Dr. Charles Don Geilker

Charles Don Geilker was born in Kingston, Missouri on December 15, 1933. His father was the Clerk of the Court in Caldwell County and his mother was a music teacher and church pianist. Don was Valedictorian for the first graduating class of J. C. Penny High School in Hamilton, Missouri in 1951, and delivered the valedictory address with Mr. Penny on the stage.

A momentous event in Don’s life was acceptance to William Jewell College. Coming to Jewell formed and shaped his life from that moment until his death from metastatic colon cancer while under hospice care on July 5, 2025. He died in his sleep at his home just across the street from the Jewell Campus.

It was at William Jewell College where he met Neita, his wife of 65 years. They were nudged together by psychology professor Harvey Thomas who changed his class seating chart to place them side by side and watched the results. The Thomas family remained lifelong friends and Blake Thomas was instrumental in making the last years of Don’s life congenial and full of delicious gourmet meals.

It was at William Jewell College where Don took classes from physics professor Wallace A. Hilton. With that strong educational base, Don continued graduate studies at MIT, Vanderbilt, and Case Western Reserve where in 1968 he earned a Ph.D. in astronomy.

It was at William Jewell College where Dr. Hilton hired Don to return as a physics professor directly after he completed his graduate studies. The Physics Department in Marston Hall was his second home, where he taught, researched, mentored and gave students his all until long after his official retirement in 2004. Don retired with enormous satisfaction knowing that his former student Blane Baker would lead the Physics Department into the future.

Along with his service to William Jewell College, Don served his community for decades as a member of the City of Liberty Planning and Zoning Commission, and as a multi-term City Counselor for the First Ward. He attended Second Baptist Church as a student in the 1950s and upon his return to Liberty was a member until his death. Don’s 74 year association with the church saw him serve as deacon and in several other capacities. Many members of Second Baptist helped Don in later years, but it was Charlie Hughes whose patient daily afternoon walks kept Don moving into his nineties.

And, finally, it is at Gano Chapel at William Jewell College where Don’s funeral service will be held at 3 PM on Sunday, July 13. The funeral will be followed by a procession to Mount Memorial Cemetery, on the grounds of the College, for interment. All are welcome to the funeral ceremony and the interment. Please refrain from sending flowers. Instead, direct memorial donations to The Department of Physics, William Jewell College.

Don was predeceased by his father Ralph George Geilker, his mother Hazel Gertrude Geilker, and his wife Neita Frohmuth Geilker. He is survived by his daughter Emily Geilker Cena with husband Pat, his son Charles Eric Von Geilker with wife Joyce, and three grandchildren Ralph, Adam and Ivy.