Arline "Penny" Ruth (Heyduck) Geary

Arline Ruth “Penny” Geary, age 96, of Centralia, Illinois, passed away at 11:39 A.M. on Tuesday, February 1, 2022, at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia, Illinois.  She was born on August 27, 1925, in Centralia, Illinois, the daughter of Floid I. and Hazel W. (Mathis) Heyduck.  She married Donald Glenn Geary on August 18, 1946, at the First Christian Church in Centralia, Illinois, and he preceded her in death on Wednesday, September 20, 2000.

Mrs. Geary is survived by her loving family; daughter, Nancy Siegmund and husband Frederick of Centralia, Illinois, Janet Mallinson of Washington, Illinois, and Ruth Chandler and husband Steve of Phoenix, Arizona; grandchildren, Donald Lee Mallinson and wife Sheila, Kenneth Mallinson and wife Jodie, Andrew Siegmund and wife Sara, Emily Heinzmann and husband Kevin, Rachel Ryan Mosby, Olivia Murphy and husband Matthew, Matthew Geary, and Jennifer Jarvis and husband Robert; nineteen great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Mary Heyduck of Bedford, Texas, and Marjorie Heyduck of Paducah, Kentucky; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

In addition to her loving husband of 54 years, Mrs. Geary was preceded in death by her parents, Floid Heyduck and Hazel Heyduck; son, D. Bruce Geary; grandson, Christopher Geary; son-in-law, Don Mallinson; daughter-in-law, Janice Geary; brothers, Maurice Heyduck, Dean Heyduck, Charles O. Heyduck, and William R. Heyduck; sister, Wahneta Shaw; brother-in-law, Paul Shaw; and sister-in-law, Margaret Heyduck.

Mrs. Geary was a member of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Centralia, Illinois.  She played cards and was involved with bridge clubs.  Earlier in life, she enjoyed sewing.  Mrs. Geary’s greatest passion in life was golf.  Earlier in life, she was out on the fairways playing golf and later in life she watched golf on her tv all the time. The love of golf encouraged her to be a LPGA sponsor of Nancy Scranton.  Mrs. Geary was a lifetime Girl Scout, and she was a member of the district board of the Girl Scouts.  She purchased the Girl Scout Camp on Lake Centralia, Illinois in 2016.  She loved to go to the camp and picnic on Kentucky Fried Chicken with her family on the weekends and she made improvements to the camp over time.  She cherished the time she spent with her family, especially her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Geary was a homemaker and housewife.  She graduated with Centralia Township High School’s “Class of 1943”. She would assist her husband to fine tune floor plans when he was building homes.  She enjoyed wintering in Marco Island, Florida with her husband, and after his passing, she continued wintering down there herself.  She was a lifelong resident of Centralia, Illinois.

As a result of Covid and inclement weather, a Private Family Service for Mrs. Arline Ruth “Penny” Geary will be held at Moran Queen-Boggs Funeral Home in Centralia, Illinois, with Reverend Paula Comper officiating.  There will be no public visitation.  Private Family Entombment will follow in Hillcrest Memorial Park near Centralia, Illinois.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Mrs. Geary’s honor to the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and will be received by the Moran Queen-Boggs Funeral Home at 134 South Elm Street in Centralia, Illinois.  Please view the online obituary, send condolences or share memories with Mrs. Geary’s family at www.moranfuneralhome.net.

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