A Special Tribute to a Special Lady -- Jane Geist January 1, 1935 - June 12, 2018

On June 12, 2018 we lost one of own.  Jane Geist, passed away after fighting Lung Cancer for about a year.  It was a shock for all of us to learn that she had lung cancer as Jane never smoked.  She was always a very strong hiker and though the last hikes she did she may have slowed down a bit, we all thought that was to be expected since she was  82 years old.  She was hiking regularly and mostly the difference I saw in her ability to hike was that when we stopped for a water break, she always wanted a place to sit down.  Like I said, she was 82; even some of us younger hikers liked to sit down during the breaks.  But Jane knew something was wrong.  Her breathing wasn't right. And the fatigue was coming more and more.   When given the diagnosis, she accepted the fact that there was little hope of recovery and she entered Hospice soon afterwards.  As she lived her life, quietly and graciously, she accepted  the news, better than most of the Hoofers did.  

I   am not sure if the newest Hoofers knew Jane, but certainly those of us who have hiked with her knew her as a quiet, gentle woman. The biggest problem I would have from her was trying to get a photograph of her.  She didn't like getting her picture taken, As you may see in some of the earlier photos, she would lower her head or do other things that would keep me from getting a photo of her... I did not push much...but did try to be a little stealthy about getting a shot of her.  Eventually she became more comfortable with my picture taking... and sometimes got a charge at my ability to sneak a shot of her... it was part of "the thing" we had going over the years.  But, even with this, Jane was not an introvert.  During the hikes she would move through the line talking to the hikers about what she knew were their interests.  With me, she always had conversations about the Bible as she knew I was a leader of an adult Bible study class for years. And of course, she always asked about my children and where they were living now as they moved about so much.  She was interested, because she had once lived in almost every place my children lived.  Conversations with other hikers would be about books they were reading or movies they saw and things they were interested in.   She seemed to know what each one of us liked to talk about.  

In spite of her age, she could out hike the best of us.  And many of us looked up to her as someone they wanted to emulate.  Her ability to hike as one of our oldest hikers was admired by us all.  Sometimes after a hike, (and not just the easier ones) she would go to the gym afterwards to get a bit more of a workout... (Seriously?)  I just wanted to go home and get a cup of coffee and put my feet up!  Many Hoofers have commented that they hoped they would have her energy and endurance or were at least still hiking when they reached her age. 

It was Jane who dedicated many years to the Hoofers as our correspondence leader, posting to each Hoofer the details for each upcoming hike.  And if the leader was slow in getting that information to her, she would gently remind them that it was their turn to lead a hike.  Jane also announced when it was time to do the maintenance on Pearl's trail, and did most of that maintenance herself with a few Hoofer volunteers.  She did that for years just about as long as that trail was dedicated to Pearl.    When she became ill and could no longer hike I asked her if it was okay with her if I placed her on the Hoofer Emeritus  list of our roster, and she told me that she would be very honored if I did that.  But it was we who were very honored to have known her and to have hiked with her.  Jane Geist will always be remembered by us all as the kind of Happy Hoofer we would all want to be.

Following are some memories of Jane and the Hoofers

Lynda and Jane

Jane and Brigitte

Ginny and Jane

Jane, Jan and Brigitte

Jean and Jane

Judy A., Jane and Jan

Jane and Mary M. with Jennise in the background

Jane and Rita

Jane and Rose

Jane and Sally

Jane, Rita and Ann

Jane and Brigitte

Betty, Jane, Karen and Sally and Judy A.? (best guess)

Sally, Ginny and Jane

Lynda and Jane

Gisela, Jane and Wendy

Hilda, Jane, Julie and Jean

Brigitte, Jane, Bridget (possibly Missy in the orange)

Jane and Frances (The story of the dollar bill:  While cleaning Pearl's trail, Jane found a five dollar bill -- she wouldn't keep it for herself, but decided to give $1 to each hostess that year at their luncheon.  I don't think she was able to go to all the luncheons as this was just before she was diagnosed with cancer.  But being generous, even with something so small was one of her great qualities.)

Jane, Betty and Rita

Jean, Jane and Rose

Jane, Eileen and Missy

Jane, Sally and Kathleen

Missy, Jane and Brigitte (Mary M. in the background)

Jennise, Jane and Kathleen

Pat, Brigitte, Jane and Sally

A Lot of Fun times with Jane

Our October Weiner Roast Hikes...where Pearl would make us do the Chicken Dance each year... Judi P., Jane, Pearl, and Jean

Rose and Jane

Jane and Brigitte just being silly in a snow fort they found snowshoeing

Hilda and Jane smelling a Ponderosa Pine...they are suppose to smell like Vanilla when the sap begins to run

Jane taking a picture of the Hoofers

Back at you Jane!

My quest to get photos of Jane

As I said before, when I first started taking pictures of the group, Jane was very camera shy...so much so that I was beginning to think she was in the witness protection program.

Just check these early photos where Jane is hiding her face

Again Jane trying to hide behind her drink cup

Dang, she foiled me again

Jane knew I was taking this picture and she tried to hide behind her sandwich

I couldn't find Jane for her lunchtime picture...after getting everyone else...I continued to look for her...finally found her! Hilda is laughing because I foiled Jane's plan

Pat, Jennise, Jane with Karen and the back of Kathleen (the story about this shot:  Once again I was doing my lunchtime pictures, I couldn't find Jane anywhere, when she thought I was done taking pictures she showed up...but I came back to get her picture--I am tenacious!)

