Chaplain (Col.) Wesley V. Geary, USA, Ret., a former Association of the U.S. Army Texas state president and an AUSA life member, died at his home in Plano, Texas, Feb. 24.

Throughout his military career and as an Army "Soldier for Life," Chaplain Geary was deeply committed to supporting soldiers, soldier families and Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets.

A graduate of Texas College in Tyler, and one of the first black graduates of Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Geary served parishes in Texas, Florida, Arkansas, and Oklahoma before joining the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps in 1963 as a 1st Lieutenant.

He served a tour of duty at Fort Sill, Okla., before being assigned to the 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam in 1966.

He was wounded while assigned to division headquarters as an assistant division chaplain.

He also served as brigade chaplain, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson; assistant V Corps chaplain, Frankfort, Germany; staff and faculty, U.S. Army Chaplain School; division chaplain, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.; command chaplain, Fort Riley, Kan.; command chaplain, U.S. Forces Korea, 8th Army; and corps chaplain, III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas.

During his many years of volunteer service with AUSA, on the state and local level with the North Texas – Audie Murphy Chapter, Geary supported the Association’s ROTC program serving as the chaplain at its yearly luncheon at the AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition.

With reverence and his singular brand of humor, his invocation not only inspired the cadets, but also gave the Army’s future leaders an insight into their service as officers.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Bobbye Louise; a son, Wesley Geary III; a daughter, Dr. Vanessa Paugh; and two grandchildren, AJ and Genevieve.