(As recounted by Paula Friedrich, Geoff’s first wife)
I met Geoff in January 1974 when we were both students at Marshall University. He was a freshman and had decided to major in journalism. He spent the next four years learning everything he could about his chosen field and working on the school newspaper; however, once the department loaned him the first camera, he really began to excel. There was never enough hiding places moving forward to escape his camera lens!
We moved to Cincinnati after graduation where Geoff began his career as a news photographer. We were married on January 28, 1978. After about a year, he decided to take a new job in Dayton where he would operate their first live camera truck. They would send him to Columbus many days where he could be both the reporter and photographer. I was so proud of him.
We had our first son, Andrew, while living in Dayton. We didn’t stay long before he decided to move back to Cincinnati. In 1980, we moved to the DC Metro area where Geoff has spent most of his adult life. We had a second son, Brian, in 1982. We separated in 1984. I am proud to say that Geoff and I were able to put our children first and we worked hard to raise them together over the years. He was a wonderful father who loved his boys deeply. There was never anything he would not do for them. He also found a kind and generous life partner, Cathy, along the way. The three of us like to think we did a wonderful job raising these boys.
Our friendship evolved over the last 50 years. He was a special person. He was a generous, talented man who shared his skills freely with anyone who wanted to learn. I am so glad he gave me two sons and that his grandchildren had the opportunity to get to know him. I will miss him immensely moving forward and I will always treasure the memories we had together.
