Diana Lynn Geist

Diana Lynn Geist, 64, of Jacksonville, Florida slipped peacefully from this Earth on March 16th 2014. Diana was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who was taken too soon after a hard fought battle with cancer. Diana was born to the late Howard and Naomi Barth, on March 23, 1949, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Frankfort High School in 1966 and received her B.A., M.A., and Ed.D. from California Coast University. She married Douglas Geist in 1971, and they lived together in suburban Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Roanoke, Virginia before settling in Baltimore, Maryland. Diana was a high school guidance secretary in the Baltimore County Public school system for several years before retiring in 2004 and moving to Jacksonville. She was passionate about making a difference in children’s lives and setting them on the right path for the future. An avid traveler and beachgoer, Diana was the ultimate sun worshiper!        Diana was a lifelong member of the Bethany United Church of Christ in Philadelphia. A woman of strong faith with a fervent love for music, she served in her younger years, as a Sunday School teacher and organist at Bethany.  Diana is survived by her husband and best friend, Dr. Douglas Geist of the home, and daughter, Amy Hutchison of Mclean, Virginia. She is also survived by two grandchildren, Matthew and Ryan. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting a donation to the Safe Animal Shelter in Middleburg, Florida. A ceremony to celebrate Diana’s life will be held on Friday, April 25th at 1:00 p.m. at the Bethany United Church of Christ on 6545 Rising Sun Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111.