Catholic to lead the Salt Lake Council of Women

Intermountain Catholic

+ Enlarge

Janet Geyser

SALT LAKE CITY — Janet Geyser, a Saint Vincent de Paul parishioner, will be installed as president of the Salt Lake Council of Women in May.

The Salt Lake Council of Women has been a force for civic improvement through its many member clubs since February 1912. The purpose of the council is to take an active interest in community affairs and to promote whatever may contribute to the general welfare of communities along the Wasatch Front.

Geyser joined the council 33 years ago when she moved to Utah from the Detroit area as a result of her husband’s job transfer.

Geyser chartered her club, the Wasatch Unit of the National Association of Parliamentarians, and affiliated it with the Salt Lake Council of Women. "We give free service to any non-profit in the valley," she said.

"Janet is a scholar parliamentarian," said Cathreen Stevens, Salt Lake Council of Women president. "She has been an advisor for anything to do with our parliamentary procedures and has been a long-time member of the council and knows a lot about it. She hasn’t been able to hold the office of president before now because she travels during the summer. We were so excited when we approached her about the position and she said she would accept it. All of the members overwhelmingly gave her their support. She is so organized and is such a go-getter."

"Janet is very dedicated and has been a great asset to the council," said Ann Bero, a member of Saint Catherine of Siena/Newman Center and also the Salt Lake Council of Women. She has known Geyser for more than 20 years.

"It is such an honor for me to become president," said Geyser. "I joined as soon as we moved to Utah while my husband was working for Ford Motor Company. We’re retired now."

Geyser met her husband of 58 years while attending high school in Illinois. They have five children and 13 grandchildren. She began doing volunteer work almost 50 years ago for the Parent Teacher Association and fundraising for her sons’ soccer teams.

"When we came to Utah, the Salt Lake Council of Women was the first club I joined," she said. "I also started working in the Women’s Legislative Council and was a lobbyist for the Utah State PTA. From there I became president of the Pioneer Theater Guild. I retired from politics and went into the arts, and then went back to politics as co-founder of the Association of Community Councils Together. That is an organization of community councils in the unincorporated areas. I also co-founded Mount Olympus Community Council and worked for the legislature as secretary to the third house, the group that organizes the social calendar for the House of Representatives. Along with that I planned spouse events for both the Senate and House of Representatives. I also collaborated on a legislative centennial book."

The Salt Lake Council of Women has been a springboard to Geyser’s life in Utah, she said. "The council has been the conduit for meeting people and meeting their needs; I love the people. I also served as auditor of the council and have chaired several of its committees. I have worked on some incredible committees that have been labors of love such as the by-laws committee. I left the council as a board member for a while, and I’ve enjoyed coming back."