John Robert (Bob) Geertsen

1941 ~ 2022

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    • John Robert (Bob) Geertsen, 81, of West Valley City, Utah passed away on December 18, 2022. Bob passed peacefully surrounded by his loving family.

    He was born February 10, 1941, in Salt Lake City, Utah to Joseph Edwin Geertsen and Eloise Ensign Geertsen as the fifth of six children. He married Linda Ann Silfvast on March 16, 1962, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

    Dad graduated from South High School and earned a degree in math from the University of Utah. He went on to a long and successful career in software engineering, including work involved with the NASA Gemini program.
    He enjoyed travelling with a special love of Yellowstone which he visited many times with his parents. This was followed by many more visits with his children. He was a lifelong fan of baseball, and an avid follower of the New York Yankees. We will all miss the backyard barbeques, road trips, and holidays spent with our dear father and grandfather. He valiantly dedicated his life to his family and his unshakeable faith in the gospel.

    Bob is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years Linda Ann and children Diana, Becky (Jeff), Robert (Heather), Tim (Anna), Bonnie, Tom, Ben (Sarah), 16 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers Paul and Jim, and sisters Marilyn, Joan, and Linda Lee.

    Funeral services will be held Tuesday, December 27 at 11:00am at Larkin Mortuary Downtown 260 E South Temple, Salt Lake City. Viewings will be held at the same location on Monday, December 26 from 6-8pm, and again prior to services from 10am to 10:45am. Interment at Valley View Memorial.

    If you would like to watch the recorded services, please click on the blue "Watch Services" button above.

    Our family would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for the wonderful care provided by Intermountain Hospice Service.

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    To my brother Ben and extended family Diana, Bob, Becky, Tim, Bonnie and Tom. You were the family of my youth and beyond. I am so sorry for your tremendous loss. Bob was a hero and larger than life figure to all of us kids I will miss the smile in his eyes and his laughter. I can still taste his BBQ hamburgers and the countless poppy seed bagels we piliged from his refrigerator in the late hours of the night as teenagers. Bob and Linda were my second parents. I too am heartbroken but take comfort in knowing your earthly suffering is no more. I feel blessed to have visited with you a few weeks back. I love you Bob


    - Matt Lucero

    I am so sorry for your loss!


    - Alina Crawford

    I am so sorry to hear of this loss. Bob always had a smile and a warm welcome. Biggest hugs and condolences. Thinking of you all.


    - Denny Stever

    I'm so sorry for your loss. It is only He who can walk with us in these moments of grief. We are praying for you and your family.


    - Aura Erickson

    Dear Aunt Linda, Diana, Becky, Bob, Tim, Bonnie, Tom, and Ben:

    I want to express my heartfelt condolences to all of you at the passing of your husband or father, my Uncle Bob. I thought that the funeral service went really well and it was a fitting tribute to your Dad.

    Uncle Bob was only ten years older than me so I remember some of his early married life. He was working with NASA on the space program back in the 60s when I was in Junior High. I could not believe that I had an Uncle who was working for the space program! Later he was working at Sperry Univac when I returned from Chile and I also got a job at Sperry in product documentation. But his most significant contribution to society was not with the space program or as a software engineer for Sperry. It was his role as husband and father that really made an impact on society. He was able to launch 7 children into society with the help of his dear wife Linda Ann. It is a testament to his work that all of you are together now working out the details of this transition. I know that it is a hard time for all of you, but I am glad that you all can rely on each other. I pray that you will be able to all work together in harmony and be a huge support and blessing for each other in the days and months ahead.

    I pray that you all may be comforted and have peace in the knowledge that he is now in a better place and there is no more suffering. He is gone but he leaves behind many good memories for all of you to cherish.

    Your cousin, David Erickson


    - David Erickson