Geneva Ilene Doss

Geneva Ilene Doss, age 101, of Winslow, died Thursday, January 29, 2015 in Fayetteville. She was born December 7, 1913 in the Black Oak Community, the daughter of Thomas Plez and Lillie Hutchins Jamerson. She was preceded in death by her husband, Millard Doss in 2004, two brothers, Odus and Ben and three sisters, Mary, Berlene and Opal. The day Geneva was born, the midwife from the neighboring community of Sunset made the trek over to help Lillie deliver her second of six children at home. Geneva grew up milking cows, sheering sheep, thrashing wheat and growing cash crops like tomatoes and strawberries on beautiful Jamerson Mountain. She attended both Black Oak and Clifty Schools, and in the summer months she would accompany her father in the wagon to the bustling town of Winslow to sell farm produce to tourists visiting from the River Valley. On October 15, 1938, after several years of patient courting, Geneva married Millard Doss, from Sunset, at the Fayetteville Courthouse. The couple "honeymooned" in Texas, picking cotton on a plantation with most of the Jamerson family. Geneva and Millard had three sons, Marion, Mervil, and Roger, in Arkansas. After several years of draught in the South, the family emigrated to Fullerton, California in 1949. Millard left first to find work, and when he had saved enough money, he sent for Geneva and the boys, who made the three day journey by train to join him. A year later, Geneva gave birth their youngest son, Kenneth. Geneva, Millard, and their four sons made a yearly trip back to Black Oak every August when the General Motors Factory that Millard worked in shut down to make adjustments for the next year's model. In the mid-1970s, Millard retired. Geneva and Millard moved back to Arkansas and eventually bought land and built a house less than one mile down the road from the Jamerson farm where Geneva grew up. Millard and Geneva were life long members of the Black Oak Church of Christ and set a living example of the life of Jesus for all those around them. Geneva was an avid knitter and a great cook, most notably known for her chocolate chip cookies, chocolate gravy and biscuits and her signature chicken and cornbread dressing. Geneva enjoyed playing with her grandbabies and sharing her amazing life stories with family and friends. She is survived by four sons, Marion Doss and his wife Kathleen of Farmington, Kenny Doss of Winslow, Roger Doss and his wife Diana of Elephant Butte, New Mexico and Mervil Doss and his wife Elizabeth of West Fork; 16 grandchildren, Jinger, Jeanette, Jennifer, Andy, Steven, Jeremy, David, Aaron, Crystal, Byron, Michael, Shane, Autumn, Roseann, Lana and Ethan; 27 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; and a house full of nieces and nephews. Visitation will be 2–4 p.m., Sunday, February 1, 2015 at Moore's Chapel. Funeral service will be held 11 a.m., Monday at Black Oak Church of Christ with burial to follow at Black Oak cemetery, under the direction of Moore's Chapel. To sign the online guest book, visit www.mooresfuneralchapel.com.