Genevieve Bernice Ballantine

Genevieve Bernice Wilson was born near Lawton, Iowa. Her parents were Elmer and Bernice Johnson Wilson. She also had a sister Geraldine, who died at the age of two. Genevieve was her father’s shadow. She recalled begging her dad to go out at night to check on a sick horse or spend time with him listening to stories as he milked the cows. Her sister Janice came along two years later. The family moved north of Odebolt; it was at that time Bernice contracted tuberculosis. Bernice died 5 days after Jerry was born. The family moved back to South Dakota to be near the Wilson family. Elmer’s sister Ester became Mom to the three little Wilsons. Elmer and Ferne, Bernice’s sister, started a long distance relationship. Ferne not only became a wife, but a mother to three small children, later adding two brothers to the mix, Don and Dean. This family took up residence south of Arthur, Iowa. After graduating from Haynes country school, she attended high school in Kiron. There she met the new kid from Denison; he had black wavy hair and a flashing grin.

Genevieve and Glen were a couple from then on. Both played basketball for the Bulldogs. They graduated with the class of 1950; Genevieve was the valedictorian of the class of seven. For her efforts she received a one-year subscription to Readers Digest. She kept up the subscription until 10 years ago.

Genevieve attended Commercial Extension, a business school in Omaha, for a year. She came home to marry the man of her dreams. Glen and Genevieve bought their first property and returned to the life she truly loved. She was not afraid of a challenge or hard work. The outdoors was her haven; she recorded it with a camera or paintings.

Connie and Chuck (Constance and Charles) arrived on the scene. They were granted freedom of the farm and creek that ran through it. The rules were: run to the house when the dinner bell rang or the pickup honked and always, ALWAYS, keep your shoes on!

Genevieve often said the best years of her life were spent with grandkids. Her imagination was notorious. There was the ABC shop in the basement (Alison, Brooke, Claire, and later Beth), 4-wheeler rides to check cattle and electric fences, fishing and wonderful tales of The Land of Boyer. Characters included Prince Tyrone and DeVon, Princesses Hattie, Maudie and Gertie, with Red the wonder horse and Sir Buck, the faithful dog. There were always cookies in her special Butternut coffee cans.

Her faith was a priority and though her words were few, her actions were a reflection of it. She taught Sunday school for many years, from toddlers to teens. She was deaconess. She loved being part of the cheer committee and never visited empty handed. Cookies, bars or cake from the “cookie vault”, her freezer in the basement. She visited the nursing homes with regularity. She joined Bessie Gilmore visiting nursing homes with their program, “Praise God with Pictures” a slide show with scripture and hymns.

Though her life did not end the way she wanted, the best was made of it, never a complaint.

Genevieve is survived by her daughter, Connie (Steve) Sawyer of Lenox, IA, daughter-in-law, Stephanie Ballantine of Kiron, brothers, Don (Dee) Wilson of Omaha, NE, Dean Wilson of Lincoln, NE, grandchildren, Tyson (Katherine) Sawyer of Des Moines, IA, Alison (Josh) Munter of Spencer, IA, Devon (Danielle) Sawyer of O'Fallon, MO, Brooke Ballantine of Inver Grove Heights, MN, Claire (David) Leppert of Granada, Spain, Beth (Jarrod) Tembreull of Brunswick, ME, sisters-in-laws, Joyce Saxon of Concord, NC, Maggie Wilson of Tucson, AZ, great-grandchildren, Max Munter, Cate Munter, Reese Munter, Harrison Sawyer, Nolan Sawyer, Caleb Leppert, Belén Leppert, Noah Leppert, Genevieve Tembreull, Bianca Tembreull.

Those meeting her in heaven: her parents, sister Geraldine and Janice, brother Jerry, brother-in-law Jerry Kennedy, husband Glen and son Chuck. May He find us faithful.