Gertrude Pocte Geddes Willis

Gertrude Pocte Geddes Willis (1878-1970) founded the Gertrude Geddes Willis Life Insurance Company and Gertrude Geddes Willis Funeral Home in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was one of the first women funeral directors in New Orleans.[1][2]

Gertrude Pocte Geddes Willis
Born
Gertrude Pocte

(1878-03-09)March 9, 1878
Happy Jack, Louisiana
DiedFebruary 20, 1970(1970-02-20) (aged 91–92)
New Orleans, Louisiana
NationalityAmerican
OccupationBusinesswoman
Spouse(s)Clem Geddes
William A. Willis

Biography

Willis née Pocte was born in Happy Jack, Louisiana on March 9, 1878.[1]

Her first husband Clem Geddes was in the funeral business. The couple partnered with Arnold Moss to form a company that sold insurance as well as owning a funeral home.[3]

After Clem Geddes died in 1913 she married William A. Willis. In 1940 she renamed the business the Gertrude Geddes Willis Funeral Home and Life Insurance Company.[3] In William A. Willis died, and Gertrude continued running the company, expanding its services.[4]

Geddes was a member of the NAACP, the YWCA, and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Peter Claver.[1][4][2]

Forsythe died on February 20, 1970 in New Orleans.[2]

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References
  1. Kranz, Rachel (2004). African-American Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs. Infobase Publishing. p. 292. ISBN 978-1-4381-0779-0.
  2. "Gertrude Geddes Willis". Daily World. Opelousas, Louisiana. February 25, 2008. p. 2A.
  3. Krismann, Carol (2005). Encyclopedia of American Women in Business: M-Z. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 561. ISBN 978-0-313-33384-2.
  4. Jones, Jae (20 November 2017). "Gertrude Pocte Geddes-Willis: One of the First Black Female Funeral Directors in New Orleans". Black Then. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
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