Rosemary Buck Geis passed away peacefully in Sparks, Nevada, on Monday, January 26, 2026, surrounded by family. She was born on February 3, 1940, in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, to Dr. Robert and Lucille Buck, and spent much of her life devoted to faith, family, education, and service to others. Rosemary grew up in Belle Fourche, where she lived in the same home until she got married.
We learned to love education and music thanks to our mother’s influence. In high school, she was an ambitious and successful student. She was a member of the Honor Society, a clarinet player in the school band, a soprano in the choir, and a talented pianist. Music remained an important part of her life, and she and her friends often performed together as a singing group at school functions and special events.
Our mother empowered us with the ability to recover from challenges and persist through obstacles. At 16, Rosemary survived a life-changing accident. A gunshot injury grazed her spinal cord, leaving her temporarily paralyzed. She spent months in hospitals in Colorado and South Dakota. Through determination and aqua therapy, she relearned how to walk. Being left-handed, she learned to do everything with her right hand. Her resilience then defined her strength and perseverance for life.
Despite missing months of school, Rosemary caught up and graduated with her class in 1958 from Belle Fourche High School. After graduation, she traveled with her Girl Scout troop to Cuernavaca and Mexico City, an experience that helped spark her lifelong love of travel.
Our mother laid a foundation for our lives, emphasizing the importance of family, community service, our Catholic faith, and education. Rosemary began her undergraduate studies at the University of Denver before transferring to the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education. She later married her high school sweetheart, Kenny Geis, and together they built a life rooted in education, family, and adventure. After living in several places across the country, they ultimately settled in Fallon, Nevada, where they raised their four children, Nancy, Deborah, David, and Douglas, who were the pride and joy of their lives.
In Fallon, Rosemary devoted two decades to teaching second grade, shaping the lives of countless young students with her patience, kindness, and love of learning. She was an active member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and participated in the Ladies Guild, Red Hat Society, AAUW, bridge clubs, and Girl Scouts. During her final year as Girl Scout Cookie Mom, her garage was filled with cookies until the family dog snuck in and ate most of them.
After retiring, Rosemary moved to Sparks, Nevada, to be closer to her children. She became a dedicated member of Holy Cross Catholic Community, participating in the Joy Club and Holy Red Hats, serving as an Eucharistic Minister to nursing homes, and teaching catechism. She also cherished spending time with her grandchildren, attending school events, extracurricular activities, and volunteering as a guest reader in classrooms.
Our mother taught us to embrace the joy of living. Rosemary had a passion for travel and visited many states, including Hawaii and Alaska, as well as destinations abroad such as the Caribbean, Canada, Italy, France, and Spain. She especially loved cruising and welcomed every opportunity to explore somewhere new.
If you knew Rosemary, you also knew she was a sports fanatic. She loved the San Francisco Giants. Her family knew not to visit during the Giants' baseball games unless you were there to watch, not visit. She enjoyed Fantasy Football and the NCAA basketball tournament bracket. She proudly displayed her Fantasy Football trophies with her team's name, Sparky.
Rosemary is preceded in death by her husband of 31 years, Kenneth Geis; her parents, Dr. Robert and Lucille Buck; and her brother, Bob Buck.
She is survived by her four children: Nancy (Ray) Leisy, Deborah (Todd) Galati, David (Claudine) Geis, and Douglas Geis; eight grandchildren: Briana (Tyler) Trout, Nicole (Pierce) Wisnovsky, Anthony (Sidney) Galati, Gillian Geis, Brandon Leisy, Gelina Geis, Garrison Geis, and Ciara Geis; one great-granddaughter, Kennedy Trout; her sisters and brothers-in-law, Suzanne and Bill Howe and LeeAnne and Gene Schmidt; sisters-in-law Nancy Buck, Charlaine Gatje, and Judy Geis; brothers-in-law Tam Gatje and Bob Geis; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has shared in our mother's wonderful life. She loved life, and life loved her.
Our mother was a beautiful lady. She was very caring and loving, with a wonderful sense of humor. Our hearts are broken, but the memories keep us smiling. We know how blessed we are to have had the best mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. We will miss her greatly.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12:00 pm on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 5650 Vista Blvd., Sparks, NV. A reception will follow at Red Hawk Golf Course Event Center at 6600 N. Wingfield Pkwy., Sparks, NV. She was laid to rest next to her husband in Fallon, NV, at the Churchill County Cemetery, 500 Rio Vista, Fallon, NV, on Monday, February 2, 2026, at 2:30 pm, with a reception that followed at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall at 850 W. 4th St., Fallon, NV.
Comment
Comments