Thomas Carter Geer

Thomas Carter Geer, Jr., son of Thomas Carter Geer, Sr. and Ruth (Summitt) Geer was born on May 17, 1953 in Sewannee, Tenn. He died on Feb. 27, 2020 at the age of 66 years and 9 months.     
Geer attended all 12 years of elementary and high school at a small private school in Paragould, Ark., Crowley’s Ridge Academy. Upon graduation, he attended his first two years of college at Crowley’s Ridge College. He received his Bachelor’s of Arts degree from Lubbock Christian University in 1974, and later received his Master’s of Theology degree from Harding Graduate School of Religion in 1979. He and his family then moved to Boston, Mass., where he received his Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins from Boston University in 1985.
For the next 10 years, Geer was professor of Greek and New Testament at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. He had a good career there, won several awards, and published one book and several articles.
Geer married Marcia Pratt on June 16, 1972, and they had two daughters, Sara Denise Cosgrove and Rachel Lea Liubushkin. Tom and Marcia divorced in 1995, after 23 years together.  On July 10, 1999, Geer married Mary Ann and gained three more children: Chet Ellis, Andy Ellis and Libby Ellis. Tom and Mary Ann were blessed to have more than 20 years together.
Upon separating from Marcia and the Church of Christ in 1995, Tom embarked on the second stage of his career.  He was ordained by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in October 1996, and accepted the call of First Christian Church of Ash Grove to be their pastor in July 1997. He felt completely at home in the Disciples of Christ denomination and in the local congregation in Ash Grove.  
Geer was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; three sisters, Sandra (and Bill) Halfacre of Olive Branch, Miss., Janet (and Fielden) Allison of Monduli, Tanzania, and Ruth (and Ray) Deck of Sarone, Italy; three daughters, Sara (and Mark) Cosgrove of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Rachel Liubushkin of Mesquite, Texas, and Libby (and Aaron) Ellis of Clearwater, Fla.; and two sons, Chester (and Loni) Ellis of Sringfield, and Andrew (and Megan) Ellis of Nixa, Missouri; six grandchildren, and many friends.
Visitation will be Wednesday, March 4, 2020 from 6-7:30 p.m. at First Christian Church, Ash Grove. Memorial services will be Thursday, March 5, 2020 at 2 p.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made in Geer’s name to First Christian Church, Ash Grove and may be left with the funeral home. Arrangements under the direction of Wilson-Griffin Funeral Home, Ash Grove.