GEIGER, Jon R.
Jon R. Geiger, 68, of West Hartford, CT died August 6 at St. Francis Hospital after a battle with Corticobasal Ganglionic Degeneration-a form of Parkinson's Disease. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Peggie Jeffrey Geiger; son Michael G. Geiger and daughter-in-law Valerie of Fairfax, VA and their daughters Molly and Lyla; son Douglas J. Geiger and daughter-in-law Jennifer of Springfield, VA; brother Peter Geiger and sister-in-law Sandy of Penney Farms, FL; sister Judy Runte and brother-in-law Hartwig Runte of Buchenbach, Germany. Jon retired in 2010 as the Director of Educational Programs and Affiliated Scientist at The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine. Jon had a B.S. in Chemistry from Penn State and a Ph.D. in Bacterial Genetics from the Univ. of Connecticut and was a graduate of the Seminar for Industrial Research Managers given by the Harvard Business School faculty. Between degrees he was an officer in the Navy Submarine Force working as nuclear power plant supervisor, weapons officer, and intelligence officer. He received the Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and a U.S. Navy Letter of Commendation. After graduate school he taught microbiology and genetics at Smith College. After a sabbatical at MIT he took a job in Connecticut at Olin Chemicals, which became Arch Biocides, where he rose in twenty years to head biology research and served as an internal advisor on all projects involving biological sciences with the title Consulting Scientist. He was responsible for all life sciences projects including biocide research and technical service, and environmental fate tests for U.S. EPA and foreign registration. While at Arch he collaborated with the World Health Organization to begin investigating the anti-parasitic properties of Arch's anti-microbial compounds. He holds thirteen patents and is author of numerous articles and presentations. In Connecticut he was active in education issues, was secretary of an inner-city magnet school governance board, was Science Advisor for the Board of the Connecticut Science Fair, and was a Fellow of the Connecticut Academy for Science and Math Education. In Maine he was on the Maine Learning Results (state standards) Review Advisory Committee, the Board of Advisors for the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance (state-wide K-12 science and math education enhancement organization), the Board of the Down East Educational Partnership, on the Advisory Board of the UMaine Center for Science and Mathematics Education Research, and was an External Member of the College of the Atlantic Educational Studies Committee. He was the 2007 recipient of the Maine Science Teachers Association's Philip Marcoux Award for outstanding contributions to science education by a non-formal educator.
As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be sent to CurePSP, a foundation focused on increasing awareness and funding research for related brain diseases. Donations can be made online at https://give.psp.org/ or to CurePSP, 30 E. Padonia Road, Suite 201, Timonium, MA 21093
or give to the Jackson Laboratory: Development Office, P.O. Box 254, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, 1-800-474-9880. A memorial service has been planned for Saturday, Sept. 1 at 11 a.m. at the Universalist Church, 433 Fern Street, West Hartford.