I sneaked up to get this one:  Jane and Judy A.

Jane said, oh you got me!  Hilda and Jane

Another of my stealth shots of Jane

Smile Jane!  sneaking up again

Hey Jane! Smile!

Hi Jane gotcha

Zooming in on Jane from a distance

Jane, turn around, Jane... Jane....ahhhh!

Jane was quite an accomplished hiker, she not only hiked  with the Happy Hoofers, but once in a while she would join up as a guest with the Tuesday Trekkers.  She hiked with the New Mexico Mountain Club for years (with both men and women)  And had climbed eighteen (that is 18!!) Fourteeners in the Colorado Rockies, the highest mountains in the Rockies. (I have never climbed one!) When she lived back East she had hiked parts of the Appalachian Trail and in the Adirondacks.

Jane hiking with the best of us

Climbing up to Nambe Lake in the Sangre de Cristos

Bronwyn, Jane, Hilda and 2 guests at Aspen Overlook in the Sandia Mountains

The Killer Climb at White Mesa

More climbing

Making the river crossings

A Favorite Fall Hike Jane, Lynda, Barb, Pat, and Judy A.

Continental Divide

Meagan, Julianne, Rita, Jane, Pat, Jean and Barb

Getting ready to take a Hoofer picture at Pearl's Trailhead sign

More river crossings 

Adrianna,  Jane Brigitte,  and two unidentified hikers

In front of a Medallion tree at the top of the Embudito Trail--talk about a climb!! Medallion Tree: Pueblo Indian Revolt Gestation Date 1680

Jane petting some horses we saw on a South Bosque Hike

Doing some rock climbing San Lorenzo Canyon

San Lorenzo Canyon

Posing with a Thong Tree.  The shape of the tree was the result of putting a weight on a young sapling with a rawhide "thong".  It would cause the tree to bend until the rawhide disintegrated then the tree would change direction and grow upwards. These trees usually marked something, like a spring.  The Native Americans from this area were usually the ones who did this.

As the years passed Jane would always find a spot to sit during a water break

I think Hilda beat her to the swing!

Finding a wooden sofa

Jane was an avid participant for the Snowshoe hikes

For Many years Jane took charge of the maintenance hikes on Pearl's Trail.  As far as I know, she did every one of them until she couldn't hike anymore... She was incredibly dedicated.

And now a quick pictorial memory of the other hikes and hikers through the years

 

Jane taking a Selfie group picture in my absence 
(no longer camera shy!!)

Jane's favorite wildflower was the Northern Fairy Candelabra a.k.a. the Pygmyflower Rock Jasmine.  She would always make sure that I took a photo of them.  This is one of the tiniest wildflowers and the most difficult to capture on film

Celebrating Birthdays

Jane helping to celebrate Pearl's birthday (our two oldest Hoofers) with Marlene

Jane being celebrated on her 80th birthday 

Jane's Obituary

Born January 1, 1935 to William and Nathalie Allen, Jane Allen Geist was gathered to God on June 12, 2018, surrounded by her loving family. Jane graduated from Bosse High School in Evansville, IN, receiving her AB from Indiana University in Government, minoring in Psychology and Journalism. University years included membership in Alpha Chi Omega Sorority, with much activity in campus organizations. Serving as president of the IU Chapter of the American Association of University Women, Jane was also a student senator, as was her future husband, Daniel Geist. Married two days before their graduation in 1956, the couple moved to Fort Devens, MA, where Dan was posted as an Army Lieutenant. His commission next took them to Frankfurt, Germany, allowing European travel they both enjoyed. Back at her alma mater in 1958, Jane worked in the IU Public Affairs Office while Dan was in graduate school. A year later found them in Pittsburgh, PA, starting a family. As they made homes in various cities, including Montreal, Quebec, and Mendham, NJ, Jane lovingly cared for two children, whom she taught to see adventure wherever they lived. Exploring together, the family learned to sail and cross-country ski. For many years, Jane worked in nearby Morristown, first at Planned Parenthood as Executive Assistant for Public Relations and Board of Directors, then as Executive Secretary for a Vice President at AT&T.

In 1993, Jane and Dan moved to New Mexico. Each week saw her volunteering, a commitment paralleling years of service to some six organizations in the Northeast. Here in Albuquerque she helped offer the Grace Meal at First United Methodist Church, clerked at Explora Museum, planted for Tree New Mexico Inc., and served with United Way. Having hiked parts of the Appalachian Trail and the Adirondacks, she brought that passion west, where she hiked and snow-shoed with friends in Happy Hoofers Hiking Club and the New Mexico Mountain Club—over the years climbing eighteen of Colorado’s Fourteeners, the highest peaks in the Rockies.

Jane is survived by husband, Dan Geist; children, Margot and Ben Geist; sister, Mag Lindsey and brother-in-law, Jim Hitch; daughter-in-law, Jan Ediger Geist; grandchildren, Aaron and Caroline Geist; as well as two cousins, a niece, and three nephews.

 A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, July 7, 2018 at 2:00 p.m., at First  United Methodist Church, 315 Coal Ave. SW, Albuquerque, 87102. 

The Happy Hoofers Salute you, Jane!

I know there is a heaven and you are there for eternity... and I am sure your heaven includes hiking!

So you keep on hoofing!

And we will keep you in our hearts

Goodbye Jane 

You changed our lives by being in them