From obituary in Springfield Daily News 10/4/1945
Judge Frank Geiger Dies: Heart Attack Fatal To Appellate Jurist In Columbus Hotel
Judge Frank W. Geiger, 77, of 733 S. Limestone St., a member of the Second District Court of Appeals, died of a heart attack at 5 a.m. Thursday, after collapsing in his room at the Deshler-Wallick Hotel, Columbus, where he was staying during a session of the court. He had left Springfield on Monday. Born and reared in Springfield Judge Geiger was the son of the Rev. H.R. Geiger, D.D., founder and for many years a member of the faculty of Wittenberg College, and a great grandson of Charles Geiger, Revolutionary soldier. He was graduated from Wittenberg College, and after his admission to the bar, practiced law in Springfield. Early becoming interested in politics, Judge Geiger served 12 years as judge of the Clark County Probate Court, and eight years as judge of the Clark County Common Please Court. He had been a member of the Second District Court of Appeals since 1937. Judge Geiger retired from the bench in 1923, and continued the practice of law in Springfield until 1929 when he was appointed a member of the Ohio Public Utilities Commission, a position he held for five years. As a member of the Public Utilities Commission, he came in contact with important utility and transportation activities. In this position he was particularly active in obtaining legislation for the protection of railroad employees, and for the traveling public through grade eliminations and installment of automatic signals at grade crossings. During his service with the utilities commission Judge Geiger was particularly interested in the protection of autoists at railway grade crossing and the extension of electric light and power facilities in rural communities. He formulated the well known Administrative Order No. 110 of the Ohio Public Utilities Commission, which considerably reduced the initial cost of electric currant service to the farmers of the state. He had been active in the political and civic activities off his state, city and county. He served the Clark County Republican Executive Committee after attaining his voting majority. As judge of the probate Court, Judge Geiger was largely instrumental in establishing the juvenile court in Ohio. Under his administration, the first detention home in the state, outside of Cleveland, was provided for the care of delinquent and neglected children of Clark County. While judge of the Clark County Common Pleas Court, he obtained legislative enactments which promoted the efficiency of the court. He was a candidate for judge of the Ohio Supreme Court in 19344. In 1936 he defeated Judge Lowell C. Bodey of Champaign County in the race for judgeship of the Appellate Court, Second District, on the the largest in the state, and took office the following year. Judge Bodey, appointed by Go. Martin L. Davey, was serving the unexpired term of Judge Albert H. Kumkle, of Springfield who had been a member of the court for many years until his death in 1935. Judge Geiger was re-elected in 193 to the Second District Court of Appeals, which he was serving as presiding judge at the time. The district includes the 11 counties of Clark, Champaign, Darke, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Madison, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby. To Judge Geiger goes the credit for public parks in the city. He was the first, as a young boy to suggest to the Snyder brothers that they leave their lands to the city, which they later did, with a $100,000 trust fund to keep it going. He was a strong proponent of the idea that the city make a parkway of all the banks of Buck Creek from Snyder Park to the city waterworks. He had studied many parks of Europe, and though Springfield could have ave as fine as any, if city residents were to appreciate the natural beauties of the stream and the magnificent sycamores, buckeyes, and elms along its banks - trees which in Europe they nurtured in pride, instead of cutting down at whim. Judge Geiger and the late Attorney George Dial raised funds for Cliff Park, and also promoted acquisition of pumping station land owned by the city, visualizing the afore-mentioned park through the city. Judge Geiger was a member of the Covenant Presbyterian Church, and a member of various Masonic and other fraternal organizations in Springfield. His widow, Mrs. Laura Winger Geiger, is the only immediate survivor. She is the daughter of the late Capt. Amaziah Winger, a pioneer Springfield business man, who was one of the founders of the Superior Drill Co. Several nieces and nephews also survive. They are: Mrs. Carl Rowley of Cleveland, Mrs. Lawrence Hemphreys of Tonawanda, N.Y., Mrs. William Murphy OF Charlottesville, Va., Mrs. Kenneth Backman, Newton Mass., Mrs. Earl Pryor, Falls Church, Va., Mrs. Ben Worrell, Palm Beach, Fla.; Mrs. Margaret G. Williamson, Palm Beach; Ben Garver, Lockhart, N.Y.; John Garver, Buffalo, N.Y.; Tracy Geiger, Dayton; Robert Geiger, Canton; Russell and Miss Rose Geiger, both of Troy, O; Arthur Hosterman of Niagra Falls, N.Y.; Mrs. Bruce Geiger of Piqua; and Mrs. Bert Geiger of Troy. The body was to be brought to Springfield Thursday afternoon o the Littleton funeral home. Friends are requested to omit flowers.