Jon Allen Geiss, 85

Jon Allen Geiss

October 11, 1941 – September 5, 2026

Jon Allen Geiss, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, entrepreneur, and inventor, passed away peacefully in Issaquah, Washington, on September 5, 2026, at the age of 84, after living with Alzheimer’s disease.

Jon was born in Billings, Montana, on October 11, 1941, to John Geiss and Gladys Geiss (Pishney). At the age of one, he traveled with his parents in an RV to Hutchinson, Minnesota, where he grew up and developed the curiosity that would define his life. Physics and chemistry were his favorite subjects, and while still in high school, he built his own backyard laboratory, complete with a hand-dug test chamber. At one of his first jobs at a local pharmacy, he traded his salary for chemicals to fuel his experiments.

After high school, Jon served in the Navy as an Airman, teaching instrument flight operations to pilots. Following the early death of his father, he was honorably discharged and returned to Minnesota, where he studied physics at the University of Minnesota while engineering instrumentation for high-altitude weather balloons.

Jon became a lifelong entrepreneur and builder. He founded Hutchinson Technology, beginning with a rented chicken coop as his first production facility. The company grew into a worldwide leader in precision technology, employing more than 1,500 people, going public, and transforming his hometown of Hutchinson. He later founded HighJump Software, a world leader in PC-based data collection software for managing warehouse inventory with barcodes, which was eventually sold to 3M.

Jon met his wife, Carol, in 1980 through a chance connection between their professional worlds. A handwritten note with Jon’s name and phone number brought them together, beginning a partnership that lasted 46 years. Together, they built a life filled with family, adventure, and projects. Their travels included scuba diving in the South Pacific, gold-mining camping trips on the Bering Sea, and journeys throughout the U.S. in an RV, taking photos and videos of wildlife.

Jon and Carol later founded Starbrook, producing award-winning underwater films, including Real Sanctuary, which was shown on PBS and used in schools, nursing homes, and hospitals throughout the country.

For all of Jon’s professional accomplishments, his greatest legacy was the knowledge and curiosity he passed to his family. He invited his children to participate in nearly everything he did, teaching them photography, videography, engineering, construction, business, and the confidence that there was always a way to build or create something.

He brought that same spirit to his grandchildren. He loved showing them Idaho—teaching them to ride in the big fire trucks, identify rocks, and feed the goats and chickens. Trading rocks with Grandpa Jon became a childhood tradition.

Jon built a family homestead of whimsical Tudor homes overlooking Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho; it became a beloved gathering place for the family. Jon restored a road grader and three fire trucks and chopped forty cords of wood each winter to prepare for snow and fire seasons. The mountain home was filled with dogs, cats, llamas, goats, chickens, and koi.

Jon was charismatic, driven, creative, and endlessly curious. He was a wonderful storyteller with a distinctive laugh and a familiar question: “Whatcha workin’ on?” He loved his dogs, photography, travel, scuba diving, filmmaking, roadside diners, Davanni’s pizza, and chocolate milkshakes with extra malt. He sang silly songs to the animals and enjoyed making his “world-famous” Christmas tacos.

Jon is survived by his wife, Carol; his children, Adam Geiss and his children, Lucy and Griffin; Sarah Lord and her children, Oscar and Frank; Paul Geiss and his children, Shelby and Kalya; and Therese Black and her husband, Jeff Black. He is also survived by his sister, Rosy Geiss; his niece, Jolayne Devers and her husband, Gorden Devers; his nephew, Scott White; and extended family.

Jon spent his life building things, but his greatest legacy is the people he taught, the family he loved, and the curiosity he inspired in everyone around him.

A private family memorial will be held to celebrate Jon’s life.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Hutchinson Area Community Foundation, 44 Main Street South, Hutchinson, MN 55350, or visit hutchinsonfoundation.org.