Geneva Joyce Burwell's Obituary
Geneva Mayo Burwell passed into Eternity in the year of Our Lord, 21Sept2023 after only 98 years.
Born in Amarillo, Texas, 20June1925; She had little time to prepare for the sudden poverty of the Great Depression compounded by the dust storms enveloping that region at the time.
Her father disappeared leaving her Mother, Grandmother, and younger brother David to fend for themselves after they lost their dairy. Her mother supported them driving school bus until a man appealed to the school board; “I have a bigger family to feed! We’re starving!” She was fired.
Grandmother and kids went to their knees in prayer. She got a better job.
Such it was until her teenage years when, while playing piano for the USO Air Force Base in 1941, she met Thomas Burwell. A young trainee for bombing service, he entered air combat out of England starting D-Day, June 7, 1944. They lost touch.
She moved with her parents in 1942 to Washougal, Washington where she finished high school. While working her first full time job at the US Bank in Vancouver, she met a young Airman, Archie Mayo, fresh out of WWII finishing up his accounting degree at the University of Washington. They married D-Day, 1948.
Moving to St. Helens in 1959, they raised Wayne and Reese. Archie, a jogger in the 60’s, woke with chest pain on a sunny morning, 27July1967 and died within the hour.
Geneva sought strength in prayer. She started a piano teaching studio in her home and quickly had 56 student which she carried consistently for the next 23 years until 9 pm, 4 nights a week. She also played funerals and weddings.
In 2000 she felt a change was coming and mentioned it. Then the phone rang.
“This is Thomas Burwell. You probably don’t remember me…”
“Oh, I remember you Thomas.” He’d been widowed for some time.
The flowers and chocolates started flowing in from Connecticut.
Thomas knew she had moved to Washington while still 17. He had ran ads in newspapers all over Washington looking for Geneva Morrow. Chuck Bates, formerly of St. Helens, saw the ad somewhere in Washington and responded. He was a close friend.
After a 12 month courtship, they were married in 1990. This began perhaps the most wonderful years of her life.
As it turned out, Thomas was born 15August1921. Archie was born 15 August1920. Wayne was born 15 August1954.
In addition; Archie and Thomas were bombing the Third Reich at the same time, even on some of the same days. Archie, 35 missions as part of the 8th Air Force; in a B17:
Thomas, 65 missions as part of the 9th Air Force; in a B26.
Thomas received The Distinguished Flying Cross for hitting a bridge with a bomb that trapped 5000 vehicles on the wrong side retreating from the allies sweeping across Europe. Most of those who volunteered for the treetop level suicide mission died; receiving their medals posthumously. Thomas, though suffering the plexiglass nose blown off in his face, continued to focus on the drop; And made it perfect.
Geneva and Archie served as Church youth group leaders at Plymouth Presbyterian Church. She served as organist for a combined 50 years at Plymouth; then Sunset Park; She served 20 years as Junior High Sunday school teacher; Pastoral selection committees , Meals on Wheels since its inception; Rides to Portland for those who needed to see doctor but didn’t drive.
She always tithed a full 10% on her modest earnings discovering “Faith Comes by Hearing” in the mid 80’s. She promptly began to support this group in addition, at $400/month.
This group hires native voices in unreached cultures to speak every word in The New Testament; Then put those words into a template; overlay with music, animal sounds, and crowd sounds and the soundtrack is done. Then they send it back in culture through any mission group that will take it. This was first done on cassettes with solar powered recorders. Now they do it with $157 “Proclaimers;” Solar powered machines with the text in its programming.
100’s of Millions have been reached for Jesus in the last 30 years; Even more, they have had the scriptures in their mother language to teach them how to live.
There’s a desperate need for more of the proclaimers.
For the last 21 years Geneva and her oldest granddaughter, Sarah, have been playing 3 games of Scrabble once a week. Coming all the way from Canby - fighting traffic for those precious 3 hours led to a special bond. For the last 20 months of her life, she lived with Sarah, Grant, and their children until she left for The Wedding.
Geneva is survived by Jim and Linda Burwell and their son; Reese and Judy Mayo, their 4 children, their spouses;
Wayne and Susan Mayo; his 7 children; her 1, and their spouses.
And 34+ great-grandchildren.
Memorial Service: 12Oct2023 9AM Sunset Park Community Church, St. Helens.
Internment:1:30 Willamette National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers: Please consider a gift to Faith Comes By Hearing, 2421 Aztec Rd NE Albuquerque, NM 87107. [email protected]
What’s your fondest memory of Geneva?
What’s a lesson you learned from Geneva?
Share a story where Geneva's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Geneva you’ll never forget.
How did Geneva make you smile?