Geneva Guckian's Obituary
On Tuesday, May 18, 2021, Geneva Erma Guckian, loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away at the age of 101. Geneva was born on January 1, 1920 in Springfield, Missouri to Homer and Erma Salmon. She was raised on 160-acre farm in Boynton, Oklahoma. Geneva and her two sisters Juanita and Melvina loved helping on the farm. That’s where her love of gardening all started. In 1938, she received her high school diploma from Liberty High School and was captain of the girls basketball team. On September 24, 1942, she married the love of her life James Joseph Guckian Jr. right before he left to serve in World War II. While he was away, she worked for John Paul Getty as a riveter producing war material. She worked on P38 and B15 bomber aircraft. As soon as James returned from the war, they moved to Houston, Texas and started a family having one daughter, JoAnn and one son, James (Steve). She loved being a stay at home mother while her children were young. Later she went to work for Windwood Presbyterian Church.
Geneva was always a nurturer at heart. She would always take care of the neighborhood kids. She cared for many of her grandchildren and great grandchildren over the years and she worked in the nursery at church. She had a passion for gardening. She would work for hours in the garden planting vegetables or flowers and she could make anything grow. If she wasn’t working in the garden or playing with her grandkids, she would be watching sports (Houston Astros, Texans and Rockets) and loved the TV shows MASH and Mama’s Family. She also loved to read the National Enquirer and STAR magazines.
Geneva made friends wherever she went. She was such a kind, compassionate person. She would do anything that she could for you. She loved to celebrate holidays and wake up early every Christmas morning ready to open presents. Since her birthday was on New Year’s Day, she would always stay up until midnight New Year’s Eve to sing, toast and receive her many birthday phone calls. She enjoyed listening to old time country music. Her favorite singers were Ernest Tubb, Loretta Lynn, Bob Wills and Patsy Cline. She loved to eat chocolate and Werther’s candy and she always had a supply nearby. She once said that it was the reason for her longevity.
Geneva was preceded in death by her husband, James, her two sisters Juanita and Melvina and many more loved ones.
She is survived by her two children: JoAnn Coker and her husband Morris, Steve Guckian and his wife Linda. Her grandchildren: Angela Coker and her children Kathleen and Darwin, Shawn Coker and his wife Jessica and their children Danika and Christopher, Laura Huffman and her husband Matthew and their children Tristan and Chloe, Julie Cooney and her husband Matt and their daughter Jaclyn, and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Geneva will be laid to rest in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. There will be a graveside service on Sunday, May 30, 2021 at 9:00 am.
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