Adrienne Dinwiddie

Waynesville, Andrienne Geiser Dinwiddie, 94, entered into eternal rest on December 4, 2008. A native of New Orleans, LA, she was the daughter of Clara Aurianne Geiser and John Geiser, Swiss artist, who after extensive travel in South America, settled in New Orleans and became a well known artist of that city, fully restoring the frescoes of St Louis Cathedral in 1915. She was an honor student of the New Orleans public schools and received the Golden Eaglet Award of Girl Scouts in 1930. She attended Newcomb College (now part of Tulane University), but left to work and care for her parents. She married the Reverend William Dinwiddie in 1944 and was active with the Presbyterian Churches of Clarendon, AR, Covington, LA, Brooksville, FL, Greensboro, AL, Millbrook, AL and York, AL. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Education and later her Master of Arts in Education from the University of Alabama. She taught elementary education in the Alabama public schools for 12 years before retiring at age 68. Besides church work, she had a life long avid interest in music and gardening, especially growing many varieties of azaleas. She was proud of her Swiss heritage and maintained an active correspondence with friends and relatives both here and in Switzerland. She moved to Waynesville in 2001 and was an active member of Covenant Presbyterian Church and the Haywood Regional Fitness Center until she developed a spinal condition in 2006. She continued to help maintain her home and kept an interest in church and political events until just days before her death. She was preceded in death by a sister, Laura G. Muehlemann and a brother, John Geiser, II. She is survived by William, her husband of 64 years; two daughters, Caroline Dinwiddie of West Point, MS and Mabel Thomas of Williamston, NC; a son, Dr. William Dinwiddie, Jr. of Waynesville; five grandchildren, Dr. Andrea Le and Lt. Cmdr. Martin Thomas, Andrew Dinwiddie, Ethan Dinwiddie, and Alexandra Dinwiddie; two great grandchildren, Xavier Le and Anna Sofia Le; two nieces, Marilyn Wiginton and Marjorie Thomas; and two nephews, John Geiser, III and Paul Muehlemann. There will be a visitation for family and friends at Wells Funeral Home at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 13, followed by a 3:00 p.m. graveside service at Green Hill Cemetery in Waynesville, NC with the Reverend Larry Jones officiating. In preference to flowers, memorials may be sent to the Covenant Presbyterian Church, 166 Pigeon Street, Waynesville, NC or to the Haywood County Arts Council, 86 N. Main Street, Waynesville, NC 28786.

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