Geraldine K. Fishburn, died on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2001, at McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital in Oxford, OH after a brief illness. She was 88 years old. She was born on July 29, 1913, in New York City to Joseph and Tillye Koerpel. Her career as a professional actress began at the age of 12 when, using the stage name Geraldine Kay, she appeared in a Theatre Guild production on Broadway which was directed by Guthrie McClintic. After building a successful stage career on the east coast, on Oct. 23, 1941 she married Alan M. Fishburn, a radio writer and director and moved to Chicago, IL where her professional credits expanded to include radio and television as well as theatre. She was the recipient of two of Chicago’s distinguished Joseph Jefferson Awards, and was a member of the first Resident Acting Company at the Goodman Theatre. During her career she appeared with Leslie Howard, Montgomery Clift, Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Alla Nazimova, Ginger Rogers, Phyllis Diller, Leonard Nimoy, Ted Danson, Ray Walston, Gloria Swanson, Eileen Herlie, Sandy Dennis and Ray Milland. She also served as a Councillor for the Chicago office of Actors’ Equity Association, and continued that involvement when she returned to New York City in 1979. She is survived by a son, Geoffrey D. Fishburn; two grandchildren, Christine Milders and William A. Fishburn; and three great-grandchildren, Stephen, Kathryn and Grace Milders. She will be buried with her parents and sister, Constance Korrel, in New York. The family suggests memorial contributions to the ICU of McCullough-Hyde Hospital, 110 N. Poplar St., Oxford, OH 45056, or to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, 165 W. 46th St., Suite 1300, New York, NY 10036. Smith & Ogle Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
