Raymond Mark Geiser
Raymond Mark Geiser, age 69, passed away on March 6, 2023.
Raised in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Ray spent most of his early years riding motorcycles and not staying out of trouble.
He was an artist. And a good one. From pen and ink drawings of New Mexico landscapes, to owning a bronze foundry with his wife, and later designing exhibits for museums across the West, Ray showcased his artistic talents throughout his life.
Ray also had a knack for ruining everyone’s favorite films by pointing out the fatal flaws, including the inaccuracies of dinosaurs’ hunting habits in Jurassic Park, or the extreme exaggeration of museum and field work represented in Indiana Jones.
Ray was most happy camping in the middle of nowhere with his family and friends and hiking through the desert and mountains, always making sure there was enough room in his backpack to bring back cool rocks.
Anyone who spent time with Ray would be left with thrilling stories of jumping out of airplanes, getting lost in caves, being stranded on mountains, or nearly drowning during a white-water rafting trip - all told with laughs and a disbelief that anyone survived.
In retirement, Ray would spend time in the backyard watching the planes fly overhead, being a backseat driver, as well as “putting things away,” which usually meant misplacing the TV remote, reading glasses, his wallet, or the backscratcher.
He leaves behind his wife, Kathie, who is still looking for the TV remote; his son, Austin, who is somewhere in the desert but has enough room in his backpack for cool rocks; and his daughter, Molly, who like her dad, is always busy with an art project.
Donations can be made in Ray’s name to the Sierra Nevada Alliance.