Obituaries

Geneva Osteen Kirkpatrick (Genny)

Genny was a caring wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend. She left this life suddenly on Saturday January 1, 2022 after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

 Genny was born in Bronson Florida, September 21, 1928,  daughter of Geneva Berryhill Osteen and Leander (Lee) Alexander Osteen of Otter Creek Florida. She was their third child and only daughter. Her mother passed when she was only six years old. School was one of her loves, along with books. She graduated with high honors and went on to attend Bob Jones University with a degree in Religion and History. In 1950 she graduated. She and a collage friend traveled to Gilmer County West Virginia to teach Bible School for the summer, with a missionary for the American Sunday School Union, Glenn U. Kirkpatrick. After the summer she returned to North Carolina to teach a semester. In December 1950 she returned to West Virginia and married Glenn Kirkpatrick. There was a huge snow storm that December that shock the young Florida lady. Genny was a partner with him, in the American Sunday School Union, typing reports, putting out newsletters, teaching Sunday School, Bible School and Bible Camp. They had three children Glenn Joel (Joey), Rebecca B. (Becky) and Robert William Paul (Bobby). Summers were filled traveling from county to county, in West Virginia, having Bible Schools ending with a Bible Camp in August. During the rest of the year, it was a different church or one room school house each Sunday for Sunday School and preaching. In all of her free time she taught herself to drive and took a class at the Gilmer County Career Center to learn to work on cars. She never missed a band concert, choir concert or ball game that her children were in. Genny worked for the Dept of Human Services as a Social Worker, and then for the Area Agency on Aging at The Gilmer County Senior Citizens’ Center. The book worm in her, took her back to school at Marshall University for a Masters in Special Education and Learning Disabilities.  It was back to teaching, this time in the Gilmer County School system. Special Olympics became a big part of her life. She loved working with the children and giving them new experiences. For 30 years she was the Director of Special Olympics in Gilmer County.  When our house needed an addition, she built one on. Nothing could stop this lady. When grandchildren came, there was plenty of love to go around. As with her children, she was always there for them. Stewarts Creek Church was her home church. Genny served on the board of the Gilmer County Historical Society. The newsletter for the Gilmer County WV Retired School Employees was one of her projects she loved doing. She was a member of the Martha’s and Mary’s of Gilmer County and received the Helping Hands Award. Others now saw, what we always knew, she was the one behind the scenes lifting all the rest of us up.

 Genny was preceded in death by her husband Reverend Glenn U. Kirkpatrick, her sons Joey and Bobby Kirkpatrick, her granddaughters Julia Erin Oppe and Oakley Monroe Kirkpatrick, her mother Geneva and father Lee Osteen, her brothers Lee and Richard Osteen.

 Surviving are her daughter Becky and son-in law Jim Oppe, grandchildren children Tiffany and her husband Mitch Davis their children Luke and Emma, Whitney Oppe and Woody Porter. Carrie and her husband Kevin Summers and son Wyatt, Tommy Kirkpatrick his wife Amber their children Keegan and Ava, Charlie Kirkpatrick, Tara and her husband Billy Eagleston and children Kylie and Landyn, and Chandra Kirkpatrick and her children Jade and Trinity. And Genny’s adopted families the Dorans and Pifers.

A funeral service will be conducted at the Ellyson Mortuary, Inc., 2 Vanhorn Drive, Glenville, WV; 26351 at 2:00 PM; Thursday, January 6, 2022 with Rev. Bill Hunt officiating. Burial will follow in the Meadow Lane Cemetery near Glenville. Friends will be received from 12:00 noon – 2:00 PM; Thursday at the mortuary in Glenville.

Ellyson Mortuary, Inc., is honored to assist the family of Geneva “Genny” Osteen Kirkpatrick with arrangements.