Georgia Jean Ingersoll

Georgia Jean Ingersoll, 81, of Punta Gorda, Florida passed away suddenly but peacefully on Friday, January 23. She was a beloved and loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend to many, and she will be greatly missed and dearly remembered. Born an only child in New London, Connecticut in 1933 to Delmas and Mary Cookson, Georgia grew up in central Connecticut where she graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor's degree in English and Psychology. She had a career as a senior editor at numerous national magazines including Field & Stream, Yachting, True, and Time/Life Books, and was a public relations executive at Carl Byoir & Associates in New York City before starting her own PR company in 1985. In 1960, she married her lifemate John H. Ingersoll, Sr. and enjoyed 47 years of marriage until his death in 2007. They lived for three decades in New York City and subsequently in Waterford and Niantic, Connecticut before retiring to Punta Gorda, Florida in 2002. Her sharp wit, bright intellect, generosity, and kindness was deeply appreciated and a great blessing to her family and many friends. She is survived by her two sons, Benton H. Ingersoll and his wife Lisa S. Ingersoll of Montclair, New Jersey, and Evan W. Ingersoll of Cambridge, Massachusetts; her stepson John H. Ingersoll, Jr., and his wife Debbie Ingersoll of Athens, Georgia; her seven grandchildren Daniel, Matthew, Ariel, Fiona, Mark, Jamie, and Keziah; her cousins Carol Zajac Weymouth and Kerry Cassidy; her second cousins Abigail Weymouth and Allison Weymouth and godson, Russell Luts. She is predeceased by her step-daughter, Suzanne Ingersoll of Athens, Georgia. She was a dear lifelong friend of her college roommate, Iri Luts and her husband William of Bethel, Connecticut (a.k.a., Uncle Bill and Aunt Iri). A memorial service will be held at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Punta Gorda, Florida at 11 o'clock in the morning on Saturday, February 7, 2015. Remembrances and expressions of love are welcome at the on-line memorial website celebrating Georgia's life at www.georgiaingersoll.com In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be directed in memoriam to the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org).