Outstanding agricultural
leader passes away

A long-time member of the agricultural community Clarence "Bill" Geary, age 78, of Baraboo, passed away on Saturday, July 14.

He was a former member of the state board of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and a past officer and member for many years of the Wisconsin Agribusiness Council.

Geary was born on his family's farm outside Curtiss where he and his wife Gerry were high school sweethearts. They married in 1954.

After he graduated from Abbotsford High School and served in the National Guard, Geary worked for Oscar Mayer for 14 years and then in 1968 he joined Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association in Baraboo.

He retired from the co-op in 1996 as senior vice president.

In retirement he served for two years as president and CEO of the Wisconsin Agribusiness Council and in 1997 was named by Gov. Tommy Thompson to serve on the DATCP citizen policy board, a post he held for six years.

Geary led a "people to people" agricultural exchange group to China in 1999 and took part in a follow-up trip to Belarus as an agricultural advisor.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters, 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

A Memorial Service was held on July 18 at the Emanual Methodist Church in Baraboo, where Geary was a devoted member. In lieu of flowers, the family asked that memorials be made to Emanuel Methodist Church.