AMELIA S. GEGGEL ’06

GEGGEL, Amelia Sarah Age 32, of Cambridge, formerly of Dover, passed away on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. She was the cherished wife of Eric Mattison, the loving daughter of Robert & Karen (Brown) Geggel, the inspiring older sister of Ezra Geggel & his wife Michal Miller, the treasured granddaughter of Elizabeth Geggel & her late husband Carl, and the late Pierce & Norrine Brown, and a hero to her aunts and uncles, cousins, extended family and friends. Amelia overcame challenges throughout her life. She was born with a rare ear condition and endured multiple surgeries and ensuing complications. Despite wearing hearing aids, she was always an excellent student, graduating from the Noble & Greenough School, Wesleyan University, and the Harvard School of Public Health. Innately knowing how to meet life’s challenges, she became an advocate for environmental causes and social justice. Her authenticity, spirit, and sense of responsibility to the larger world made her a natural leader and a role model to her family and friends.

Diagnosed with incurable sarcoma six years ago, Amelia knew she had only a short time to fill this world with her energy. Despite her constant chemotherapy schedule, Amelia finished her master’s degree and worked full time for an environmental consulting firm. She met her perfect match just prior to her diagnosis; three years later they married on the coast of Maine. Eric stood by her throughout her treatments, providing humor and support in equal measure. She traveled and hiked across five continents – to New Zealand, Patagonia, Chile, England, Belgium, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Cyprus, Brazil, the Rockies, and throughout New England. Her personality, dry sense of humor, creativity, and genuine, remarkable strength will serve as an inspiration to all those fortunate to have known her and her story. Services will take place at Temple Aliyah, 1664 Central Avenue, Needham on Sunday, May 1, 2016 at 1:30 p.m., with burial at Beit Olam East, 60 Old Sudbury Road, Wayland. Following burial, memorial observance will be at the home of Robert & Karen Geggel until 8 p.m. and continuing Monday, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m., and on Tuesday and Wednesday from 7-9 p.m. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to First Descents, which provides outdoor adventures for young adults with cancer (www.firstdescents.org) or a foundation to be established by the family to honor the causes Amelia cared deeply about.