Gordon Geijsbeek was born on January 26, 1938 in Seattle, WA, to Samuel and Bessie Geijsbeek of Kent, WA. He graduated from Kentridge High School and was a leader in the DeMolay and later the Masonic Lodge. He joined the U.S. Army after graduation and served for 3 years. After the Army he worked in sales for many years in Seattle including selling franchises and car sales. He ran a dry-cleaning franchise booth during the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle and pursued many other entrepreneurial ventures. After suffering from congestive heart failure in the early 1990's he had what he described as a "near death experience". The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) contacted him in 2002 about being interviewed about his experience for a documentary called "The Day I Died". The program aired in 2003 and included his interview and an actor portrayal of his experience.
A lifelong Seattle native, he loved sharing stories about the amazing changes that Seattle has gone through and what it was like to be a kid here during WWII. He loved watching the hydroplanes, going to the Puyallup Fair, anything gold or that he could color gold, hanging out in the Nordstrom café at Northgate Mall and walking around Green Lake. He also enjoyed classical music, cooking, writing, painting and drawing – creating art and drawings throughout his life. We will miss his loud, eccentric and fun-loving nature.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Samuel H. Geijsbeek and Bessie Geijsbeek, his brothers, Samuel D. Geijsbeek & Donald Geijsbeek, and his sister Roberta Brown (Geijsbeek).
He is survived by his children, Dirk Geijsbeek (Brenda), Amy Miles, Brenda Zylstra (Jay), and his grandchildren, Samuel, Wendy, & Jack Zylstra and Brianne & Colton Miles.
A memorial service for family & friends will be held to celebrate Gordon's life on October 20, 2019 at 1:45pm at Eastridge Church in Issaquah. A private interment will be held in the old Mausoleum at Acacia Memorial Park in Seattle on Monday, October 21.
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