Beloved mother, teacher, friend, Genevieve Myrtle Sowards Gillen passed on Saturday, September 16, 2017.
She was born August 2, 1929, in Burma, where her parents, the late Erville Ellis Sowards and Genevieve Elizabeth Sharp Sowards, were both Baptist missionaries.
Genevieve taught for 50 years, most of which were in Miami, Dade County, FL. She taught English and debate and took her debate teams to Nationals several times. She loved teaching, and she loved her students. She was in the first group of teachers to receive National Teacher Board Certification and was recognized for this success in the White House. She received numerous awards: National Speech Coach, three Fulbright Scholarships (India, England, Pakistan), four National Endowments for the Humanities in literature, and Teacher of the Year.
It always touched her when students reached out to her years after she taught them to tell her what an influence she had been in their lives.
Genevieve loved to travel and has spent time in England, Burma, Thailand, Bangladesh, Spain, India, Russia, Scotland, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, etc.
For retirement, Genevieve returned to West Virginia, the home of her father and his family. She enjoyed all types of art: painting, paper making, sculpture, and photography. She was a member of the Greenbrier Artists, the West Virginia Watercolor Society, and the Monroe County Fine Artists.
She is survived by her brother, Neil Sowards (Diana) of Fort Wayne, IN; her children, Grand and Renee Gillen of West Palm Beach, FL, Laura and Mike Miller of McDonough, GA, Layton Gillen of Marysville, OH, and Glen and Katharina Gillen of Los Osos, CA; grandchildren; and many very dear friends.
Memorial services will be held at the Gillen house at 550 Reynolds Road, Union, WV, at 11 AM on Wednesday, September 20, 2017, with the Rev. Ben James officiating. Burial will follow in the Reynolds Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Monroe Arts Alliance, P.O. Box 456, Union, WV 24983.
Those wishing to sent online condolences to the Gillen family may do so by visiting www.grovesfuneral home.com.
Groves Funeral Home in Union is in charge of arrangements.
Obituary originally published in the September 19, 2017 edition of The West Virginia Daily News.
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