Jeannie was born in Salina, Kansas on April 20, 1928. She passed away at Covenant Living at Inverness, in Tulsa, Oklahoma on August 20, 2020 at the age of 92.
Jeannie spent her formative years in Salina, Kansas and was active in the war effort during World War II when she and her widowed mother were able to house some of the soldiers in several empty rooms in their home.
Jeannie attended Park College in Parkville, Missouri where she met future husband William Ray (Bill) Gierhart. After completing her collegiate program, she and Bill married in Salina in 1951 – just days before Bill was deployed to Korea for service in that conflict.
Much to Jeannie’s new father-in-law “Gabe’s” chagrin, Jeannie took her and Bill’s new (used) car to Twin Falls, Idaho to begin her teaching career teaching Spanish and French. Over the years, she commented numerous times that she was only a few years older than some of her students.
After two years apart, Bill returned from Korea and he and Jeannie began their lives together and raised their two children, Roger and Karyn, in Sapulpa.
Jeannie was active in the First Presbyterian church where she sang in the choir for more than 50 years. She was also active in Sapulpa’s PEO chapter for many years, encouraged by her mother-in-law Mary Francis. Jeannie followed Audrey Delong as the bookkeeper at the family business Gabe’s Office Supply. Her interests included reading (a life-long love), knitting, crocheting, music and dancing. She and Bill loved to “cut a rug” throughout their marriage.
She helped with the Sapulpa Junior and Senior High School music programs where she and Bill were chaperones on several band trips. She accompanied (piano) several musicians, including her son, at regional and state solo competitions. A unique aid that she provided was sewing the “bloomers” for the sousaphone bells of the junior high school tuba section.
Jeannie was preceded in death by her husband Bill in 2004. She also lost her twin sister Virginia, at an early age. Her granddaughter Emily passed away less than two years ago. Jeannie’s parents died many years ago in Salina, Kansas.
Jeannie is survived by son Roger (Pam) of Katy, Texas; daughter Karyn of Tulsa; grandson Gabe (Ronell) and great granddaughter Giada, of Durango, Colorado; great granddaughter Jillian Yagher of San Juan Capistrano, California.
Services will be held Wednesday, August 26th at 2:00 PM at Smith Funeral Home in Sapulpa. Interment will immediately follow at Green Hill Cemetery, also in Sapulpa.
