Elizabeth Jane Geier, 94, of Richland, was born to Gerald F. and Mary Julia Martin Smith on June 5, 1920, in Wilkinsburg, PA, and died Saturday, January 24, 2015.  Elizabeth Geier was a playground supervisor for the Richland School District until retiring in 1986.   

Elizabeth received her BA from Pennsylvania State University in English Literature with a minor in Horticulture.

She married Robert George Geier (Bob) at St. James Church in July 1945 and moved to Richland in 1953, when Bob was hired by General Electric at the Hanford Site.

Primarily a homemaker, Elizabeth was a member of Christ the King Church and active in the Altar Society and church circles.  She volunteered many hours at the Richland Senior Center and the Richland food bank.  She was very active in the Kadlec Hospital Women’s Auxiliary, logging in more than 1000 hours of volunteering and fundraising for the hospital.  During World War II, she taught at Penn State University and worked in the test gardens. 

Elizabeth considered herself a rebel, once surreptitiously leaving the schoolyard in sixth grade to go watch Amelia Earhart’s motorcade go by.  She thought of her move out West as a great adventure, leaving her family and friends behind.  Although she did not travel the world as much as she would have liked, she was able to visit Europe with Bob when he went there on business, and Elisabeth and Bob enjoyed two cruises after they retired.  She remained a loyal pen pal to a Dutch woman throughout WWII and her lifetime.  

Elizabeth remained frugal throughout her life.  Once when Jimmy Stewart was coming to the Penn State campus, she did not want to spend the fifty cents required to see him.  The next day, as she was walking across the campus on her way to church, Mr. Stewart saw her and engaged her in conversation.  She was pleased that she got to see him and talk with him for free! 

She always used to tell her children if they were going somewhere, to take a sweater in case it gets chilly, take a book in case you have to wait, and take a dime, in case you have to make a phone call.  She enjoyed flower arranging and later, reading mysteries and historical fiction, solving word puzzles, and watching old movies.

Elizabeth is survived by her children, three daughters; Carol Geier and husband, Ron Melton, of Richland, Susan Geier and husband, David Borg-Breen, of Seattle, and Cathy Geier of Seattle; one son, James Geier of San Diego, CA; 4 grandchildren, Christopher, Andrew, Timothy and Elisabeth; a brother Richard Smith of North Carolina and a nephew Pat Yeager of Pennsylvania. 

A rosary will be offered at Einan’s Funeral Home on Friday, February 6 at 5 pm.  A funeral mass  will be held at 12 noon Saturday, February 7, 2015 at Christ the King Catholic Church.  A reception at the church gathering space after Mass will be followed by interment in Sunset Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her memory to the local food bank.