Geneva Remembers: Dick Jaeger, 1925-2012

• Editor's note: This is the second of a multipart series remembering legendary Genevans who died in 2012.

On the same day Geneva lost legendary historian emeritus Merritt King, it lost another icon who was part of Geneva's history and played a key role in preserving it: Dick Jaeger.

Like so many of the Jaeger family in Geneva, Dick was an active member of the community, a communicant of the old and new St. Peter Church in Geneva, a member of the Geneva School Board and Geneva History Center board.

But he probably will be remembered most for constructing model replicas of Geneva's historic buildings for the Geneva History Center—award-winning pieces of folk art that are a reminder of his affection for his hometown. He started by creating Christmas ornaments depicting historic buildings of Geneva that he and his wife, Norma, used to help raise funds for the Geneva History Center.

Recently, the History Center received a $30,000 Robinson Foundation Grant, which will honor Jaeger by completing a special project to enhance and expand the current award-winning exhibition titled Greetings From Geneva: A Trip Through History.  

The matching grant's initial funding came from GHC supporters in memory of Jaeger.

"This project was well-received by supporters because of the respect of Dick's passion for the Geneva History Center and for the possibility of celebrating our 10-year anniversary occupying the location on Third Street with a grand re-opening in 2014," said GHC Executive Director Terry Emma in an October press release.

I did not know Dick well, but I knew many friends and family members who will tell you what a good man he was, what a delight he was to be around and how much he loved his hometown of Geneva.

Rick Nagel
Geneva Patch editor
Dec. 24, 2012 

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• Geneva Remembers Those We Lost in 2012