Elizabeth "Bette" Geiger

Elizabeth Nell (Bette) Geiger, 97, passed away peacefully on February 18 in Kansas City. Bette was born February 7, 1926 in Valley Falls, KS to Everett and Mary Ann Goodwin, the eighth of ten children. She graduated from Mount Saint Scholastica College in Atchison and taught high school music and band in Denton, KS. In 1950 she married William A. (Bill) Geiger and with him raised five children. They began their life in Omaha, NE, where Bill attended medical school, then Fairfax, OK where he practiced medicine for 10 years. They moved to the Kansas City area in 1963 and settled in Leawood.

Bette was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend. Her beauty, engaging personality, sparkle and wit endeared her to everyone she met. The Geiger home was a welcoming place for extended family and friends as Bette and Bill hosted frequent family gatherings and parties through the years. Bette’s selfless, loving nature extended to others through her volunteer work with various organizations, including Curé of Ars School, Trinity Lutheran Hospital Auxiliary, Marillac School, and Ladies of Charity. She served on the Leawood Arts Council as well as being a talented artist herself. Bette was preceded in death by her parents, nine siblings and her husband Bill. She leaves behind five children: Suzanne (Glenn) Duncan of Kansas City, Gus Geiger of Overland Park, David (Monica) Geiger of Kansas City, Tom (Brenda) Geiger of Kansas City, and Sally (Vince) Brady of Seattle, five grandchildren, Matthew (Laura) Kenton, Kristin (Matt) Zender, Jack Brady, Drew Brady and Nick Geiger, and five great-grandchildren, Ella, Will and Weston Kenton, and Frances and Margot Zender. Special thanks to the dedicated staff at The Forum, who went above and beyond in their care of Bette during her final years.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:30 PM, Tuesday, February 21st at Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood Kansas. The family will receive friends prior to the service at noon at the church. Burial on Wednesday, February 22nd at 10:45 AM at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bette’s memory may be made to Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care. www.kchospice.org/donation.