CoServ honors longtime Board Member Clyde Geer
In September, CoServ honored the life of former Board Member and Chairman Clyde Geer, who passed away August 30 after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer. CoServ flew flags at half mast to mourn his passing.
Clyde, 78, proudly and tirelessly represented CoServ Members on the Board of Directors for 22 years, which also happened to be some of the most transformative in the 85-year history of co-op.
That includes the strategic decision to launch CoServ Gas in 1998 and to change our name from Denton County Electric Cooperative to CoServ. In 2004, the Board of Directors approved the creation of the CoServ Charitable Foundation to support nonprofits throughout our service territory and beyond. He also led CoServ through two CEO transitions, including the selection of Donnie Clary as President and CEO in 2014.
“Clyde was an amazing man and a great asset to CoServ,” Donnie said. “It was Clyde’s steady leadership that guided us through those times. “Please pray for Clyde’s wife, Lu and his family. CoServ has lost one of our greatest supporters and the world has lost a great man.”
Clyde served on the democratically elected board from 1993 to 2015 and during those years had the role of Secretary/Treasurer, Vice Chairman and Chairman.
“Clyde was one of my mentors and someone I greatly admired and loved,” Donnie said. “Clyde was a great supporter of the Employees of CoServ. We often talked about CoServ being a family and Clyde viewed each and every one of us as family.”
As proof of that, Clyde was famous for providing homemade ice cream for CoServ Employees who worked the Annual Meeting. His Dr. Pepper Peanut ice cream was legendary! He loved antiques and had his own collection of antique ice cream freezers.
According to his obituary, Clyde was also an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, fishing and tendering the land. He was a gentle and softspoken man.
His legacy will live on through the CoServ Charitable Foundation where he has asked for donations to be made in lieu of flowers. Send donations to 7701 South Stemmons Freeway, Corinth, Texas 76210 attention: Denise Smithers.
In a 2017 interview, Geer said he’s proud of his contributions to CoServ, especially CCF, which has distributed $15.7 million in grants to nonprofits, cities and education foundations.
“The thing I’m proudest of is the CoServ Charitable Foundation. The foundation is doing so much good in this community,” Geer said in the interview. “CoServ is dear to my heart, primarily because of the people involved in CoServ. I think it’s a great organization and the future of CoServ is wonderful. As long as everyone keeps the Members’ best interests at heart, which CoServ has a way of doing that, then CoServ has a great future.”
Family life and careers:
Clyde Anthony Geer was born August 3, 1944 to his parents, Anthony Lorraine Geer and Elizabeth Elnora Horn Geer in McKinney. He and his wife Lucretia Lee Melton Geer were married for 56 years. He was proceeded in death by his daughter Leslie Downs Geer and his parents. He is survived by his wife Lucretia and his daughter Ashley Geer LaTour and her family, three sisters and a host of other family and loving friends.
In 2018, he made lifelong memories with his granddaughters, Leslie and Lauren LaTour, when they went on a trip to Australia and New Zealand.
He worked as a real estate broker for several decades while also owning an antique shop, Clyde’s on the Square, in his hometown.