LaVerne Geisinger

LaVerne Geisinger, age 98, of Storm Lake, Iowa died January 1, 2011 in Storm Lake. Genevieve LaVerne Hinde Jenkins Geisinger was born on a farm near Early, Iowa on August 28, 1912 to Richard Franklin Hinde and Lulu Pearl Hinde. She graduated from Early High School in l929 and attended Iowa State Teachers College, now Northern Iowa, in Cedar Falls for two years. On December 3l, l931 she married William Boyd Jenkins. They had three children: Patricia Faye, Ronald (Ron) Richard, and William (Bill) Neal. When her children went to college, she started work as a bookkeeper for Iowa Automatic Gas Company, where she worked until retirement. While in Early she was active in Early Methodist Church which she joined at an early age. LaVerne was a member of the United Methodist Women and Early Federated Woman's Club, serving as president of both organizations as well as many other offices. For many years she was the anonymous author of a feature column in the Early News. Her husband Bill died in 1984. In 1989 she married Gilbert Geisinger and moved into his home in Storm Lake. After she moved to Storm Lake, she attended the United Methodist Church there. Gilbert died in November 2000. One of LaVerneâ€™s favorite places to be was seated at the card table, waiting for the action to begin, be it Bridge, Cribbage, Pitch, Crossword Puzzle, or Scrabble. Those who sat across the table knew LaVerne to be a determined competitor and if you managed to win, a rematch was soon to follow. She enjoyed her hobby of flowers and arranging them. Her house was always open for family, friends, and even strangers. She loved to entertain, and she hosted many family celebrations and parties for any occasion. LaVerne had a love and talent for writing, be it verse or a column in a newspaper. Her latest effort was a Christmas 2010 poem she wrote for her children and grandchildren just a few days before her death. Her greatest joy was her grandchildren. She was a member of several bridge clubs and at the time of her death was still an active member of two of them. She was preceded in death by her parents; three sisters, Wilma Hinde, Joyce Miller Cornish and Mildred Christensen; her daughter, Pat Petrilla and two stillborn great-grandsons; both husbands; and her special friend, Wayne Higley. Left to mourn her departure are her sons: Ron and his wife Eleanor of Mitchell, South Dakota; Bill and his wife Becky of Augusta, Georgia; a stepdaughter Mary Nakayama of Del Mar, California; a stepson Lee Geisinger of Odebolt, Iowa; 9 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great granddaughters; sister, Frances Bean of Storm Lake, Iowa; many nieces and nephews and step-grandchildren; and her special friend Patti Jenkins.

LaVerne Geisinger

August 28, 1912 - January 1, 2011