John Geiss (Age 86) Passed away on January 24, 2007 at Guardian Angel Homes in Liberty Lake, WA. John was preceded in death by Dorothea, his loving wife of 64 years, who died May 25, 2006. He was born in Alexejewka, Russia, December 20, 1920, the youngest child of fiveix brothers and two sisters. In January, 1942, at the age of 22, he and Dorothea fled from Russia to Germany. On route their first child, Rosa Massengale, was born in Marioople, Russia, in 1943. Having settled in Neifern, Germany, their second daughter, Lydia Biegler, was born in 1945. They immigrated together to the United States in 1952, and after a brief stay in Dickinson, North Dakota, they traveled by train to and permanently settled in Spokane. There their third daughter, Dorothy Paulette Green, was born in 1953 and two years later, their fourth child and first son, John Leo Geiss was born. Mr. Geiss was a long time parishioner of St. Aloysius Parish and worked for Boise Cascade Lumber Co. until 1967 when the company moved to another city. From 1967 until 1985 he worked as a nighttime custodian for Spokane School District 81 until he retired in 1985. He was very skilled as a carpenter and, using primarily hand tools, he remodeled an entire dilapidated house which became the family's beautiful and comfortable home for over the next 53 years. He avidly enjoyed fishing but always teased that he liked to catch and clean the fish but not eat them. He is survived by his children: Rosa Massengale of Spokane, Lydia and Joe Biegler of Liberty Lake, Dorothy Green of Delray Beach, FL and John L. Geiss of Spokane; 9 grandchildren: Sonja Conboy, Derek Croonquist OR, Tonya and Corey Wilks, Derek Croonquist, Leif Croonquist all of Portland, OR, Leeda Jo and Jeff Beha of Spanaway WA, Heidi and Chris Hankins of Maple Valley WA, Jenai Green of Washington D.C., Jamie Lynn Geiss of Spokane, John Josua Williams of TX, and nine great-grandchildren. Visitation is Wednesday, January 31, from 10:00 to 5:00 at the funeral home, with a Vigil Service to be held Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. also at the funeral home. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, February 1, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 330 E. Boone. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, 7200 N. Wall.