Genevieve Lee Wheeler

Genevieve Rose Alexander Wheeler (1917-2020) Genevieve was born Dec. 19, 1917 in Mansfield, WA to William and Pearl Alexander. She passed peacefully at Harmony House in Brewster, WA on July 24th, 2020. Genevieve graduated from Northwest University (Bible Institute) in 1938. After her graduation she and Eva Radnovsky pastored in Goldendale, WA for two years. Eva went into missions and Genevieve came back to the coast where she married Walter Wheeler (who also graduated with her from Northwest). As Walter was pastoring in Spanaway, WA (what is now Sound Life Church), they continued to pastor there. Later they went back to Goldendale to pastor. During the time she was in WA pastoring she spent most of her summers holding children’s meetings and VBSs…all over the Northwest District and into MT. They also pastored at Poulsbo, WA; pioneered the Twisp, WA church; Electric City, WA; Kinston, NC; Wallace, NC and Goldsboro, NC. When Walter retired, Genevieve took over the leadership of the Teen Challenge Girl’s Home in Harmony, NC. They stayed there until their “final retirement” when she was 75. They came back to WA where most of their children lived. They spent a number of years in assisted living in Brewster, WA. She passed away at Harmony House Nursing Home in Brewster, WA. In the assisted living facility and the nursing home (until dementia took over) they said she was like a little chaplain going all over encouraging and praying for people. Genevieve was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Walter Wheeler, and her son, Rev. Paul Wheeler. She leaves behind her other five children, Arlene (Roy) Brewer; Genevieve (Ed) Benintendi; Eunice (Elvin) Huston; Steve (Carmen) Wheeler and Dee (John) Lloyd; her foster daughter Bonnie (Ed) Smelser, and her daughter-in-love Anita Wheeler Secrist; fifteen grandchildren; twenty great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Besides all these, she leaves many foster children, , Born, and surviving, the Flu Epidemic in 1917-1918, she survived COVID-19 but passed during the Pandemic of 2020. She saw so many changes in her lifetime, but one thing never changed – her love for God and people. It seems fitting that the last people to be allowed to see her before the pandemic were a daughter, granddaughter, great-granddaughter and her two great, great grandchildren who visited in Jan to get a five- generation picture. It sums up her love of family and children. Since dementia robbed her of the last years of her life, it is wonderful to think of her with a whole body and mind renewed in heaven with her Lord and loved ones.

Tributes

Genevieve Lee Wheeler

December 19, 1917 - July 24, 2020