Obituary of Lester R. Giegerich

Lester Ralph Giegerich of Darien, Connecticut died peacefully in the early morning at Norwalk Hospital on January 17, 2012. He was 96 and still active in his real estate development and management business until the last two weeks of his life. Born May 22, 1915 and raised in New Providence, New Jersey, Les Giegerich went to the University of Pennsylvania on full scholarship and graduated from the Wharton School of Commerce and Finance in 1940 with a B.S. He then moved to Missouri where he met and married Betty Louise Bradley of Kansas City in 1941. He served as a World War II Air Force flight instructor for five years at Kelley Field in Texas where he rose to the rank of Major. After the war, Les Giegerich worked for Merrill Lynch in Kansas City followed by four years with Traveler's Insurance Company as Assistant Manager of the City Mortgage Loan Department. He then moved on to head up the Mortgage Loan and Real Estate Department of Teacher's Insurance and Annuity Association in New York City from 1950 to 1954. He was a pioneer in the sale and leaseback transactions (a financial device that allowed new stores to be built at a time when suburbs were rapidly expanding) and mortgage banking with his partner Sidney M. Barton of New York. In 1960 he started his own company, The Giegerich Company, in Westport, Connecticut where he lived with his wife and two daughters. During his sixty years as one of the country's most active experts in leasebacks, Les Giegerich developed some of the first shopping centers in California with partners Earnest W. Hahn, Linn C. Alexander and Gerry L. Moss--all pioneers in the industry. One of his earliest projects was the Spanish styled La Cumbre in Santa Barbara. Not only did his company develop shopping centers, but it also financed numerous office and industrial buildings throughout the U.S. Additionally, The Giegerich Company conducted a mortgage banking business through 1986. In 1977, after his first wife died of cancer, Les married Lillian Ransco Roney of Darien, formerly Rochester, New York, and moved to Darien. On a local level, Les Giegerich served on many boards including the Westport YMCA, the Westport Library, the Norwalk Housing Association, and the Maritime Aquarium. He was a generous donor to not only these organizations, but also others such as the Westport Saugatuck Congregational Church, the Norwalk Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania. Known affectionately as Mr. G. in his office, Les Giegerich was a humanist, always interested in people and their lives. An inspiration to all, he was generous with his time and talent. Drawing from his innate common sense and wide perspective, Les was an educator; he was known to offer advice to many, particularly to those who were just starting out in their careers. Open-minded with many interests, Les lived life fully. He traveled to all the continents (at least twice) and had few wonders of the world left to see. He read widely, and especially loved history books and biographies. His athletic abilities lasted into early 90's during which he still enjoyed skiing, tennis and swimming, but above all, the sport of golf! He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Lillian Giegerich, his sister Marion Snyder of New Providence, New Jersey; his two daughters, Brenda K. Giegerich of Westport and Marsha G. Torkelson of Mill Valley, California; his step-daughter Joan Roney of New York City and his step-son John Roney of Darien; three grandchildren, and two newly born great grand-daughters. Calling hours will be Friday, January 20th at Lawrence Funeral Home, 2119 Post Road, Darien from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the St. Thomas More Church, 374 Middlesex Road in Darien on Saturday, January 21st at 10:00 AM. Interment will follow with full military honors at Spring Grove Cemetery, Darien. A celebration of Les's life will follow at Country Club of Darien. The family requests that memorial donations can be made to Norwalk Hospital's Whittingham Cancer Center online at www.norwalkhospitalfoundation.org or by calling them at 203-852-2216. Funeral Home: Edward Lawrence Funeral Home 2119 Post Road Darien, CT USA 06820