Duane V. Geis, age 89, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather passed away peacefully on Thursday evening, the 14th of February 2013. Duane was born in Okeene, Oklahoma to Harry and Margareth Geis.
Duane served in the US Army during World War II; and, in 1947, he earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. In 1941, on his first day of school at OSU he met (and later married) Lois May Blakey. He was active in Kappa Sigma and had leadership positions in various campus organizations, including Phi Eta Sigma, Beta Alpha Psi, Phi Kappa Phi and Blue Key. He was the State of Oklahoma's outstanding accounting student for 1947, an award he received from the Oklahoma Society of CPAs.
Following university, he was employed as a sales representative for IBM, a position he held until 1954. From 1954 to 1993, he was an investment advisor and later a partner at the investment firms of Rotan Mosle and Paine Webber.
For 65 years, Duane was a devoted and very active member of South Main Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon and Sunday School teacher. He was a director of Star of Hope Mission for over 25 years, and a member of the President's Council at Houston Baptist University. He was also a Director of the Annuity and Relief Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, and served on the Investment Committee.
Later in life, he also served as an arbitrator for the New York Stock Exchange, an office he discharged with great integrity. He was a Lifetime Member of the Houston Chamber of Commerce. Duane was also a long time member and director of the Coronado Club and a long time member of the Houston Country Club. He maintained a keen interested in sports his entire life. Duane played tennis and golf and was an enthusiastic Rockets fan.
He was a man of great character and kindness who found his greatest joy in helping others.
He was preceded in death by his parents Harry and Margareth. He is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Lois Blakey Geis; two sons: Duane Gregory Geis of Medina, Texas, and Paul Geoffrey Geis of Houston; daughter in law, Karen Lynn Geis; and seven grandchildren: Jennifer Geis Porter, Geoff Geis, Robin Geis Porter, Catie Geis, Emilie Geis, Blake Geis and Noah Geis. He was also the great grandfather of Geis Edward Porter. In addition, Duane is survived by his beloved sister, Bettie Geis Batt of Marion, Kansas, and by his niece, Shelley Batt Wiest. The family also wishes to acknowledge and express their thanks to Duane's longtime caregivers.
A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Wednesday, the 20th of February, in the sanctuary of South Main Baptist Church, 4100 Main Street in Houston, where Dr. Steve Wells, Pastor, is to officiate.
Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the Fellowship Hall.
In lieu of customary remembrances, contributions in Duane’s memory may be directed to South Main Baptist Church, 4100 Main St., Houston, TX, 77002; M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, PO Box 4486, Houston, TX, 77210-4486; or to the Star of Hope Mission, 6897 Ardmore St., Houston, TX, 77054
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