Geraldine Hirsch, KFVS founder's wife, dead at 101

As the founder of the KFVS radio and television stations, Oscar Hirsch was a more public figure than his wife, Geraldine. But she was very much his partner in everything he did, family members say.

"She was very much either right there by his side or the person who helped keep a lot of those accomplishments organized or earned them herself," said one of her grandsons, Gregory Keith Deimund of Cape Girardeau. "It was a team effort."

She died Sunday at the Chateau Girardeau Health Center at the age of 101.

An English teacher at Central High School when she arrived in Cape Girardeau in 1922, she had many interests and causes. Among them were P.E.O., the Cub Scouts, Brownies and Girl Scouts, the Federated Garden Clubs, the Creative Arts Guild and the Women of the Church at First Presbyterian Church.

At one time in her life, she also coached the basketball team at a women's college in Liberty, Mo.

"She talked about having a winning record and was quite proud of that," Deimund said.

Ken Moxey, a Chateau Girardeau neighbor who will co-officiate at the memorial service Thursday, remembered that she never missed the Bible class, bringing along a Bible study book her family gave her.

"She was a very devoted and sweet Christian person," he said.

Kathryn Tolliver summed her longtime friend up simply.

"She was a lovely lady," she said.