Gary Geidel Obituary - Death Notice and Service Information

LOCATION

New York, New York

Modest and Loving

In his 19 years at the Fire Department, Firefighter Gary P. Geidel received seven citations for valor. His wife, Mathilda, knew nothing about them. Her husband was that way. He left his work at the firehouse. He lived life at home. Later, she learned that one citation was for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

What she does know is that he wanted to buy a white farmhouse on three acres of land in Greenville, N.Y., where they would move after his retirement. At 44, he was just a couple of weeks shy of 20 years in the department, so he worked overtime on Sept. 11 to build up his pension. Firefighter Geidel, who came from a long line of firefighters, was a member of the elite Rescue Company 1 in Midtown Manhattan.

Her husband showered her with cards and love letters before and after their marriage. She knows that she gave birth to Mathilda seven years ago through in vitro fertilization after a long struggle to have children. She knows that he built a second story on their bungalow in Staten Island.

After the attacks, she called the In Vitro Fertilization Center in Downtown Brooklyn, where she had been treated, to find out if any of her husband's frozen sperm remained. Some did, and she made plans to start treatment in August. She knows that she will raise the children at the farmhouse that she just bought. "The only thing holding me together is that I can still have his children," she said.

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Posting Guidelines|FAQ

I am a retired Firefighter from Eugene, Oregon. I just completed a 9/11 memorial stair climb (with my son, who is a current police officer) at our town’s football stadium. As part of the program each participant is given a laminated card with a name and picture of one of the responders who lost their life that day. By pure chance I was handed Gary Geidel’s card which I carried up the 110 floors of the stadium. When I got home I looked up Gary’s name which led me to this site. I discovered...

Randall DeWitt

September 12, 2025 | Eugene, OR

After visiting the 911 memorial in 2017 and tracing over Garys name as the one person I would always pray for, I haven't forgot about him and I continue to pray for him. He gave up his life to save others. My heart aches for his loved ones he left behind. You are also in my thoughts and prayers. God Bless You All

Gary Piccirilli

September 11, 2023 | Hermitage, PA

You are a hero and will never be forgotten

September 11, 2023

Gary rest in peace with all your brave brothers and please remember there are so many of us who honor you and will never ever forget you.

Steph Poe

March 11, 2023 | Las Vegas, NV | Neighbor

September 11th 2021. My alarm went off at 3:30am. I woke up and was already very emotional. My cat Sam crawled up on my chest and hugged me until i got out of bed So this morning we got to Rescue 1 really early so we were the first ones there. We went into the kitchen and the song that started playing was Waltzing Mathilda (my name) Then Nick pointed down and I found my dime. I said he left me the dime to go with the penny I'll find later. When we got to the reflection pools I looked on the...

Tillie Conklin

September 04, 2022 | NY | Daughter

September 11th, 2021
20 years. How has it been 20 years? It feels like yesterday to me. I miss you more than I could put into words. You were the best father I could ever ask for. Taken way too soon. I will hold onto our memories together until we meet again. I'm in Manhattan on 9/11 for the first time ever. Headed to Rescue 1. This will be my first time back since the early 2000's. I'm going to say a couple words about my Dad at the ceremony. I decided to go down to the site to see my...

Tillie Conklin

September 04, 2022 | NY | Daughter

Hello. Where am I able to purchase a copy of the book?

Anissa Chavez

March 01, 2021

I finally did it Dado. I publish a book of your life. I love you <3

Tillie Geidel Conklin

February 28, 2021

Tillie Geidel Conklin

September 11, 2020 | NY | Daughter

Gary P. Geidel

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