Geneva Redwine DeBerry was born to the late Reverend Fernander R. Redwine and
Ethel Lisk Redwine on April 2, 1936. At an early age Geneva accepted Christ as her
Lord and Savior. She was a member of a Baptist Church in Henderson, Texas.
As a young child Geneva and her 11 siblings worked as "pickers" on their family's cotton
farm in Texas. "Ouch!" And she hated it. Geneva said the thorns on the cotton vines
would hurt her hands and made them bleed. She often talked about the hardwork and
how embarrassing it was when she and her family "picked".
School kids, as they walked to school on the dirt road along her family's cotton field,
often yelled out to Geneva and her brothers and sisters. The kids would point and
shout things. Some of the children would say, "See you Redwines at school… in the
rainy season! HaHaHa!" Only during the rainy season were some kids allowed to
attend classes. Otherwise, on hot rainless Texas days, it was often the less fortunate
kids who were out in the cotton fields, getting bloody hands and missing school.
Working in the cotton fields made Geneva strong and wise. However, things were
different back in those days. At 14 years old Geneva was married to a friend of one of
her brothers. His name was Frank McCowan. Being only 14, Geneva was not sure if
she was in love or if their marriage was an opportunity for her to escape the cotton fields
of Texas. From her marriage to Frank, they welcomed into the world five children:
Frankie, Janet, Karen, Randy, and Allen. As their years together passed by Geneva and
Frank ended up divorced. And Geneva found herself facing another difficult time in her
life.
As fate often does, about five years later, Geneva met a tall handsome black man.
Willard Murray DeBerry stood 6'1" and Geneva had a special feeling about Willard.
Geneva and Willard were married. Willard was a special man who was a fine husband
became a good stepfather to Geneva's children. After they were married, Timothy
DeBerry was born.
In the mid-60s Geneva and Willard chose to live in Boulder Colorado believing their
children would have a better life living and playing with the white children there. In
Boulder, Geneva felt her kids would receive a better opportunity for a good education.
A better chance than she was not able to have… and something that working the cotton
fields took from her.
In the late 60s Geneva was approached to accept two children from Chicago who
needed a foster home. Despite the job of raising her own children, Geneva felt in her
heart she could not turn away these two young girls. Kim and Judy joined her family.
After moving to Boulder, one day Geneva was invited to a dinner party hosted by a nice
middle-class white woman. It turned out this woman invited all the black families of
Boulder to attend. When Geneva showed up to the party some of the invited well-to-do

black families became upset when they perceived Geneva as uneducated and lower
class. These fellow black people left the party and while doing so told the host that she
invited the wrong class of blacks. That incident forever changed Geneva.
Since that day, a fire for education ignited within Geneva. She went back to school at
St. Vrain Adult High School in Longmont. In 1976, while raising her family, Geneva
completed the requirements for graduation and finally, but not lastly, received her
diploma. For Geneva, her eagerness for more education had just begun.
From 1983 through 1986, Geneva operated a group home for boys. DeBerry's
Specialized Group Home for Teen-age boys.
In 1987 Geneva became a member of the "Golden Key International Honor Society". In
1988 Geneva received her Bachelor of Science from Metropolitan State College in
Denver. But her desire to learn and help others to learn drove her deeper into
education. She attended West Virginia University and there she received a Master of
Social Work in 1992.
No doubt Geneva faced hard times, difficult hurdles and tough challenges. But in the
end, all those days spent in the cotton fields, her bloodied hands, the ridicule of friends
and classmates and the arrogance of strangers had finally paid off.
A hero is defined as: a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding
achievements, or noble qualities. Geneva was a hero!
In her later years Geneva and Willard enjoyed spending time in the warm weather of
Arizona. She and Willard liked being "snowbirds".
During her years on God's earth, Geneva touched and influenced many lives: Her
children and their families, cousins, family friends, colleagues and students. She was
loved in life and will be honored in the future, and she will be greatly missed. She left
behind a heritage of compassion, commitment and love.
Geneva always implored her family about the importance of education. Many times,
she told her son Randy, that her mission was to leave her children, grandchildren and
great grandchildren with a legacy about the importance of a good education.  And she
did!
Mrs. Geneva Redwine DeBerry is preceded in death by her parents, Reverend
Fernander and Ethel Redwine, beloved husband Willard Murray DeBerry, son's Allen
Paul McCowan, and Frankie III. Sisters; Ruth Ethel Redwine; Ruthie Lee Alexander;
Lucille Reed; Aletha Henderson; LoEthel Roberson; and Juanita Brown Thomas;
Brothers; Henry Wesley Redwine, Sr.; Wilmer Hugh Redwine, Sr.; Jack "Dune"
Redwine; Leonard Redwine, Sr.; and Otis Robert Redwine, Sr. Those left to cherish her
memory include her children: Janet S. McCowan, Karen V. McCord, (Walter McCord),

Etown KY. Randy M. McCowan, Aurora CO. and Timothy W. DeBerry (Michelle).
Grandchildren; Willard Frank McCowan (Stephanie); and Walter Jr. McCord (Alexus).