In Memory Of
Emil A. Geilert
Emil A. Geilert
EMIL A GEILERT (August 4, 1916 - February 12, 2009)
Emil A. Geilert was born in Springfield, Missouri on August 4, 1916. His father Paul and mother Ida emigrated from Germany to start a farm in Springfield. Emil was raised on the farm with his three sisters, Nellie, Helen, and Juanita, along with his brother Herb. Emil completed only eight years of school, as he was needed to help his father manage the farm. At 20, Emil left the farm to venture out on his own and moved to Detroit where his Uncle Alfred lived.
With few skills and experience outside of the farm he "decided [he] needed to learn a trade." While standing in the employment line at Timken Axle, one of the supervisors picked him out of the long line of applicants. Being one of the larger men, it was believed that he could manhandle axles at the manufacturing facility. In April 1941 he married Margaret Rule and had three children, Ervin, Gay, and Lana. After being drafted into the Army during World War II, Emil was sent to Camp Fannin, Texas in 1945. Spending only six months in the infantry, WWII ended and Emil headed back home to complete ten years of employment at Timken Axle. Soon after, his first wife (Margaret) was diagnosed with Tuberculosis, forcing the family to move to Kansas City to be closer to the Tuberculosis Center at Norton, Kansas. In Norton, Kansas, Emil was hired by his brother-in-law Jesse Ackerman as a sheet metal worker.
After a year, Emil moved his wife and three small children to Lakewood, Colorado where his cousin Clarence Guenther had a heating business. Clarence hired Emil to continue his sheet metal trade at Airway Heating. Emil spent the next 30 years working his way up from sweeping floors to a foreman position. Emil often said that he "was in the business of hiring and firing people." In March of 1949, without the use of a blueprint (using the ol' eyeball method) or finances, Emil constructed his home at 2035 Carr Street.
After becoming a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Emil was confirmed on July 17, 1949. In 1957 his wife Margaret passed away. Emil later remarried Sevella Kern and together had three children, Mark, Trudianne, and Philip. Emil enjoyed spending time with Sevella bowling on Monday nights with the Bethlehem Stars Bowling League from 1965-1988. Pinochle was a once a month night out with friends and co-workers from Airway. On many occasions family camping trips were taken in the mountains of Colorado where Emil would break-out the big Army tent. Each summer Emil drove Sevella and the three younger children to his birth home of Springfield, Missouri for a week long vacation with his parents and sister Helen. Although patience was not always a virtue, Emil had absolutely no problem babysitting his granddaughter, Sarah, when she had colic as an infant.
Emil was an avid hunter, as he taught his three sons, son-in-law, and grandson, how to hunt. Each hunting trip was not about the hunting, but the camaraderie that he shared with others that were in his hunting party. This is evident as the number of stories he told exceed the number of trophies displayed in his home, which are numerous. His love for hunting ultimately led him to purchase his second home in Yampa, Colorado. Many hours were spent with his family remodeling the home and much fun was had in four wheel drive expeditions and hunting and fishing trips.
After building his own home he spent numerous hours working at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, being a member for the last sixty years. He was always able to lend a helping hand to any one that needed his special set of skills, which included every form of construction. He never turned any request down even though something always needed to be done at his own home. After retiring at age 62, he now had more time to spend helping others.
Emil's greatest joys were his family, his love of hunting, and a good beer and highball at the end of the day.
Emil is preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, his brother, and son, Mark. He is survived by his wife Sevella, children: Ervin Geilert, Gay Vanderlip, Lana Williams, Trudianne Anderson, and Philip Geilert, seven grandchildren, great-grandchildren, his sister Nita Hamilton, and sister-in-laws: Georgene Abbott and Jacquelyn Schick.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association with Emil Geilert's name in the memo portion of your check.
Alzheimer's Association
225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17
Chicago, Illinois. 60601-7633
Services will be held Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church and internment to follow at Crown Hill Cemetery.
