Obituary of Doreen Mae GEIB

October 15, 1937 – Dinsmore, Saskatchewan
September 24, 2020 – Calgary, Alberta

Doreen Mae Geib, beloved wife of Jim Geib of Calgary, AB, passed away on Thursday, September 24, 2020 at the age of 82 years.

Doreen was born in Dinsmore, SK on October 15, 1937, the daughter of Arvid and Pearl Blixt, and grew up on the family farm near Surbiton, SK.  She was a great student and an accomplished athlete as a youth, and at an early age, met and spent a lot of her time with Jim, who attended the same schools, lived in the nearby town of Conquest, and would become her life-long love, husband and partner.  After high school, she attended Teacher’s College in Saskatoon, and then taught in a number of rural SK schools and then in Regina, SK, where she moved to join Jim, who was working there.  Doreen and Jim were married in 1962, and she began the career she truly loved, running a very active household and serving as a doting mother to her three sons.

During the 1960’s, and while their family grew, Jim’s work took he and Doreen from Regina to Winnipeg, and then back to Regina before moving in 1971 to Calgary, and to the home in Willow Park where she would live for nearly fifty years.  Doreen was always a very social person, and that family home in Willow Park was frequently a place for lively gatherings of family and friends, who were always welcome (no, encouraged) to stop by, pour a drink and shoot some pool, while Doreen would sit down at the piano and provide the soundtrack for dancing and sing-a-longs.

Doreen remained an avid fan of all sports throughout her life, and was an avid supporter of the Calgary Flames, the Toronto Blue Jays and (of course) the Saskatchewan Roughriders. But her favorite teams to watch were always the ones her sons and grandchildren were members of, and she was a fixture (and a noisy one) in the stands at every baseball, hockey, football, volleyball, basketball, soccer and lacrosse game that she could possibly make it to. She was for many years actively involved in the organization and administration of the Little League her sons played in.

Doreen was always fiercely proud of her father’s Swedish heritage, and her favourite vacation was when she and Jim spent a summer travelling around Europe, visiting the areas from which their fathers had emigrated, and meeting and visiting relatives from the old country.

Besides her loving husband, Doreen is survived by her three sons, Jeff (Brenda), Nick and Jason (Teresa); and six grandchildren, Tyson, Keenan, Matthew, Alex, Ella and Max, all of Calgary. Doreen is also survived by her sister Joan (Perry Bratseth) as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Doreen was predeceased by her parents, Arvid and Pearl Blixt; and siblings Ken Blixt and Eileen Scaddan.

In accordance with Doreen’s wishes, no funeral service will be held. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Doreen’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to Diabetes Canada, 220, 6223 – 2nd Street S.E., Calgary, AB T2H 1J5 Telephone: (403) 266-0620, ext. 1112, www.diabetes.ca.

In living memory of Doreen Geib, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, AB T2X 3J3, Telephone: 403-256-9575.