Geneva Mary Venable

Geneva Mary Burgess Venable, 86, of Tool, TX went to be with the Lord on July 1, 2023, peacefully at home.  Geneva was born on July 29, 1936, to Roy and Janie Burgess in Quitman, TX.  She graduated from Quitman High School in 1954.  After high school, she moved to Dallas and worked as a bookkeeper.  In a Sunday school class at Bethel Baptist Church on December 4, 1955, she met Adrain Howard Venable and after one date and a dinner with his parents, they got engaged on December 22, 1955; he had to report back to Fort Riley in Kansas and didn’t want to wait.  On July 7, 1956, in the Bethel Baptist Church in Garland, they married and spent a loving 38 years together before he passed away in 1994.  As newlyweds, they lived in Kansas together, just long enough to welcome their first child, before being stationed in Germany through the Army.  They spent 3 years in Germany where the couple welcomed two more daughters, before coming to Oklahoma for 5 years.  Adrain retired from the Army in 1968 and the family established a rural homestead in Tool, TX, where they welcomed their son into the family. Geneva continued to live there for the rest of her time.  During that time, she worked as a jewelry clerk for Gibson’s Discount Center then Cedar Creek Pharmacy before joining the Dallas Independent School District in the Book Bindery where she would retire.  Geneva was dedicated to her family and her church.  She loved her family with all her heart and shared earnestly in their triumphs and their struggles, generously devoting her special gifts as a keen, patient listener and drive to nurture and protect.  With the same passion, she would serve the Lord at church and through always searching for knowledge about scripture. Geneva combined her passion for scripture and travel, twice trekking to Jerusalem, Jordan, where she rode a donkey through Petra and floated in the Dead Sea; and Egypt, where she climbed the pyramids of Giza and helped unearth historically significant artifacts; her many trips to the Creation Museum; but also the trips she took with her daughters to Mexico, where she climbed the Chichen Itza pyramids; Colorado, where she climbed Mesa Verde cliff dwellings; and to Arkansas with her son where they excavated in precious rock mines.  As a young adult new to city life, she enjoyed riding bikes around White Rock Lake and going to movies.  In her retirement, she enjoyed phone conversations with her twin sister, Janice, regarding politics, the bible and their favorite TV shows. The joy of her life were her grandkids and great grandkids.  She was a member of Providence Baptist Church for many years where she taught Awana classes and most recently First Baptist Church of Gun Barrel City.  Geneva was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and sister.  Her parents, Roy and Janie, husband Adrain, siblings: James (Bud) Burgess and Edith Phillips preceded her in death.  Those left to cherish her memory are children: Karen Hawkins and husband Jerry, Gay Venable, Marium Janicke and Ron Venable; grandchildren: Steven Hawkins and wife Dawn, Kristen Abrams and husband Casey, Marie Parker, Suzie Janicke, Kimberly Baxley and husband Jerry, and Elizabeth Janicke; great grandchildren: Alexis, Christofer, Kingston, Brodie, Caleb, Celeste, Toby, Weston, Robyn and Cora; siblings: Janice Olson, Lillie Mae Lee and husband Earlon, William Burgess and wife Wilma; numerous extended family and friends who will miss her dearly.