Georgianne "Jill" Peterson Schreiber

Georgianne “Jill” Peterson Schreiber died Saturday, October 29, 2022 after a prolonged illness of lung cancer from radon exposure. Daughter of Ardis and Lois (Watts) Peterson, Georgianne was a life-long resident of Greater Des Moines. She graduated from East High School in February of 1957 and then attended Simpson College in Indianola where she was active in Delta Delta Delta and where she met her future husband, Jack Schreiber. Following Simpson, Jill attended Oklahoma University with additional course work at the University of Iowa studying Speech and Language Pathology and Audiology where she attained her Bachelor’s Degree.

After a 7-year courtship, on March 4, 1962, Georgianne and Jack were married in Des Moines, where Jill began her professional working career for the Story County Schools followed by Des Moines Public Schools in Speech and Hearing Therapy. She developed a hearing testing program for parochial schools covering several counties. She also served at the Des Moines Speech and Hearing Center; created a language development program for a Des Moines preschool and developed the Newborn Infant Hearing Testing for Des Moines hospitals.

Certified by the International Association of Orofacial Myology, she developed and was owner and director of Myofunctional Therapy of Des Moines serving patients referred by the medical and dental professions.

Jill also established "Successful Events" which led to creating and coordinating many events in central Iowa including: the logistics of Pope John Paul II's Iowa visit; the Iowa Caucus Project - bringing US presidential candidates and international media to Des Moines; and orchestrating the first RAGBRAI (the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa) through Greater Des Moines. Then came corporate open houses, events management and economic development for Meredith, Friendship Force, Iowa Utility Association, the Iowa State Fair, Greyhound Corporation, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and others.

The Schreiber’s enjoyed landscaping and architecture and both became Master Gardeners. They retired together in 2002 and carried into retirement their strong interest in nurturing world peace and understanding as they traveled to all continents from Antarctica to Arctic with Rotary Friendship Exchanges, International Travel and Hosting Fellowship, and with Friendship Force.

Jill contributed in active leadership roles with: East High Class Officer 1957, Grand Worthy Advisor of Iowa Rainbow Girls, Attorneys Wives (YAW), Des Moines Bankers Wives, PEO Chapter HX, Friendship Force, Hubbell Terrace Hill Questers, and Junior League where she, along with league friends and Drake University started the Career Planning Center for Women.

Georgianne and Jack want to say how grateful they are for those who gave care, patience, love, presence and support during her long illness: a multitude of friends, church ministerial staff, and doctors who have been devoted for many years to her care. Directly from Georgianne, “Profound thanks to my dear patient, incomparable husband, Jack.”

Georgianne was predeceased by her parents, and her sister-in-law, Kim Peterson. She is survived by her husband, Jack of Des Moines – her lifetime companion and best friend for 67 years; her brother, Carlton Peterson of West Des Moines; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and wonderful friends and neighbors developed through the years.

In Georgianne’s honor, family has respectfully requested that any memorials be made to the Des Moines Botanical Garden Foundation, the Des Moines Art Center Foundation, or to Plymouth Congregational Church Foundation.

Services will be held Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines, IA with a visitation and reception prior from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Burial will be private at Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines. A video of the services will be posted on this site as soon as available.

Condolences may be expressed online at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com or sent directly to Jack at Edgewater Retirement Community.

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