It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our
classmate, Ken Geiger, on 28 August 2022 in Raleigh, NC from natural causes.
Ken is survived by his wife, Joan; son Roy Blakey and his wife Rebecca,
daughters Megan King and her husband Steve, Mechele Peterson and her husband
Richard Croushorn, Melisa Allen and her husband Tommy, Corinn Lanzone and her
husband Tommy, 14 grandchildren, and 9 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at Arlington National Cemetery on a date to be
determined.
Condolences may be sent to Joan at 2204 Effingham Circle, Raleigh, NC
27615-3826.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Ken's memory may be sent to the
Superintendent's Endowment Fund. Make checks payable to West Point Association
of Graduates and mail to Gift Operations, West Point Association of Graduates,
698 Mills Road, West Point, New York 10996. In the check's memo section, please
designate Superintendent’s Endowment Fund.
Well done, Ken. Be thou at peace.
Remembrances:
Class Memorial Pages\H-1 Ken Geiger.pdf
Obituaries:
Assembly/Taps Memorial Article:
Kenneth H. Geiger 1961
Cullum No. 23445-1961 | August 28, 2022 | Died in Raleigh, NC
Cremated. Interred in Arlington National Cemetery, VA
Kenneth Homer “Ken” Geiger was a loving husband, father and stepfather, as well
as a true gentleman, scholar, and soldier.
Ken was born on August 14, 1937 in Detroit, MI to Daniel and Helen Geiger as the
eldest of their three boys. He would remain in his hometown until graduating
from Cass Technical High School in 1955. While at Cass, he attained the rank of
lieutenant colonel in the ROTC unit while also being active on the school’s
newspaper staff, theater stage crew, and Junior Red Cross unit. He also served
as assistant Scoutmaster for a local Boy Scout troop (he himself achieved Eagle
Scout status).
Ken enlisted in the Army immediately after graduation with the objective of
gaining sufficient experience to enable him to become a member of the Detroit
police department after his military commitment was satisfied. He soon found
himself in California at Fort Ord, where he experienced the rigors of basic
training as part of the heavy mortar company, 1st Infantry Regiment. Upon
completion of basic training, Ken’s parents were elated to receive a letter from
the commanding officer informing them that their son was recognized as one of
the 10 most outstanding trainees by the officers and cadremen from his company.
While serving in Korea as a private first class in 1957, Ken was very excited to
learn that he had been appointed to USMA by Congressman Charles C. Diggs. Jr.,
who represented Michigan’s 13th District. A few months later, the trajectory of
Ken’s life, and certainly his ambitions, would shift dramatically as he began
his academic career at the United States Military Academy Prep School at West
Point. Here, according to Ken, he “got a head start at getting to know a number
of people who would be a part of me for the rest of my life.” While at West
Point, he enjoyed participating in the Pistol, Ski, and German Language clubs,
as well as being a member of the Scoutmaster Council and the Howitzer yearbook
staff.
Ken’s first assignment after West Point was with the 24th Signal Battalion. He
then served at Fort Monmouth, NJ (Signal School, TSS Advanced Course); Boston,
MA (Northeastern University student); Fort Monroe, VA (U.S. Army Combat
Development Experimentation Center); Washington, DC (Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers, International Conference of Computer Vision); Alexandria,
VA (Operational Test & Evaluation Agency); Pentagon (Office of the Deputy Chief
of Staff for Personnel); and Washington, DC (George Washington University
student). Ken served on active duty in the Army Signal Corps for 22 years and
retired in 1981 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
After leaving the Army, Ken had a successful career as a system engineer and
programmer at Satellite Business Systems and then at IBM in Alexandria; Austin,
TX; and Raleigh, NC. Shortly after his military retirement, he also met future
wife Joan at a neighborhood get-together, where they bonded over a common love
of dogs. They each had Miniature Schnauzers. Joan would soon become the love of
his life and Ken of hers. They were married in 1983. Ken also began what would
become a successful quest to gain the love and respect of his four new
stepchildren through his steadfast demonstration of the resilience, endurance,
and patience honed during his years in the Army. He became a positive and
treasured influence in their lives. As the family grew, he would achieve the
same with his 14 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
The passion for learning that Ken’s time in the Army encouraged and nourished
would remain with him for the rest of his life. In addition to the B.S. degree
from USMA, he also achieved two Master of Science degrees: one in industrial
technology from Northeastern University in Boston and the other in information
systems technology from George Washington University in Washington, DC. He also
picked up many computer language certifications over the years and spent
countless evenings deeply engaged in technical computer language books.
His appetite for knowledge extended beyond academia and computers. While
assigned to the Pentagon, he took sailing classes on weekends and obtained a
commercial sailboat captaincy accreditation. He also continued to pursue an
interest in electronic communications developed in the Signal Corps. He was a
licensed ham radio operator and an enthusiastic collector of the hobby’s
associated gadgetry (a little too enthusiastic per wife Joan). He enjoyed being
an early adopter of the latest technical hardware while having a hard time
letting go of the older stuff.
Ken very much enjoyed his time at USMA and was proud to be a member of the Long
Gray Line and for having served his country. He credited West Point and the Army
with having had a profound and affirmative impact on his life and greatly
appreciated the many friendships, opportunities, adventures, and fond memories
that resulted from his time in each. He enjoyed seeing the world on behalf of
the Army and often shared fond recollections of the places he had experienced
including Germany, Korea, California, and the Washington, DC area.
Ken and Joan’s wedded bliss would last for 39 years, until his passing on August
28, 2022 at home in Raleigh. He is survived by family members, including his
wife, Joan; brother, Daniel; daughter, Corinn; stepchildren: Roy, Melisa,
Mechele, and Megan, as well as their significant others; 14 grandchildren, and
nine great-grandchildren.
