Willi J. Geiselmann, transitioned peacefully on Wednesday morning, January 17, 2018, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Pforzheim, Germany on March 19, 1926 to Josef Geiselmann and Ida Geiselmann (nee Rupp).

Prior to emigrating to America, Willi was trained as a goldsmith and silversmith. After arriving in St. Louis, he worked as a surgical instrument maker for Storz Instrument company for over 30 years. Willi had an early interest in flying from his youth serving in the German Luftwaffe and brought that interest here, becoming an FAA examiner and flight instructor and helping to grow the sport of Soaring in the midwest. He was a member of the St. Louis Soaring Association and the Soaring Society of America for over 50 years. Later becoming a founding member of the Silvercreek Soaring Club. During his time here he started the St. Louis Soaring School and taught many people to become pilots and fly gliders. He earned many achievement awards for flying sailplanes and was always eager to share his interest of the sport with others.

Willi also had a lifelong love of model railroading and was an avid collector of electric model trains. He was active in the Train Collector Association and Garden Railway Club. His passion of restoring and repairing antique trains and those years spent collecting culminated in an impressive collection he was very proud to own and display.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of 62 years, Elizabeth Geiselmann (nee Schaefer); his son Willie Geiselmann; daughter-in-law Stephanie Geiselmann; his grandchildren Alexander Geiselmann and Andrew Geiselmann; his sister Louise Bazner and brother Ernst Geiselmann and wife Ella; his cousin Marilyn Lyons (nee Geiselmann); in-laws Knut and Margaret Heise; Katheryn Scheffel and many nieces and nephews of his extended family. Services: Graveside service will be at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, January 19 at Mount Hope Cemetery on Lemay Ferry Rd in South St. Louis County. Kutis Funeral Home of Affton is entrusted with arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Soaring Society of America