Obituary of Geoffrey Laessig

On the evening of September 11, 2016, Geoffrey Alan Laessig passed away in St. Joseph's Hospital in Wayne, NJ. He was 66 years old. Geoffrey was born in Weehawkin, NJ on January 21, 1950. He was the youngest child to George and Jane Laessig, and the little brother to George, Joan, and Janet. Geoffrey was a curious child, full of mischief and not afraid to get "into" all that caught his interest. His brown eyes were soft and danced with the excitement of the world before him. He was loyal and generous and over his lifetime was blessed with good friends, Philip Wolfson, Tommy McBride, Kenny Modine, Pat Cristelli, TJ Sorrell, Marty Pollock, and Bernice Christian to name a few. With a face like Geoffrey's he certainly turned many heads but at sixteen his heart was stolen by Bonnie Mary Winters. They grew up together and she waited for him while he served in the Army. When he returned they married at 22 in 1972. Their love in many ways was like a fairy tale. Through ups and downs and with two little girls, Jane Kelly and Jody Victoria, they created a life that was rich in love. Geoffrey worked like a machine so Bonnie could stay home and raise their daughters. He did whatever he had to do to make ends meet, repaired cameras, drove a long-distance tractor trailer, sold cars….. His heart broke when she passed at 41 in 1990. In some ways it never healed, but he managed to not only continue to be a daddy but also become a mommy. He listened to his daughters talk about boys, their plans, and took them to the movies, out to lunch, on vacations, and most noteworthy shopping; where he changed sizes and carried armloads of clothes, and never complained that he was bored or tired. Geoffrey continued to work hard and creatively. His curiosity and belief that anything in this life was possible made him a mad genius when it came to inventions. His favorite invention, which went global, was Tater Mitts. He also opened and ran a successful restaurant in Garfield, The Fishin' Chicken. However, his favorite job was measuring for carpets for Faber Brothers in Haledon. He loved that each day was different and that he got to always meet new people. He said once that it was getting to know people and hearing about their hopes and dreams that touched his heart; and people always opened up to him even if it was just for an afternoon. He also enjoyed the free time that job gave him to pursue volunteer work, specifically cooking for the homeless in Paterson. Geoffrey was a phenomenal cook. While it was always fun to go out to eat with him, the real treat was staying in and eating the food he cooked for you; magnificent! Better than any restaurant! In 2001 Geoffrey found love again with Katerina Josifkova and married her in 2002. This was not understood by some because there was a bit of an age difference between them. But Geoffrey did not care what people thought. He always knew that life was short and this was his "go 'round" here on earth and he was going to live life to the fullest and make every moment count. And he did. Kate and Geoffrey were very happy together, always good to one another, and remained best friends even after their divorce. Geoffrey lived his life authentically, wild and fast, and always his way. He said what was on his mind and in his heart. While some may have misunderstood him, if given the chance he would always take the time to talk it through and work it out. He loved hard and true, saying "I love you" every chance he got. His friends, daughters, and two grandchildren, Hayden and Riley, will miss him dearly; but if they knew Geoffrey at all, which they do, they will also be celebrating not only his life here on earth but his next adventure in Heaven.