Donald J. Geissinger

1923 - 2015

Donald J. Geissinger

Longtime Springfield resident "Gardener Don" Geissinger passed away January 14th from natural causes at Grace Manor in Eugene. He had moved to Eugene from his Springfield home after suffering a stroke and heart attack late last year. He had retired from retail sales at age 86 after spending 18 years at local Wal-Marts and 17 years at Fred Meyers.

Born in October of 1923 in Los Angeles, CA to Byron and Dorothy Geissinger, Don was a graduate of Fairfax High School. He attended one year of Los Angeles Community College while working at Lockheed Aircraft before enlisting in the Army Air Corps in Dec of 1942. He deployed overseas in March of 1944 where he was assigned to the 428th Fighter Bomber Squadron in the 474th Fighter Bomber Group as a P-38 armorer and served in the following campaigns and theaters: Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, Central Europe, Air Offensive Europe. His unit received the Distinguished Unit Citation in June of 1945 and he was a Good Conduct Medal recipient. After returning to the US in September of 1945, he received an Honorable Discharge and went on to finish his 2-yr degree at LACC. An avid gardener, he was a past president of the International Geranium Society.

He was predeceased by his wife of 36 years, Margie Jane Geissinger (St. Germaine) of Washington. He is survived by his son, Jesse W. James of Virginia City, NV, his brother Glenn Geissinger and niece Vicki Geissinger of Avila Beach, CA. In lieu of flowers for the deceased, he would have appreciated a donation to the Jasper Mountain charity at 37875 Jasper-Lowell Rd, Jasper, OR 97438. Although no services are planned at this time, persons interested in a celebration of life should contact Andreason's Cremation at 541-485-6659.