Dorothy Geeben
| Dorothy Geeben | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Ocean Breeze Park, Florida | |
|
In office 2001 – January 11, 2010 |
|
| Preceded by | Ruth Hoke |
| Succeeded by | David W. Myers |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Dorothy P. Colleen March 31, 1908 Mondovi, Wisconsin |
| Died | January 11, 2010 (aged 101) Stuart, Florida |
| Resting place | Marion, Iowa |
| Spouse(s) | Cornelius "Neal" Bunting (19??–19??; his death) Albert Geeben (1963–65; his death) |
| Children | 1 |
| Residence | Ocean Breeze Park, Florida |
| Profession | Politician |
Dorothy P. Geeben (née Colleen; March 31, 1908 – January 11, 2010) was the oldest mayor in the United States. She served as the second mayor of Ocean Breeze Park, Florida from 2001-10.
Geeben began her public service work on the Ocean Breeze Town Council in 1960. She became the council's president in 1976 and served in that capacity for thirty-one years. In 2001, after the death of Ruth Hoke, the first mayor and widow of Gene Hoke, son of the town founders, Harry and Queena Hoke, Geeben was chosen to be the next mayor. She served as mayor for the next nine years, running unopposed in the 2002 and 2004 mayoral elections. Geeben died on January 11, 2010, after missing the town meeting because she felt ill.
Geeben started serving on the Ocean Breeze Town Council in 1960. Beginning in 1976, Geeben served as council president of Ocean Breeze Park, Florida, for thirty-one years. In 2001, after the death of Mayor Ruth Hoke, widow of the Gene Hoke, Geeben was selected to be the next mayor. In the 2002 and 2004 mayoral election, no one ran against her.
When she was ninety-four years old, Geeben saved Jansen Beach Christian Church from closing down. At the time, the church lacked a minister and had four parishioners remaining. Geeben's efforts revived the church, enabling it to retain a pastor and increase church membership to 100 people.
In 2004, NBC ran a segment about Geeben after filming her for a day.
In 2008, Geeben counseled her constituents when they were afraid that they would be forced to move. The people's homes were located in a park that was going to be sold. In March of that year, Geeben helped mediate a deal that enabled the forty-six acres of residential area in the park to be bought for $26 million.
Known as "Mayor Dorothy", Geeben characterized her role on the council as being ceremonial. She affixed her signature to checks as well participated in council meetings.
Dorothy P. Colleen was born on March 31, 1908, in Mondovi, Wisconsin. During her childhood, she contracted polio but did not let the disease hinder her.
She graduated from Marion High School, in Marion, Iowa, where she married Cornelius "Neal" Bunting, an electrician. They founded Bunting Electric, with her working as the bookkeeper. In 1952, she moved to Ocean Breeze Park, Florida, where she and her husband retired and purchased a mobile home. After her first husband's death, she married Albert Geeben in 1963, but he died less than two years later.
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