Arnold Clarence Geister (1937 - 2014)

Born 15 Nov 1937 in Prescott, Pierce, Wisconsin, United States

Ancestors

Died 28 Aug 2014 at age 76 in New Richmond, St. Croix, Wisconsin Territory, United States

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Biography

Arnold Clarence "Bill" Geister was born Nov. 15, 1937, in Prescott, Wisconsin, the son and fourth child of Clarence and Narelle (Atchison) Geister. In December 1939, he and his younger brother were taken into a foster home of Welsie and Ethel (Peterson) Bredahl of Beldenville, Wisconsin. This was a truck garden farm that is on Highway 35. He attended Forestville School and then Ellsworth High School graduating in 1955. He was confirmed in the English Lutheran Church in Ellsworth.

His early years are written about in his brother Chuck's memoirs Lillies of My Valley (2007). In 1961 he was drafted into the U.S. Army and was stationed at Barstow, California. Upon his return, he moved with his foster mother, Ethel Bredahl, to River Falls on North Lewis Street in 1964, where his special nephew, Danny still lives. He was employed by United Refrigeration in Hudson for 15 years and then the River Falls Area Hospital on Union Street as a janitor for 7 years until 1989.

He was a local town character for many years and could be found many places around town, from the Java Hut to Burger King in Riverside Square, to local bars and stores. At one point he was immortalized with a portrait by local artist, Charles Keenan.

Some of his many interests included listening to his portable radios, religious studies, and local and national history. He also was a life long Republican and studied current events, as well as histories of his favorite presidents Reagan and Nixon.

He continued to live in River Falls with first his foster mother, brother Charles, nephew Dan and cat Tinker until 2002. In 2002, he moved to assisted living at Ellsworth, Baldwin and New Richmond. He took 2 trips out West with his family on the Amtrack in 1989 and 1998, which were the highlights of his traveling around the U.S., which he continued to do as long as he was able.

Sources

• Genealogy of John Atchison 1744-1803 by Floyd Benjamin Bennett, Frank Van Rensselaer Phelps and Paul Stephan Olds. Page 176. [1]

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 11 September 2020), memorial page for Arnold “Bill” Geister (15 Nov 1937–28 Aug 2014), Find a Grave Memorial no. 135621021, citing Beldenville Cemetery, Beldenville, Pierce County, Wisconsin, USA ; Maintained by RiverFallsHistory (contributor 48510304) .

• Year: 1940; Census Place: River Falls, Pierce, Wisconsin; Roll: m-t0627-04511; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 47-21 [2]