Bethlehem Lutheran
2100 Wadsworth Blvd.
Lakewood, Colorado. 80214
Crown Hill Cemetery
7777 West 29th Avenue
Wheat Ridge, Colorado. 80033
Emil A. Geilert was born in Springfield, Missouri on August 4, 1916. His father Paul and mother Ida emigrated from Germany to start a farm in Springfield. Emil was raised on the farm with his three sisters, Nellie, Helen, and Juanita, along with his brother Herb. Emil completed only eight years of school, as he was needed to help his father manage the farm. At 20, Emil left the farm to venture out on his own and moved to Detroit where his Uncle Alfred lived.
With few skills and experience outside of the farm he "decided [he] needed to learn a trade." While standing in the employment line at Timken Axle, one of the supervisors picked him out of the long line of applicants. Being one of the larger men, it was believed that he could manhandle axles at the manufacturing facility. In April 1941 he married Margaret Rule and had three children, Ervin, Gay, and Lana. After being drafted into the Army during World War II, Emil was sent to Camp Fannin, Texas in 1945. Spending only six months in the infantry, WWII ended and Emil headed back home to complete ten years of employment at Timken Axle. Soon after, his first wife (Margaret) was diagnosed with Tuberculosis, forcing the family to move to Kansas City to be closer to the Tuberculosis Center at Norton, Kansas. In Norton, Kansas, Emil was hired by his brother-in-law Jesse Ackerman as a sheet metal worker.
After a year, Emil moved his wife and three small children to Lakewood, Colorado where his cousin Clarence Guenther had a heating business. Clarence hired Emil to continue his sheet metal trade at Airway Heating. Emil spent the next 30 years working his way up from sweeping floors to a foreman position. Emil often said that he "was in the business of hiring and firing people." In March of 1949, without the use of a blueprint (using the ol' eyeball method) or finances, Emil constructed his home at 2035 Carr Street.
After becoming a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Emil was confirmed on July 17, 1949. In 1957 his wife Margaret passed away. Emil later remarried Sevella Kern and together had three children, Mark, Trudianne, and Philip. Emil enjoyed spending time with Sevella bowling on Monday nights with the Bethlehem Stars Bowling League from 1965-1988. Pinochle was a once a month night out with friends and co-workers from Airway. On many occasions family camping trips were taken in the mountains of Colorado where Emil would break-out the big Army tent. Each summer Emil drove Sevella and the three younger children to his birth home of Springfield, Missouri for a week long vacation with his parents and sister Helen. Although patience was not always a virtue, Emil had absolutely no problem babysitting his granddaughter, Sarah, when she had colic as an infant.
Emil was an avid hunter, as he taught his three sons, son-in-law, and grandson, how to hunt. Each hunting trip was not about the hunting, but the camaraderie that he shared with others that were in his hunting party. This is evident as the number of stories he told exceed the number of trophies displayed in his home, which are numerous. His love for hunting ultimately led him to purchase his second home in Yampa, Colorado. Many hours were spent with his family remodeling the home and much fun was had in four wheel drive expeditions and hunting and fishing trips.
After building his own home he spent numerous hours working at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, being a member for the last sixty years. He was always able to lend a helping hand to any one that needed his special set of skills, which included every form of construction. He never turned any request down even though something always needed to be done at his own home. After retiring at age 62, he now had more time to spend helping others.
Emil's greatest joys were his family, his love of hunting, and a good beer and highball at the end of the day.
Emil is preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, his brother, and son, Mark. He is survived by his wife Sevella, children: Ervin Geilert, Gay Vanderlip, Lana Williams, Trudianne Anderson, and Philip Geilert, seven grandchildren, great-grandchildren, his sister Nita Hamilton, and sister-in-laws: Georgene Abbott and Jacquelyn Schick.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association with Emil Geilert's name in the memo portion of your check.
Alzheimer's Association
225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17
Chicago, Illinois. 60601-7633
Services will be held Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church and internment to follow at Crown Hill Cemetery.
Bethlehem Lutheran
2100 Wadsworth Blvd.
Lakewood, Colorado. 80214
Crown Hill Cemetery
7777 West 29th Avenue
Wheat Ridge, Colorado. 80033
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Emil A. Geilert, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Service
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Starts at 10:00 am (Mountain time)
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Guestbook
Visits: 14
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors