David H. Geer
1942 - 2016
David H. Geer of Roanoke, Va., passed away at the age of 74 on Tuesday, July 26, 2016, after complications following heart bypass surgery. He is survived by his loving wife, sculptor, J. Gail Geer; his three adoring children, Christine Geer Chagnon and her husband, Tofer Chagnon, Thomas Geer and his wife, Daniella Babu Geer, and Stephen Geer and his fiancée, Szelena Gray; and his three beautiful grandchildren, Andrew Chagnon, David C. Geer and Sofia Geer. He also leaves a sister, Eileen Branciforte and her husband, Jim Branciforte; and a brother, Ed Geer and his wife, Pricilla Geer. David was retired after 38 years as an Electrical Engineer with General Electric.
He grew up in Cromwell, Conn., and met his wife, Gail, while he was a student at RPI in Troy, N.Y. David and Gail were married for 48 years, a partnership filled with joy and love, even in times of adversity. David often reminded his children of his deep admiration for his wife and the happiness of their marriage is the heart of their large and loving family.
David was a man of profound curiosity and many talents. In addition to his impressive career as an Engineer, he embraced countless hobbies and interests over the years, including keeping bees, making wine, coaching soccer, designing websites for artists, planting vegetables, spotting birds at his many well-stocked bird feeders, reading aloud at bedtime, and cheering for the Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals.In his retirement, David took a greater interest in art, attending classes at Virginia Western Community College and studying painting with beloved family friend, MaryJane Burtch. David and Gail Geer were involved in a number of art galleries in the Roanoke Valley, and he could often be seen working behind the counter, chatting with artists and customers, many of whom he knew from decades of outdoor art festivals across the southeast.
He was the web master for the Open Studios Roanoke group for the past 10 years. David had polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and was the recipient of a kidney transplant in 1994. He was a champion of organ donation and donated his own organs when he passed away. His family is grateful for the 22 years a stranger's gift added to his life and they would ask all those who loved David to become organ donors.David Henry Geer was a kind, gentle, brilliant, and deeply thoughtful man who led a quiet, exemplary life. He was beloved by family and friends, and while he was taken from us earlier than we hoped, we remember the time we had with him with gratitude and deep happiness. May God bless him and keep him.
Services honoring and celebrating David will be held at St. John's Episcopal Church in downtown Roanoke at 11 a.m. on Friday, August 5, 2016. A reception will follow and friends are encouraged to join and share their remembrances.The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the PKD Foundation (PKDcure.org) or the National Kidney Foundation (Kidney.org). Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.oakeys.com.