Dorothy Irene Geith
May 22, 1921 — July 31, 2019
Dorothy Irene Geith was born May 22, 1921 to Elizabeth and Chas Beebe. She was the 2nd of five children and the oldest girl. Dorothy passed away Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at the Knoxville Hospital & Clinics at the age of 98 years.
She is survived by her daughter, Judy Lomas, grandchildren, Gwen (Bruce) Berg and Eric Engstrom, great-granddaughter, Megan Skinner, and many others with whom she shared life and adopted as family. She was ‘Grandma’ to many. She is preceded in death by her parents and siblings, daughter Jolene Huss and grandson Gary (Gig) Gaul Jr. as well as the three men she loved in different chapters of her life, Harold Wilson, Ralph Geith and Tom Jones.
Dorothy graduated from Coon Rapids High School in 1938 at 17 years old. She married Harold Wilson in 1939. Their daughters were born in 1940 and 1943, Judith Ann and Jolene Suzanne, respectively. Harold served in the military during this time. He was struck with colon cancer and died in 1948.
After being a single, working mother for a few years Dorothy met Ralph Geith; they married and moved to Knoxville in 1951. Dorothy worked long hours at the small business they ran while at the same time raising her daughters. She enjoyed dancing and golf; she was social and trendy; warm and welcoming. She was beautiful inside and out. She cared about others before herself and was always helping someone with something. She became a grandmother of three at 41 years old when her two daughters had three grandchildren within an 11-month period, August 1962 to July 1963. Dorothy was the strength of the family and always made sure all was well.
She became a ‘Sarah Gal’ in 1970, offering women in the community beautiful Sarah Coventry jewelry through home parties. She was very successful and won many awards and entry into the Presidential Club.
In the late 70’s Dorothy changed jobs to join Ralph who was managing the Melcher, IA branch of Iowa State Savings Bank. She loved the ISSB family as well as the community and continued to work there until her retirement in 1984. Ralph died that July.
She was a faithful and active member of St. Anthony Catholic Church in Knoxville. Dorothy was also a tireless volunteer for Knoxville organizations, including the hospital auxiliary and Helping Hands.
She was blessed to meet the last love of her life, Tom Benedict Jones in the late 80’s. They made a wonderful couple and lived life to the fullest enjoying road trips, going to garage sales, crafting, painting, gardening and being with family and friends. They were together until his death in 1999.
Dorothy continued to volunteer well into her 80’s. She was active in her retirement community and lived many happy years there.
A Memorial Mass for Dorothy Geith, age 98 of Knoxville, will be held Monday, August 5, 2019 at St. Anthony Catholic Church at 10:30 a.m. Interment will follow in Graceland Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday at Bybee & Davis Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Helping Hands of Knoxville or to the Knoxville Hospital Auxiliary. Online condolences may be left at www.BertrandFuneralHomes.com .
She is survived by her daughter, Judy Lomas, grandchildren, Gwen (Bruce) Berg and Eric Engstrom, great-granddaughter, Megan Skinner, and many others with whom she shared life and adopted as family. She was ‘Grandma’ to many. She is preceded in death by her parents and siblings, daughter Jolene Huss and grandson Gary (Gig) Gaul Jr. as well as the three men she loved in different chapters of her life, Harold Wilson, Ralph Geith and Tom Jones.
Dorothy graduated from Coon Rapids High School in 1938 at 17 years old. She married Harold Wilson in 1939. Their daughters were born in 1940 and 1943, Judith Ann and Jolene Suzanne, respectively. Harold served in the military during this time. He was struck with colon cancer and died in 1948.
After being a single, working mother for a few years Dorothy met Ralph Geith; they married and moved to Knoxville in 1951. Dorothy worked long hours at the small business they ran while at the same time raising her daughters. She enjoyed dancing and golf; she was social and trendy; warm and welcoming. She was beautiful inside and out. She cared about others before herself and was always helping someone with something. She became a grandmother of three at 41 years old when her two daughters had three grandchildren within an 11-month period, August 1962 to July 1963. Dorothy was the strength of the family and always made sure all was well.
She became a ‘Sarah Gal’ in 1970, offering women in the community beautiful Sarah Coventry jewelry through home parties. She was very successful and won many awards and entry into the Presidential Club.
In the late 70’s Dorothy changed jobs to join Ralph who was managing the Melcher, IA branch of Iowa State Savings Bank. She loved the ISSB family as well as the community and continued to work there until her retirement in 1984. Ralph died that July.
She was a faithful and active member of St. Anthony Catholic Church in Knoxville. Dorothy was also a tireless volunteer for Knoxville organizations, including the hospital auxiliary and Helping Hands.
She was blessed to meet the last love of her life, Tom Benedict Jones in the late 80’s. They made a wonderful couple and lived life to the fullest enjoying road trips, going to garage sales, crafting, painting, gardening and being with family and friends. They were together until his death in 1999.
Dorothy continued to volunteer well into her 80’s. She was active in her retirement community and lived many happy years there.
A Memorial Mass for Dorothy Geith, age 98 of Knoxville, will be held Monday, August 5, 2019 at St. Anthony Catholic Church at 10:30 a.m. Interment will follow in Graceland Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday at Bybee & Davis Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Helping Hands of Knoxville or to the Knoxville Hospital Auxiliary. Online condolences may be left at www.BertrandFuneralHomes.com .
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