Georgiana Neese, age 81, passed away on March 4, 2023.
Georgiana was born on November 6,1941 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to John and Mary (Battani) Sertich. She grew up in Granger, Iowa with her three sisters and brother. Georgiana was very proud of her half-Italian and half-Croatian heritage.
While in high school, she was sure to be spending her time in some type of sport. She enjoyed basketball, softball, golf, tennis, as well as water and snow skiing. She attended Iowa State University and was employed at Brenton Banks. She also worked for many years at Goodwin Tile & Brick. Through her roommate, she met Dean Neese and on a double date to The Ledges State Park they fell in love and were later married on January 6, 1991.
Georgiana kept the same passion for sports throughout her life. She and Dean started a tennis group at Waveland Tennis Complex called Love Tennis, which rapidly grew to a large popular group. They also enjoyed regularly playing golf together at the Des Moines Golf & Country Club, and while wintering in the Palm Springs area. Georgiana loved spending time with her family and friends in the Des Moines area as well as LaQuinta, CA. She attended St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Dean and Georgiana owned and operated Neese Management together until retirement.
Georgiana is preceded in death by her parents John and Mary Sertich, her sisters Barbara Sertich and Kathy Long, nephews Brent Neese and Tim Smith, brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws Ralph & Vivian Neese, Howard & Neva Neese and Jo Black, and her mini-schnauzers Mully and TJ.
Left to cherish Georgiana’s memory are her husband Dean, brother John Sertich and his children Joe Sertich (Erin) and Jordan Niederguses (Dave), sister Camile Sertich and her daughter Fawn Klein (Sara Springer), brother-in-law Gene Neese (Wanda) and their children Janell Wyatt (Tim), Jodie Nichols (Rick) and Tom Neese (Julie), sister-in-law Helen (Neese) Black and her children Kevin Black and Kelly Black (Theresa), nieces and nephews Kurt Long (Kari), Frank Long (Krista), Fred Niemeyer (Maureen), Gene Neese (Martha), Becky Pattee, Debbie Rosenoff (Arlon), Suzanne Jones and Kris Smith as well as a host of extended family and friends.
Georgiana’s Celebration of Life Service will take place at New Hope Assembly, 4425 70th St, Urbandale, IA 50322 on Thursday, March 23. The family will greet visitors from 10:00am-11:00am followed by the service at 11:00am.
A private family interment will take place at Iowa Veterans Cemetery at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations in loving memory of Georgiana may be directed to The Animal Rescue League of Iowa and Friends of Jester Park.