J. William Geise
October 15, 1940 - November 30, 2023
Class of '59
1940- 2023
J. William (Bill) Geise, age 82 (sic), a resident of Falmouth, Massachusetts, died peacefully in his home on November 30th, 2023.
Bill was born and raised in Olean, NY. He graduated from Olean High School in 1959, and was a starting guard on the Varsity basketball team. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1965 as a Civil Engineer. In 1969, Bill earned a Juris Doctorate Degree from the University of Denver School of Law. He studied Environmental Law at the George Washington School of Law in Washington, D.C.
Bill worked as a Co-Operative Student Engineer for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad in Detroit, MI while attending Georgia Tech. While at Georgia Tech, he worked as a draftsman for Glidden Paint in Atlanta. His first job out of college was as a Construction Inspector with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on Morrow Point Dam on the Gunnison River in Cimarron, Colorado. Bill then worked as a supervisory environmental engineer for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region VIII Office in Denver, CO, for 27 years. While with EPA, he supervised several programs over the years, including environmental impact statement review, toxic substances enforcement, and hazardous waste site cleanup.
Bill and his first wife of 27 years, Judy Binegar, raised a family of three children in Lakewood, CO. Bill was active as a youth baseball coach in Lakewood for 15 years, starting in 1966.
Bill moved to Falmouth, Cape Cod in 2000 when he remarried Ilona after they met at their High School Reunion in Olean, NY. Bill was active in the Senior Environment Corps on Cape Cod - a group of senior volunteers working on environmental projects. In 2011, Bill was recognized as Volunteer of the Year by Elder Services of the Cape and Islands. Bill was very active in the Falmouth Senior Center and Community Garden.Bill was an avid reader, wilderness hiker, and fisherman. He loved blackberry pie, stealing second base, driving the baseline, and writing. He self-published two books, which he joked were not best sellers.
Bill leaves a true legacy behind. His wife, Ilona Geise. His sister Helengene and her daughter Scarlett, husband & son Omar. His son Bill Jr; daughter Betsy & husband Brett ; son Andy & wife Kendra along with his grandchildren Will, Kate, Carl and Maggie. As well as step children Scott & wife Christina; Wendy & husband Robert; Todd & wife Angie and step grandchildren Ryan, Hayley, Rachael, Jordan, Payton, Mackenzie and Molly.
Bill was a Renaissance man. He believed in the earth before we even winked. He inspired all of us to do better. Peace.