John Geary

John Allan Geary was born in Hibbing, Minnesota on February 13th, 1950, to Adelaide (Kuzma) Geary and Marcus Geary. He was the youngest of three sons.

John's mother, Adelaide, sadly passed away when he was four years old. His aunt and uncle, Ann and George Kuzma, whom he loved dearly and remembered fondly, helped raise him. John spent his childhood on the Iron Range, playing outside, swimming in old mine pits, and hunting for blueberries around the lakes and the lush, verdant Northern forests.

John graduated from Chisholm Senior High School in 1968. As a young man, he had thick, wavy auburn hair, an adventurous spirit, and rode motorcycle. He briefly lived in Florida at one point, before returning to Northern Minnesota for good.

He was drafted during the Vietnam war and served in Korea as an aircraft mechanic. After finishing his military service, he studied music at Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minnesota. He recounted fond memories of practicing harmonies, playing music, and singing in the BSU choir during this time in his life. He was in a band, Episode, in the late 1970's, in which he sang and played guitar and bass guitar.

He soon began studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses. He was baptized as one in 1981. His faith became a focal point throughout his life. He had a deep love for God and was active in his faith all the way up until his death.

On February 16th, 1985, he married his beloved wife Cynthia (Lund) Geary, who was the love of his life and by his side until the end. Together, they raised one daughter, Johanna. John and his family lived in Bemidji, Cass Lake, Watertown (South Dakota), Duluth, and Hermantown, Minnesota, and settled down in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, where they stayed for many years.

John was a lifelong music lover. Throughout most of his adult life, he wrote and played his own songs. He was also a wonderful singer. John enjoyed the music of Stevie Ray Vaughan and many other artists, and loved classical and blues guitar.

John was the best Dad a person could ask for. He was kind, creative, patient, and thoughtful. His family always came first, and he worked hard to provide and care for them. Along with his wife, Cyndy, they instilled and passed on their love of music to Johanna.

John had an inquisitive mind and was multitalented. He worked in several industries over the course of his life, including handyman work, motorcycle sales, retail, doing soffit and fascia, roofing, siding, piano tuning and repair, well drilling, school bus driving, and bus manufacturing. In 2005, with their daughter grown, John and Cyndy moved to Crookston, Minnesota, where he spent the remainder of his life.

Sadly, he battled Parkinson's disease in the last few years on this earth, but it never broke his kind and loving spirit. He never stopped talking about his faith or learning songs, and he maintained a dry, unique, funny sense of humor.

He was deeply loved by his family, the entire Crookston congregation of Witnesses, and all of his non-blood brothers and sisters.

Tragically, he passed away on the evening of November 13th, 2025, at Riverview Health in Crookston. His wife, Cyndy, was by his side the entire time, as well as some treasured friends from their congregation.

John was irreplaceable. He took pieces of our broken hearts with him when he had to go, leaving a gaping empty space in the world-but also, leaving behind his light, legacy, and example of goodness. He made the world a better place just by being in it. He will forever live on in the memories of those who dearly loved him, the recordings he created of his music, and countless precious stories and photographs.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Marcus and Adelaide Geary; his stepmother, Genevieve (Smoltz) Geary; his brother, James Geary; his sister-in-law, Pat Geary; sister-in-law Eileen Geary; sister-in-law, Teresa (Lund) Westphal; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Royal and Joyce Lund; and numerous relatives.

He is survived by his wife, Cynthia (Lund) Geary, of Crookston, Minnesota; his daughter, Johanna Geary and her husband, Chance Larson; two grandchildren, Nikolai and Haisley Larson of Colorado; his brother, Richard Geary; several nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and many relatives.

A memorial service is planned for January 3rd, 2026, to be held in person and over Zoom at 2PM at the Crookston Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, with a reception to follow.