William Geist

William Michael "Bill" Geist age 85 of Ellis, died Wednesday, December 30, 2009, at the Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital in WaKeeney. Bill was born to Anna Marie (Emma) Younker and Michael (Mike) Geist on May 5, 1924 in Glencoe Township, Trego County, Kansas. He attended South Planko Grade School and graduated from Wakeeney High School in 1941. Bill married his grade school sweetheart, Anna Marie Weber, on November 22, 1943 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Ellis. They celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary in 2009.Bill served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the 300th Engineer Combat Battalion. He served in the Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe. He retired from Ellis County Public Works as a Heavy Equipment Operator. Bill was a member of St. Mary's catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, VFW and the American Legion.Survivors include his wife, Anna (Ellis, KS), daughters Marjorie Geist (Alvarado, TX), Sharon Geist (Alvarado, TX), sons Gary Geist and wife Dixie (Gilbert, AZ), Larry Geist and wife Lori (Luray, KS), daughter-in-law Dottie Geist West and husband Pete (Aiken, SC); grandchildren Todd Geist (San Francisco, CA), Brandon Geist (Tempe, AZ), Justin Lingana and wife Kristen (Marana, AZ), Luke Geist (Talequah, OK) and Lyndsey Lamas and husband Joseph (Manhattan, KS); great-grandson Kaedin Lamas.Bill was predeceased by his parents, sons William (June 2, 1945), Kenneth John (September 11, 1951), Bill, Jr. (September 12, 1990); brothers and sisters Pauline Weber, Leoba Katherine Dinkel, Amelia Lucille (Molly) Pfannenstiel, Andrew Leo Geist, Richard Geist, Adam Geist, Eva Marie Slaughter, Christina Augustine, Clara Joan Weber, Theresia Florence Stenzel, and Frances Rose Graf.Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 2, 2010 at 10:00 in St. Mary's Catholic Church. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery with Military honors by the Ellis VFW.Visitation will be on Friday 5:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. at the church. A parish vigil service will be at 7:00 P.M. followed by a Knights of Columbus Rosary. Saturday visitation will be from 9:00 A.M. - 9:30 A.M. at Keithley Funeral Chapel, Ellis.











Service Information



A service summary is not available