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Thomas Adolph Geitzenauer

October 17, 1945 - June 16, 2018

Thomas A. Geitzenauer, 72, of Ankeny passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his loved ones Saturday, June 16, 2018.
A funeral mass will be held 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 20, 2018 at Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart Catholic Church. A visitation will be held 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 19th at Memorial Services of Iowa funeral home (4208 n Ankeny Blvd).
Tom was born in Lone Rock, Iowa, to Lorenz and Rosella (Stauder) Geitzenauer on October 17, 1945. Tom was the 4th of 8 siblings – Kay, Paul, Johnny, Tom, Larry, Mark, Jimmy and Brian Geitzenauer.
Tom graduated from Sentral Community High School in 1965. He served our country honorably in the United States Army – 101st Airborne Division. He was deployed to Vietnam from 1966 to 1967, where he rapidly earned the rank of Staff Sargent. Upon returning from service, Tom worked for Everds Brothers, Lone Rock Coop Exchange/State Line, and retired from Murphy Family Farms.
On July 23, 1982, Tom married Tamara Waite. They settled in Lone Rock, where they raised their four daughters together. He loved everything about small town life and the many benefits of raising his children around their grandparents and immediate family. In 2010, with that same idea in mind, he and Tamara relocated to Ankeny, Iowa to be closer to their grandchildren.
Tom was a man of many passions. He loved to garden and especially loved to bring his harvests to the dinner table. He was the chef of the family, creating many secret recipes such as his famous burgers and chocolate zucchini cake. He particularly loved to cook dessert – on account of his own sweet tooth. He was once asked if he owned stock in Casey’s due to his frequent ice cream purchases! He loved to fish, a hobby he could share with his daughters. He would sometimes comment that between helping them bait the hook, cast, reel in their catch and clean, he rarely had time to actually put his own line out. In the fall you could find him in full camo, hunting with his brothers and his close friends. Fall was also the time his inner Cheesehead came out, cheering on the Green Bay Packers each Sunday. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed it best in his pickup, listening to music from the 60s alongside his trusty sidekick, Bailey. But of all his favorite pastimes, telling stories with his brothers and sister was top. His family filled his life with so much love and laughter.
Some of his most cherished memories are those he made while traveling the world with his best friend and wife, Tamara. Together they created many treasured memories and for that he felt very blessed.
His daughters were his greatest accomplishment. He was their biggest fan in everything they did. He felt most proud to see all of them complete college and marry great men – he always said his sons would come. He loved his grandkids, they kept him young and full of life. Living close to them afforded him the time to share his love of canning, baking, fishing, watching old movies, cars, music and so much more with them.

Tom is survived by his wife, Tamara of 36 years on July 23rd; 4 daughters: Danielle (Eric) Seifert of Ankeny, Iowa, Breanne (Daniel) Lindgren of Storm Lake, Iowa, Lacey (Nick) Haynes of Ankeny, Iowa, and Shayna (Joe) Bellingtier of Ankeny, Iowa. His 6 brothers Paul (Jacque), Johnny (Eileen), Larry (Linda), Mark (Nae), Jim (Teresa), Brian (Lori). He is also survived by his 7 grandchildren; Brecken, Emerson and Gibson (Danielle) Hunter, Dawson and Aubrey (Lacey) and Elle Rose (Shayna); Aunt and Uncle; Jerry and Marla Nerem, Mike and Melanie Chambers; Mother-in-law, Joan Waite; Brother and sister in laws; Jeff and Dawn Waite, Starla Waite, many nephews and nieces
Tom is preceded into death by his parents Rosella and Lorenz, and sister Kay Geitzenauer.
Tom’s memory will live on through the many stories shared between friends and family. His huge heart and extraordinary love for life was felt by all that were blessed to have known him!