Glen GEARY Obituary
May 25, 1921 - October 28, 2016
Glen passed away peacefully at 95 and is survived by his loving wife, Josephine, children Vivian (Chris) and Bill (Susanna) and grandchildren Sean, Andrew (Galina), Jessica and Jolena, sister Hazel Seeton and many nieces and nephews. Born in Edmonton to Harold and Anselena Geary, the family settled in Vancouver in 1927. As a piano student he won top honors in the Vancouver Music Festival and attained a fine reputation as accompanist and soloist in concert and radio. He enlisted in 1942 with the RCAF as a bandsman and as a pianist in a trio. After the war, he became a prominent music teacher, adjudicator and pianist in Vancouver and obtained his degree from UBC. He was invited to teach at the UBC Faculty of Music from 1961 to 1977 and after retirement continued to teach and inspire many fine pianists and performers. We have many fond memories of family time spent on the Sunshine Coast and Hawaii. He will be greatly missed. No service by request. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
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17 Entries
Brian Dring
July 24, 2019
I took lessons with Mr Geary for only three years from 1963 to 1966 and remember him as a kind and very patient man who made an impression on me and instilled in me the love of music. My family lived on Lower West King Edward so I would often ride my bike to his house. I fondly remember the John Thompson Books he taught with. Although I did not make it a full time career, the basic sight reading I learned from him was a foundation for a part-time career I had for many years playing in dance bands and jazz bands here in the U.S. I dropped in for a visit when I returned briefly to Vancouver in 1987 and I still remembered the many stairs going up to his house.
Gibsons
Jess Geary
February 22, 2017
My grandfather was the first person in my life to introduce me to music, namely the piano. At the age of six, he taught me to play the piano step by step. Although, it appears as a bit of a blur in my memory with the moments we shared together playing the piano, I will never cease to forget what he taught me and the piano techniques that I learned. My parents arranged for me to have regular piano lessons twice a week with my grandfather after school. I remember loving and dreading it when I was little. At the start of each lesson, as an introductory warm up game, he would sing do-re-mi with me as a played each piano note, or he would sing a simple song like twinkle twinkle little star. I would joyfully sing along with him. I clearly remember in his own words using his stern but patient voice. Jessie, we do this, so that we can help you develop your music ear. I recall the various funny and very easy to remember rhymes to demonstrate the line notes on the staff of the treble or bass clef. Every boy deserves fudge was the rhyme that I cannot forget.
My grandfather, although he has passed away now will always be remembered by me as the musically gifted person that came into my life. He passed away just last term. In the old folks centre just this past summer you could hear him play in the concert hall, though his memory and mind was deteriorating, his love for music never died. When I think back and remember him, I can hear the Prelude in C major playing in my ears. Music was always a deep sense of pleasure for him.
Bill Geary
December 2, 2016
In the late 1960's Dad built a large tree fort on top of our backyard maple tree at our King Edward Avenue house. The tree fort became a favorite hangout for the neighbourhood kids. (photo from June 1965)
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December 1, 2016
Dear Josephine,
I read of Glen's passing with great sadness. I remember Glen as a wonderful, kind and gentle man. Our families were very close, and I recall with fondness the many get-togethers at the respective Vaisbord and Geary homes. (My wife also remembers meeting you and Glen at one of the Vaisbord family dinners, and that she knew your nephew Lorie at school). Conversation and music were always part of the evenings, and as a child I remember doing my 'turn' playing a piece on the piano for 'company'. I took my first piano lessons from Glen even before school age. I didn't pursue piano beyond my teen years, but the love of music has been a great gift in my life.
I also remember the very first time being introduced to Bill. I think it may have been Christmas and Bill was on his knees the floor in the back room preoccupied with a toy - in my memory a train set (Bill am I correct?). Anyway, Bill and I hit it off immediately, and lots of fond memories playing together, and the old house with the amazing view, and that wonderful attic. Also the great times on the beach at the Roberts Creek property.
Josephine, you and Glen were great friends to our family, and so in truth I am also writing for Anne and Pierre who are no longer with us. Memories of those times together will always occupy a warm place in my heart.
Best wishes,
Peter Vaisbord (& Carole Goldsmith)
Susan Craven
November 26, 2016
Dear Josephine, Vivien and Bill,
Sorry sorry to hear of the passing of Glen or Mr Geary to me. So many of my childhood memories are intertwined with your family: delicious home cooked Chinese meals, kick the can in the lane, playing in your backyard, cutting through your yard to get to Trafalgar Elementary, Halloween, rides to ubc with dad and Glen. So many great memories of great neighbours. My heart goes out to you all. Not a day goes by that I don't think about my mom and dad. Our memories are what keep them close to us.
Much love,
Susan
Glenn Hansen
November 17, 2016
Dear Josephine:
A fine man has passed. These last years were difficult, but you gave your all to Glen.
I have fond memories of time spent with the two of you, both on the Sunshine Coast and at our CSAA functions.
