Rachelle Geiger

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mom/grandma/great grandmother Rachelle “Muz” Geiger, on Friday, April 25, 2025 at the age of 89. She passed at Santa Barbara Cottage hospital where she was surrounded by loved ones both at her bedside and in spirit.

Born Rachelle Berman in Deland, Florida she later moved to Miami and then Jacksonville, Florida, and to Pasadena while her husband was completing his medical internship. In her mid-thirties, after divorcing her first husband, and with four young kids, she went back to school, earning her master’s degree in psychology from the University of North Florida.

She later married Sydney Geiger and moved to Jackson, Mississippi, where for many years she worked utilizing her Berman business finesse as the Vice President of his company, Delta Steel.

In her early 70’s, after retiring, the couple moved to Santa Barbara, California where they had already become beloved members of her daughter and granddaughter’s community.

In Santa Barbara, Rachelle donated many hours and lots of energy cooking and making cookbooks, among other things for Congregation B’nai B’rith. At home, she had an expansive table, open to all.

Muz was one wise, strong independent, romantic, stubborn, fun-loving, and adventurous woman, with a lust for food (especially chocolate) and life. She loved Syd, travel, poetry, politics, her friends, and family.

She was simply one of a kind, and irreplaceable.

She is survived by her four children Deborah (Ken), Rebecca, Judith (Steven), and Jeff (Kate), and 12 grandchildren Landon Geiger (Emma), Shira Minerd (Chris), Sam, Hannah, and Nina Humphrey, Ana Bonnheim (Asher), Julia Bonnheim (Marc Bridge), Noah Bonnheim (Hannah Wagner), Shanna Applebaum (Matt), Josh Geiger, Eric Murray (Emily), and Michael Murray (Oriana), and many great grandchildren.