Geoffrey Lawrence Aris

ARIS, Geoffrey Lawrence, Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Ret., born in Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies May 6, 1927, passed away February 28 2009. He was preceded in death by his parents, Francis Lionel and Mae Clark Aris; brothers, Fred, Eddie, and Dick Aris; sisters, Sylvia Coot, Helen Zadie, and Hope Aris; and a son, Michael Aris. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Gloria Lea; daughter, Susan J. Aris of Moreno Valley, Calif.; sons, George and Brian Aris, both of Daleville, Ala.; stepdaughters, who loved him dearly and called him Dad, Susan Carter and husband, Keith, of Abbeville, Ala., Lynn Giusto and husband, Joseph, of Taylor, Texas, and Margaret Childs and husband, Brian, of Chesterfield; stepsons, Charles Murray and wife, Sharon, and "The Lad" Kevin Murray, both of Ozark, Ala. Also surviving are two sisters, Marjorie Aris and Eileen Scott, both of Kingston, Jamaica; 11 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Mr. Aris came to the U.S. in 1948 to attend pre-med at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa. He entered into the U.S. Army in 1950 to serve in the Korean War. He became a citizen in 1954 and decided to become a career soldier, spending 25 years serving in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. He received the Bronze Star, the Air Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal. Mr. Aris served in the Medical Corps and the Paratroopers, and then went into Army Aviation attending Air Traffic Control School at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi and Radar and Radio Fundamentals School at Gunter Air Force Base in Alabama. He also trained at the Federal Aviation Academy in Oklahoma. Retiring from the Army in 1975, Mr. Aris became a Senior Air Traffic Control Instructor at the Army Aviation Center at Fort Rucker in Alabama. His family will receive friends 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Bliley's - Chippenham, 6900 Hull Street Road. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 12 noon Wednesday at the Catholic Church of the Epiphany, 11000 Smoketree Drive. A private burial will be held at the Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, P.O. Box 50, Memphis, Tenn. 38101-9929.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.