Jacobus Jack P. C. van der Geest, 85, was born on September 17, 1923, in The Hague, Netherlands. He is the son of Jacobus and Anne (de Groot) van der Geest. He passed away on Thursday, March 5, 2009 in Rapid City. He was trained as an aeronautical engineer and was fluent in seven languages. Jacks family owned a successful bread factory in The Hague, employing more than 1,000 people. He and his father were active members of the Dutch Resistance during the Nazi occupation of Holland. In September 1942, Jack and his parents were deported to Nazi death camps. His father was murdered in Dachau, his mother was sent to Ravensbruck, and Jack was sent to Buchenwald. Jacks mother survived the war and died in 1961. After 183 days in Buchenwald, Jack (prisoner # 512601) weighed 79 pounds. On March 3, 1943, he faked death prior to the 5 AM morning roll call. He was declared dead by the Nazis and thrown into a pile of bodies. After being motionless for 11 hours, he overpowered an SS guard, put on his uniform and was able to escape. He then joined the French Underground, and later became an interpreter attached to the 101st Airborne Division. He was part of the Battle of the Bulge and the Normandy invasion. After other duties in the South Pacific, he joined the US Air Force and was stationed at Ellsworth AFB. He obtained U.S. citizenship in 1953. Jack married Elaine Kollars on, January 7, 1952 in Rapid City. She died in 1996. On December 14, 2002, he married Ann Urup, in Rapid City. He loved Rapid City. After several years of work at Rapid Chevrolet, he spent the remainder of his career as an insurance agent. Jack was an active member of Calvary Lutheran Church in Rapid City. He did not speak of his Holocaust experience until the 1990s, when he heard about a Holocaust denier and realized the need to share his experiences with the world. In 1995, he authored Was God on Vacation. The 3rd edition (2002) includes a copy of his Buchenwald death certificate. He credited his escape to divine intervention and later committed his life to Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. Jack is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Willie (Wilhelmina), his wife Elaine, and grandson, John van der Geest (age 13 months). Survivors include his wife, Ann, Rapid City, and his son Van der Geest, wife, Nancy, and two grandsons, Kenneth, wife Delilah, and David, all of Warrensburg, MO; Anns daughter, Ellie Tomlinson, husband Dale and grandchildren; Michelle Ladenburger, husband Chris, Lisa Porch and husband Joel, all of Rapid City; Clint Tomlinson and wife Kristen of New York City. Visitation will be Sunday, March 8, from 2 until 5 p.m., with the family present from 3 until 5 at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home. Services will be at 2 p.m. on Monday, March 9, at Calvary Lutheran Church with Rev. Dwight Stensgaard, Rev. Barbara Gammeter and Rev. Daniel Gammeter officiating. Burial with military honors provided by Rushmore VFW Post 1273 and Ellsworth Air Force Base Honor Guard, will follow in Mt. Calvary Cemetery. A memorial has been established to Calvary Lutheran Church, 5311 Sheridan Lake Rd, Rapid City, 57702 and Greatest Commandments Wesleyan Church, PO Box 9052, Rapid City, 57709.