Teacher George Geyer succumbed to Covid-19 on August 20, 2021. Before his retirement, he taught History at Burrell High School in Burrell, Pennsylvania. Photo credit: Cowboy State Daily.

Sadly, educators continue to contract Covid-19. Retired teacher George Geyer of Wyoming is one of the most recent to succumb to the disease. He passed away on August 20, 1921. He was 81 years old.

The fallen teacher was born on June 7, 1940, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a youngster, George attended Springdale High School. After his graduation, he earned his degree from Grove City College, where he graduated in 1964. Grove City College is a private Christian liberal arts college in Grove City, Pennsylvania. The school was founded in 1876 as a normal school to train teachers. As an athlete, George played football for both his high school and his college teams.

Until his retirement from the teaching profession in 1995, George taught history at Burrell High School, located in Burrell, Pennsylvania. He also served as his school’s football coach there.

Upon retirement, George relocated to Livingston, Montana, where he continued to coach football. For the past six years, he also worked in the Wyoming State Legislature in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Most recently, he worked as a doorman, a post he held since 2017. In that role, the former educator was responsible for both security and decorum at the Capitol. Positions like George’s are not high-paying and are often staffed by retirees. “They’re basically volunteers,” remarked Rep. Steve Harshman (R-Casper), who said he talked to Geyer every morning during the session.

As if all these responsibilities were not enough, George was active with Cheyenne Frontier Days, volunteering on the ticket committee and the parade committee, where he organized the youth program for the rodeo. The youth program was designed to recruit students aged 13 to 18 years of age to take the place of older volunteers who were retiring from rodeo duties. Under his watch, George was able to grow the program to 45 young volunteers. “The students are really crushed,” observed Rep. Harding. “The youth just absolutely adored him.”

To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, see this story published by the Casper Star Tribune.