Rev. Geneva Rushing

Rev. Geneva M. Rushing, age 87, formerly of Montello, WI passed away peacefully early Thursday morning, June 19, 2014 at the Markesan Resident Home. She was born on June 10, 1927 in George, Iowa, the daughter of Dick and Rowena (De Weerd) Van Wyhe. They Moved to Wisconsin in 1941 and lived on a farm near Clinton. Unable to attend high school in her teenage years, Geneva attended Delavan-Darien High School at the age of 31. She attended for two years, earning 14 credits; Geneva then attended Whitewater College Summer School on probation earning 8 more credits. Then she attended Taylor County Teachers College at Medford earning a two year teaching degree in 1963. She and her daughter, Peg, then moved to Loyal, WI where she remained a teacher and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in her spare time from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The next two years led them to Burlington, WI where Peg attended Court Reporting classes in Kenosha and Geneva was a member of a team of seven teachers teaching 240 sixth grade children. Her father had cancer at this time so they returned to the Washington School of Marshfield where she taught fifth and sixth grade reading for four more years. In 1971, she married Rev. W. Dan Rushing of Green River, Wyoming. She taught at the Jim Bridger Project School until December of 1972 and then moved to Brinkley, Arkansas to start the Church of Nazarene. There Geneva taught the third and fourth grades during integration until moving back to Marshfield in 1973. Geneva then taught third and fourth grades in the same room at East Freemont Grade School and eventually using her Reading Specialist degree to teach junior high remedial reading and eventually moving to the Lincoln School. Geneva loved teaching. They then moved to Waukau, WI where her husband was called to be pastor. Geneva then attended the Garret Theological Seminary and graduated with Masters of Divinity degree in 1984. She was ordained an Elder in 1986 by Bishop Lawson. She then served at Kingston United Methodist Church and the Dalton Congregational Church, also the Wisconsin Dells/Lake Delton Methodist Church, the Davis Corners Methodist Church and at the Boyceville Methodist Church and eventually returning the Dalton/Kingston area. She loved being a minister of the gospel. She was a retired clergy member of the Loyal Methodist Circuit in Loyal, WI since 2004. Geneva is survived by two daughters: Margaret "Peg" (Brian) Brunner of Montello and Laura (Rodger) Van Wyhe of Eau Clare, and one son, W. Daniel Rushing III of Virginia Beach, VA. Other survivors include two grandchildren: Tracy and David Rushing, one brother: Rodger (Laura) Van Wyhe of Eau Clare and one sister, Rae (Cliff) Buikema of Minneapolis, MN. She is further survived by sisters-in-law: Lola Van Wyhe, and Phyllis Van Wyhe of Baronette and many nieces, nephews and friends. Geneva is preceded in death by her parents, husband, two sisters: Joan and Phyllis and two brothers: Richard and Keith. Following Geneva's wishes, a graveside prayer service led by Rev. Ethan Larson will be held on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at the Montello City Cemetery. Memorials are preferred to the church of your choice.

Crawford Funeral and Cremation Service of Montello and Oxford is Honored to be serving the family. www.CrawfordFH.com

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

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Previous Events

Graveside Prayer Service
Tuesday, June 24, 2014