Joseph William Geary Jr.

1924 - 2016

GEARY JR., Joseph William Born 02/02/1924 Died 01/16/2016 Born and raised in Dallas, Joe graduated from North Dallas High and attended SMU, graduating with a BA in government and economics. At 17, he volunteered for military duty, enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corps (now the Air Force) and was assigned to the 450th Bombardment Group 721st Bomb Squadron as a 2nd Lieutenant stationed in Manduria, Italy. Serving as a B24 navigator, Joe completed 50 missions over France, Italy, Austria, Germany, and Yugoslavia from 1944 until June 1945. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with three clusters, Rank - Captain. Joe returned home where he graduated SMU law school and served as Assistant District Attorney with Henry Wade from 1947-51. In 1948, Joe married Charlotte Walters, and they began a family. Leaving for private practice, Joe founded several law firms, most notably Geary Brice Barron & Stahl, Geary Stahl & Spencer, and finally Geary Porter & Donovan where Joe practiced law until the time of his death. In October 2011, the French government honored Joe as a Knight of the Legion of Honor, its highest military decoration, for his WWII service. Joe was a member of the SMU ExLetterman's Club, TTLA, ATLA, Phi Alpha Delta, Community Foundations of Texas (formerly the Dallas Community Chest Trust Fund), East Dallas Parent's League and a lifetime member of the SMU Real Estate Society School of Business. He was a Fellow of the Dallas Bar Foundation and Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Joe was a past director of: Continental Steel Corp., Guardian S&L, Trinity National Bank, American Basketball Association, SMU Mustang Club, SMU Alumni Association, Dallas Civic Opera Association, Lakehill Preparatory School, Dallas Council of Churches, Central Business Association, City Club, Pinnacle Club; past president of: Kidney Foundation of Texas, Board of the Kidney Foundation of Texas, Exchange Clubs of Texas, East Dallas Exchange Club, and Preston Trails Golf Club; and served on the boards of the Vintage Country Club (Indian Wells CA) and Bent Tree Country Club. Joe also served on the Dallas City Council from 1959-61 and ran for mayor in 1961. He was a former trustee of Lovers Lane Methodist Church, a 32nd degree Mason, one of the founders of the American Basketball Association and a part owner of the Dallas Chaparrals Basketball team (now the San Antonio Spurs). Joe was flown to Washington DC twice by the Honor Flight DFW, including Dec. 2015 when he was among twelve WWII vets honored on Pearl Harbor Day by the NFL at the Washington-Dallas game. Preceded in death by parents Lucile Paillet and Joseph W. Geary Sr., his wife of 56 years Charlotte, and granddaughter Elizabeth Jean Vaughan. Joe is survived by son Michael P. Geary (Carol), daughters Kelley Burks (Keith), Kathie Vaughan (James) and Colleen Patton, nine grandchildren Justin Mapes (Monica), Kyle Mapes (Laura), Charlotte McGilvary (Michael), Michael Vaughan, Steven Vaughan, Joseph Patton (Rachel), Rachel Hrncir (Lance), Sarah Stevens (Brian), and Katie Tijerina (Gabe), nine greatgrandchildren, in addition to Aldis Birkans (Suzanne) and Colleen Hager. The family would like to thank DJ Harper for her loving care and dedication to Joe over the last two years. We also thank the friendship, support, and kindness of: the staff and members at Preston Trails Golf Club, Honor Flight DFW, the monks at Glenstal Abbey County Limerick, Ireland, the Tuesday Night Round Table Group, Arthur Thompson, and the Ireland Funds. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Honor Flight DFW, 420 E. Round Grove Rd, #118/223 Lewisville, TX 75067 (http://honorflightdfw.org). Visitation Thursday Jan 21st 6PM-8PM at Restland. Funeral service Friday Jan 22nd at 11 AM at Highland Park United Methodist Church, Dr. John Fiedler officiating, with interment after at Restland. Pallbearers are Moe Bajaj, Richard Corbitt, Rick Graham, Ron Massingill, John Mitchell, and Vern Murray. Honorary pall-bearers are Glen Ashworth, Robert Folsom, Denny Holman, Richard Orsinger and posthumously Bill Burford, Vance Jobe, A. Starke Taylor Jr., and Bill Weatherford.