My sincere condolences to you and your family.
Glenn Hansen
November 14, 2016
Dear Josephine,
Thank you for sending this obituary about your dear husband, Glen, for us to read. Fred and I wish to send to you and to your family our most heartfelt condolences. After reading his obituary I immediately thought about that sentence: "His was a life well lived." He brought pleasure to so many people through his music and his teaching.
May your wonderful memories of Glen comfort you at this sad time.
From Fred and Ruth Roberts
Beryl Edwards
November 14, 2016
Dear Josephine,
Roy and I send our deepest condolences to you and all your family at this very sad time. You and Glen were so happy together and you raised such a lovely and close knit family. You will miss him such a lot but I hope that all those memories of your time together will bring you great comfort. We go back such a long way that I feel your loss very personally and I will be thinking of you.
Much love to you and all the family.
Beryl
NARENDER Gill
November 13, 2016
Dear Josephine,
We are deeply saddened to hear the news of Glen's passing. It was always an honor for me to meet with him even if it was once or twice in a year. I still remember the very first time I met you and Glen @ H&R Block. I cannot forget the smile and glow on his face and the pride he carries with him for being a veteran. I sincerely wish if I could become even 10% of a kind and humble man he was, I would be ever indebted to God for that. I wish that God will rest his soul in Peace and he surely will be one of the favorites of God up there as he had been here.
We are going to miss him dearly.
Narender & Jackie with Kenny & Grace
Anne-Marie Dekker
November 13, 2016
Dear Josephine, a very fine and upstanding man left us. My family and I send you and yours our deepest condolences. I have many fond memories. Grateful that we had him in our lives.
November 12, 2016
Dear Mrs. Geary and Family,
Mr. Geary was my first piano teacher when I was 5 years old -- 62 years ago. I still remember the room in your house, the piano I played and his incredible ability to inspire me --even at that age. I was in awe of him.
He used to remind me that my fingers were hanging off the Lion's Gate Bridge...
Decades later, I was lucky enough to study with him again when I was a music student at UBC.
We both knew I was never going to be a very good pianist but he didn't let that get in the way of encouraging me to play music I liked. And at every lesson, he gave me more difficult pieces to tackle and while my best efforts fell short of his expectations, he was always supportive.
The best thing? Having had the honour to hear him play. What an amazing pianist.
I will never forget the impact he had on me and my life.
And I feel so fortunate for having known such a wonderful musician and kind man.
Sincere condolences,
Diana (Mikulko) King
November 12, 2016
Dear Josephine and family,
Sheila and I were saddened to hear of Uncle Glen's passing. Our sincere condolences to you and the family.
Lorie Geary.
November 12, 2016
Dear Josephine and family. I saw that GLen passed away from the Vancouver Sun. This brings sadness to me that another great piano mentor has gone from our midst. I send my condolences along with my son, Steven Hardy who was his student from 1971 -during formative years. Of course I knew Glen from my early years as a piano student in Burnaby and later at UBC. He will not be forgotten. I have many memories of his studio on King Edward Ave with that fantastic view over the city and still pass by the property where you used to live. May Peace be with you. Sheila Hardy
November 12, 2016
To the Geary family, Our sincere condolences to the passing of Glen. We did not have the privilege of meeting Glen. But Bill (Lau) had the privilege of meeting Bill Geary years ago when we went camping together. Elizabeth and I met Vivian years ago as well. We hope your family is coping alright with the loss of Glen. May god bless your family.
Love,
Bill & Elizabeth Lau
ps Bill, I now work at KPMG in Vancouver. Hope to reconnect with you. Bill Lau
Gibsons 1999
Bill Geary
November 11, 2016
Thanks Dad for the gift of music,basic carpentry skills,great family holidays and the time we spent fishing together on the Sunshine Coast.
Janet (Thom) Hammock
November 11, 2016
Dear Josephine, Vivien, Bill and families,
It is with sadness and a mixture of very deep feelings that I read that your beloved husband and father has passed away.
As you know, Glen Geary was by far the most influential piano teacher during my childhood and adolescence in Vancouver. His devoted, inspiring and thoughtful piano teaching, and his insistence that we become well-rounded musicians with a broad background in theory, harmony, counterpoint, form and history, not to mention the dread sight-reading, paved the way for me to go on to Toronto and Yale universities to study music, to earn my Masters and Doctorate degrees in music performance, and to eventually become a professor of music -- my life's career. In my "retirement" I continue to perform and teach. Obviously his influence has been a life-long one!
I remember that you, Josephine, began lessons with him when you were young, and I recall with great affection how "interested" Mr. Geary seemed to be in the music-making of the beautiful young woman whose lesson was just before mine!
Your life together with your children and grandchildren has been long and truly wonderful, and your support and help to Glen in his senior years, Josephine, was enviable.
My heart is with you all at this time.
Love,
Janet (Thom) Hammock and Marilyn Lerch
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