GIESELMAN: Howard K., Captain (Retired) St. Johnsbury Fire Department, of St. Johnsbury, died Monday afternoon, Nov. 10, 2003, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., at the age of 74. He was born April 10, 1929 in Syracuse, N.Y., the son of the late Howard G. and Dorothy (Knapp) Gieselman. On May 9, 1958, Howard married JoAnn Rice. Howard served his country for over 20 years, retiring as master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force in 1969. He and his family then moved to St. Johnsbury where he began a 21-year career with the St. Johnsbury Fire Department, retiring as captain. An active and strong supporter of the South Congregational Church, Howard held many offices there throughout the past 34 years. He was a charter member of the St. Johnsbury Fire Fighters Association 2934 International Association of Fire Fighters; Mount Mansfield Masonic Lodge F & AM in Jericho; Air Force Sergeants Association; conductor for the St. Johnsbury and Lamoille County Railroad Club; and was St. Johnsbury's Citizen of the Year in 1989. Howard quit high school during his senior year to enlist in the U.S. Navy near the end of World War II. He was proud to receive his high school diploma from St. Johnsbury Academy on Nov. 11, 2002, and was made an honorary member of his wife's class of 1953. Survivors include his wife of 45 years, JoAnn Gieselman of St. Johnsbury; their son, Howard R. Gieselman of Grand Isle; their daughter, Valerie Gieselman of Bradford; a granddaughter, Emily C. Gieselman and her mother Sara Miller of Burlington; a sister-in-law, Pauline Bouffard and her husband Edmund of Newport, and their family, Patricia and James Dobson, Raymond and Claudette Bouffard and children, and Laura Wheatly and her children; a special friend, Jeanne True of St. Johnsbury; many, many friends; and his fire department family. He was predeceased by a nephew, Robert Bouffard. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m., at South Congregational Church in St. Johnsbury with the Rev. Steven Winkler officiating. Visiting hours will be held Friday evening from 5-7 p.m., also at the South Church. In lieu of flowers, donations made in Howard's memory may be directed to the Eugene McDonough Scholarship Fund, 1187 Main St., Suite 3, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819; or to the Newark Union Church, in care of JoAnne Clausing, 173 Ball Farm Road, Newark, VT 05871.