Betty Geary

Betty Geary, 77, of Mt. Pleasant, IA, died Monday, May 19, 2014, at the Mercy Hospital Hospice Unit in Iowa City. The body has been cremated. A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church at a later date this summer. Born July 27, 1936 in rural DeSota, IA, Betty Rae was the daughter of Curtis and Carol Boyle Binns. She was a graduate of DeSota High School. She attended Iowa Wesleyan College and acquired degrees in Music and General Education. After retirement she returned to IWC and acquired a degree in Art. In June 1959 she married Wallace Cohen Geary in Mt. Pleasant. The couple has lived in Mt. Pleasant since 1964. Betty began her teaching career at Central of Argyle, Donnellson, Harmony and Danville where she taught music. She then was a 5th and 6th grade teacher at Salem Elementary School for 31 years. A member of First Presbyterian Church, Betty participated in the Westminster Choir and Sound Appeal Bell Choir. She also sang in the choir for Southeast Iowa Symphony. A voracious reader, she also enjoyed writing and reading poetry, and was a member of Scribblers. Favorite hobbies included painting, traveling to Colorado Springs, and going to the The Rec Center. Survivors in her husband, Wallace, of Mt. Pleasant; a daughter, Kaila (Dale) Halling of Mexico; a son, Seay Geary, of Mt. Pleasant; two granddaughters, Kira and Ari Halling; and two sisters, Susey (Glen) Ramsey of Kensett, IA and Kathy (Ron) Stonehocker of Earlham, IA. Preceding her in death were her parents; a son, Sean, in infancy; and a sister, in infancy.