GEISSLER, Paul Eric

Published by Arizona Daily Sun from Apr. 9 to Apr. 11, 2026 - Flagstaff, Arizona - Husband. Father and grandfather. Scientist. Dancer. Paul Eric Geissler (1955-2026) was all of these and more when he passed away peacefully at home in Flagstaff, Arizona, on March 23, 2026, surrounded by his wife Nadine, his brothers, and his children. Born February 28, 1955, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the son of the late Hugo G. Geissler and the late Hazel Irene (Cottrell) Geissler, Paul attended Edison Township High School before wanderlust took him around the world. After meeting the love of his life, Nadine Poludin, they traveled together for three years around the US and Canada before getting married on the mountains of New Zealand. They moved to Tasmania, Australia where they began their 49 years together, raising the first two of their four children. They returned to the United States when Paul began his graduate studies in Planetary Sciences at the University of Arizona, receiving his Ph.D. in 1992. That began a career that spanned over 30 years in which he felt privileged to participate in the exploration of the solar system, first as a Senior Research Associate at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory until 2003, and then as a Research Geologist at the Astrogeology Science Center of the U.S. Geological Survey in Flagstaff, Arizona. His research focused on the surfaces of Mars and outer solar system satellites, with funding support from multiple NASA data analysis programs. He was affiliated with the Galileo and Cassini Imaging Teams and a Co-Investigator on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter HiRISE camera team. He was also selected as a Participating Scientist on the Mars Exploration Rover mission and served as a Payload Uplink Lead for the close-up cameras on the MER and Mars Science Laboratory science teams. In 2021 he was among those ranked in the top 2% of scientists in the world according to a study by experts at Stanford University. He led or co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and made numerous contributions to the popular press, sharing his scientific knowledge and discoveries with the public. Moreover, Paul was always friendly and easy to work with, inspiring colleagues and students alike. But it was never all work with Paul. He was a devoted father to his four children and always made time to give each of them his full attention. He was intentional and thoughtful in how he used his time, always prioritizing what would benefit them most. He treated them as equals, truly listening and valuing what they had to say. He extended that attention to his grandchildren as well. He shared with all of them a deep love of the world and the outdoors, hiking, sailing and exploring. He also brought remarkable energy, kindness, and generosity to the Flagstaff community. Twenty-three years ago, he and Nadine started salsa Rueda classes and the dance group "Rueda en la montaña" that continue today. Paul and Nadine also hosted and served as DJ for the Flagstaff summer event "dancing on the Square" at Heritage Square for the last 15 years bringing together the Latin and swing dancers. He leaves behind a lasting legacy through the many dancers whose lives were positively transformed by his passion and dedication to dance. His influence lives on in every step they take. Paul is survived by his wife Nadine, his sons Rudolf (Liv) and Max (Vanessa) and daughter Katya (Jimmy Carrauthers), grandsons Jack, Julian and Kai Carrauthers and Kepler Geissler, brothers Evan (Judith) Geissler, Frederick (Nicole) Geissler, Warren (Carol) Geissler and William (Carolyn) Geissler, and sisters Judy Russell and Kathryn (Michael) St. Clair, and a host of nieces, nephews, grand-niblings, and cousins. He was predeceased by his parents, his son Stefan and his sister Diana McKenzie. The family expresses its thanks to Dr. Doug Lewis and the whole interventional radiology team at Banner University Hospital in Phoenix for giving us the precious gift of more time, and to Paul's family physician, Dr. Mark Seby, for his extraordinary kindness and patience. In memory of a life well lived, the family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Planetary Society, UNICEF or the American Civil Liberties Union.