Geneva Holmes

Geneva M. Holmes, age 97, of Adel, (formerly of Earlham), passed away on April 22, 2020. Due to COVID-19 and current State of Iowa restrictions on social gatherings, a private family graveside service will take place Tuesday April 28th at Union Cemetery near Guthrie Center. Geneva was born on July 6, 1922 on a farm NE of Guthrie Center, Iowa to Claude Charles and Nettie Leona (Kinkennon) Hafner. She went to Country School and graduated from Panora High School at the age of 18. In 1941 she started teaching Country School in Victory township. She taught school for 10 years total before and during her marriage to Ellis. Geneva married Ellis Holmes on July 3, 1943 in Guthrie Center. They made their home east of Guthrie Center until March of 1944 when they moved to a farm west of Menlo. In 1947 they moved NE of Guthrie Center, were she taught country school while helping Ellis farm. In 1950 they moved SE of Guthrie Center and lived there 13 years. In 1963 they moved south of Dexter and lived there 6 years. She and her husband worked very hard. It seemed like there was no end to building fence and chores. They made a lot of good friends during these years. Although they had no children of their own, they took in many foster children over the years. In 1968 Geneva and Ellis were able to find and purchase 80 acres west of Winterset. They lived there and farmed until Ellis passed away in January of 1979. After his passing she had a farm sale and moved to an apartment in Winterset for a short time. In October of 1980 she bought her own home in Earlham. On June 7, 1988 Geneva married Ted Rote at the Earlham Friends Church in Earlham. Together they spent their winters in Arizona and summers in Iowa. Geneva and Ted loved to travel and visited many places until Ted’s passing in November of 1997. She and Ted always made time for many family gatherings. Geneva went on a number of bus trips with family. She was such a kind and thoughtful lady. Geneva continued to live in her home in Earlham until moving to Adel in January of 2017. Geneva was baptized in the First Christian Church in Guthrie Center. She was a member of Early Chapel Christian Church in Earlham. Geneva was very strong in her faith and very active in her church. Serving as a Deacon for many years, she was awarded a plaque for her service with lifetime voting rights. She was a member of the Finance and Property committee and a member and officer of Christian Women Fellowship. As a service chairman she organized the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox campaign each year, and organized and took cakes to local nursing homes each month. Survivors include, a foster daughter, Karen Rogers of Arizona; four foster grandchildren, Kevin, Brent (Lydia), Malea and Chay’le (Jeff) and three foster great grand children; Step son Jerry (Sharon) Rote of Stuart, Step daughter Shirley (Ed) Menefee of Maryville, Missouri; four step grandchildren, Daryl (Lisa), Janet, Jason (Kimberly) and Nicole; 6 step great grand children; along with many nieces, nephews and friends who loved her dearly. Geneva was preceded in death by her husbands Ellis Holmes and Ted Rote; her father Claude and mother, Nettie; her sisters, Calista Hafner, Hazel Belding, and Beulah Reeves; and brothers, Dwight Hafner, and Claude Jr. Hafner. Memorial donations can be made to Early Chapel Christian Church in Earlham. Online condolences may be left at www.caldwellparrish.com