Geery, Edwin Oral

GEERY, MATHER, NICHOLS

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 7/20/2005 at 23:30:24

Funeral services for Edwin Oral Geery, 84, of Knoxville who died Aug. 19 at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House, were held on Monday at the Harvey United Methodist Church in Harvey. Rev. Victor Scalise officiated the services.

Interment was at Eureka Cemetery in rural Harvey. Casket beares were Edwin Geery III, Darrick Wardenburg, Joshua Johannes, Daniel Lennie, Damien Geery and Zachary Geery. Military Honors provided by the Untied States Army, American Legion Baty-Tucker Post No. 168, V.F.W. John Myers Post No. 3519.

Geery was born on May 16, 1920 in Harvey, the son of Henry Bradford Geery and Beatrice Elizabeth (Mather) Geery. He was raised in the Harvey area and graduated from Harvey High School. Following graduation, he hauled coal and worked in local coal mines. On Sept. 19, 1938 he was united in marriage to Geraldine Fern Nichols in Clinton at the Methodist parsonage.

The couple made their home in Harvey for 29 years before moving to Knoxville in 1967.

Geery was inducted into the United States Army during World War II. He served with the Army Rangers and saw action in the Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns before being honorably discharged in Nov. 1945.

Geery returned home and drove a truck and worked as a mechanic before being employed by the Durham Quarry, where he worked as a foreman for 20 years. In the 1960's he went to work for Iowa Road Builders as a mechanic, retiring in the 1980's and concentrated on his farming operation. He enjoyed raising cattle and he also grew a small crop every year. He was a family man, and he cherished the wonderful years he had with his wife, children and grandchildren.

Geery was a lifetime member of both the Harvey United Methodist Church and the American Legion Baty-Tucker Post No. 168. He was also a member of the Engineers Local 234.

He is preceded in death by his parents, a son, Gerald in infancy; two sisters, Thelma in infancy and Lucille Deverauz, and his wife Gerry in Jan. 2001.

He is survived by five sons: Edwin, Jr. (Wanda) of Bethany, Okla.; Henry (Pat) of Indianola and Darroll (Cindy), Alan and Clint (Ronda) all of Knoxville; four daughters: Joyce Vander Werff (Wayne) of Pella and Karen Wardenburg (Roger), Alicia Dale, and Susanna Geery all of Knoxville; two sisters, Lila Freeman of Rockford, Ill. and Neva VanZante of Knoxville; one brother, Orbra Geery (Bonnie) of Harvey; 20 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren; seven step-great grandchildren and several great-great grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice of Pella Comfort House or to the Harvey United Methodist Church.

Arrangements were made by Bybe & Davis Funeral Home.

The Pella Chronicle, August 31, 2004