 40 years. He worked on the Lunar Orbiter before retiring in 1994.
Alfred married the love of his life, Dora, in October 1954. They had two children, Kira and Leonard. He became an active participant in their lives and in the lives of his grandchildren Christina and JeanPaul. He and Dora moved to Harrison to be with them and spent much of his retirement with his grandchildren, going on class trips and often bringing them to and from school.
Alfred was blessed to have four great grandchildren, Scarlett, Zoey, Alexander, and Siena.
Alfred had a great love of music, which he shared with his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He was often found singing to them. Alfred enjoyed the opera and Broadway musicals. He was an active participant in the Osborn Grandview chorus. His last performance was a dramatic reading in June 2025.
Alfred Geraci was a man of family, faith, music, and peace. Condolences may be left at GrahamFuneralHomeRye.com.
