Frances Geneva Norwood is “Singing and Praising in another land called Heaven”.
Frances Geneva Norwood was born Aug. 29, 1930, in the middle of the great depression in a small wood-framed house around the Old Town Loop in Cunningham, Texas. Odis gathered his first bale of cotton the day Geneva was born. She died at her home in Cunningham, March 31, 2022.
She was always loved and taken care of by her parents, Marie Norman Watson and Harry Odis Watson and her grandparents, Theodore and Berchie Norman and Lynn Bledsoe. When she was 10 years old, she was graced by a sister, Nelta LaRue Watson Musgrove and when she was 16, she was blessed with a brother Harold Dean Watson.
She began her education at the age of six at the Independence School and she graduated from Cunningham High School at the age of 16 in 1947. She went straight to International Bible College for one semester and came home to marry her childhood sweetheart, Eugene Lewis Norwood, in 1948 at 7:30 a.m. at Brother Mark Malone’s home. She was welcomed into the Almer and Alma Norwood family being the first girl in the family of six boys, Gene, Darold, James, Canard, Talma and Danny. Cindy joined the family in 1949. The extended Norwood family gave Geneva many lifelong friends and sisters, Ida Mae, Pat, Deloris, Mary Anna and Sharon.
God blessed this union with three precious children and their spouses, Neva Jean and Billy Ray Oats, Frankie Glenn and Julie Norwood and Scotty Boyd and Treda Norwood and the story just began. Geneva has seven grandchildren and their spouses, Brandon and Marsha Oats, Georjeana and Brad Nutt, Amber and Matt Galloway, Spur and Ashley Norwood, Logan and Cayla Norwood, Layton and Sara Norwood and Caleb Norwood.
Geneva was blessed with 12 great-grandchildren, Kaylee Dube, Brayden Oats, Brylee Galloway, Tyler Nutt, Gatlin Galloway, Taylor Nutt, Alyvia Norwood, Chandler Norwood, Nate Norwood, Nash Norwood, Raylee Norwood and Leddy Norwood and two great great grandchildren, Grayson Dube and Grady Dube.
Geneva was a wonderful wife, devoted mother, loving grandmother and proud Auntie of Stacy Murgrove, Jarvis Watson, Deana Blevins, Brad Watson, Bruce Watson, and Zarinska Morton.
In February 1991, a great change in her life began. It was a road untraveled when Gene made his early journey to heaven and left her behind. God provided a wonderful job for her as Life Enrichment and Activity Director for
nursing home and assisted living facilities, 10 different homes. It was a very rewarding opportunity for her to meet so many precious people and share her talents.
In 1992, God provided a wonderful experience for her to take a 3-week mission trip to the Ukraine.
In 2007, she won the State of Texas Activity Director Award for Health Care and received it in San Antonio.
Geneva was one of the original founders of Life Tabernacle Church in Cunningham where she ministered, taught and lead worship.
Geneva is known for singing The Prettiest Flowers at funerals. She remembers 359 funerals where she sang.
Geneva was preceded in death by her husband, Gene, her parents, Odis and Marie Watson, her sister, Nelta and brother-in-law Johnie Musgrove, her in-laws, Almer and Alma Norwood, and her brothers-in-law, Canard Norwood and James Norwood.
Geneva lived a fulfilled life!
Bright-Holland Funeral Home has scheduled services for 3:00 p.m. Sunday, April 3rd at the Life Tabernacle Church in Cunningham with Frankie Norwood officiating. Burial will follow in Restland Cemetery at Cunningham. The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior to the service.
Casket bearers will be: Brandon Oats, Spur Norwood, Logan Norwood, Caleb Norwood, Jarvis Watson, Bruce Watson, and Brad Watson.
To leave a message or tribute for the family please visit www.brighthollandfuneralhome.com