Genne Christian Mitchell

Genne Christian Mitchell, was born in their family home in Grove, Oklahoma. She was the youngest of seven children. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on September 15, 2016, at the age of 93. She graduated from Grove High School and moved to Tulsa seeking employment. Like her sisters, she was ahead of her time being a working woman. It was in Tulsa where she met and later married Rex Mitchell. Rex was the twin brother of Ray Mitchell who was married to Genne's sister, Gwen. Genne was a loving and devoted wife to Rex for more than 50 years. He was with Dupont which located them in Dallas, TX, San Mateo, CA, and Berwyn, PA. Upon Rex's retirement, they joined Ray and Gwen Mitchell in Tulsa and shared a duplex. The four of them enjoyed traveling together on many antique road trips. Genne was always the picture of loveliness, was accomplished in the kitchen and set a beautiful table. Everything she did had her special touch of perfection. She was a loyal member of Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church. She also was very generous with her time, volunteering at the Little Light House and serving on various committees at Montereau Retirement Community where she resided in her later years of life. Genne was preceded in death by her husband Rex and their only child, Kay O'Hara. She is survived by her grandchildren Patrick O'Hara, Scott O'Hara, Chrissy Santana and her husband Xavier; her great grandchildren Ashley and Lexy Santana and her great great grandchild, Lily Kay. She is also survived by nieces and nephews and their spouses: Carol and Bill Orr, Phil and Marcia Mitchell, Jane and David Edmonds, Jan and John Delay as well as many great nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank the Montereau staff for their kindness and attentiveness. A memorial service will be held at Montereau Retirement Center at 1:00 p.m., Friday, September 23, 2016. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Little Light House, 5120 East 36th Street, Tulsa, OK 74135, or Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church, 4102 East 61st Street, Tulsa, OK 74136. Moore's Southlawn 918-663-2233 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On a bright October day in 1922, Genne Christian popped into a little corner of the world called Grove, Oklahoma, a sleepy little town of about 600 citizens, lots of lovely forests, and many clearwater streams. In the days leading up to the sixth anniversary of that event, her brother, Ray, who had been battling a ruptured appendix, died. In the following hubbub, no one seemed to notice that the funeral was to take place on Genne's special birthday. Only Rays employer's wife remembered; she gave Genne a comb-brush-mirror set. It was the little girl's only gift. In the dark muddle of trying to comprehend the mystery of death and her mother's distraction the gift shone like a star. Even 88 years later, Genne remembers the blue and pink flowers resting on the backs of the mirror and brush. Grove did not escape the raging Dust Bowl. "My mother hung wet towels in front of the windows and stuffed newspapers to stop some of the dust," Genne says. The scariest time was when she and some siblings, walking home, saw a huge black cloud of dust rolling toward them. Panicked by the cloud's raging enormity they ran to get home before it hit. (Years later, Genne's nephew, Jess Porter, wrote his doctoral thesis on the Dust Bowl. Ken Burns used some of Jess's research in preparing for his prize winning documentary of the Dust Bowl.) As the youngest of seven, Genne had plenty of growing-up examples. But she was the only one of her siblings to have a teen-age career as a newspaper reporter! With a salary! Like any other thrifty girl during the Great Depression, she banked most of it. Grove had its own newspaper, The Grove Sun. In the 1898 edition, the editor bragged that Grove had four doctors, three blacksmiths, a feed store, a 16-room hotel, and a part-time lawyer. How did Genne land the job of reporter? The editor went to the school for references. I guess they recommended me. He asked my father--he was a friend of the family--if it'd be all right--I was young, you know." About the editor, she says, "He just wrote what he thought." Evidently what he thought was not what the locals thought. Genne shakes her head. "I don't know how he didn't get shot." One story stands out in her memory: a car wreck. It was bad but, "I may have made it sound worse than it was," she says wryly. After high school, Genne moved to Tulsa where "I had every intention of getting a day job and attending night school at TU." Instead, she landed a job so good that she deleted night school from her plans. The new job required to quote prices and handle orders for oilfield refining equipment. "Oh, gosh, did I have to study the catalogue." At that time, she lived with her favorite sister, Gwen. Gwen's husband, Ray, wanted Genne to be with his wife who was expecting her second child. Genne became almost a second mother to Gwen's children. Ray had a twin brother named Rex. When Rex needed a dancing partner he took Genne. She didn't mind because she loved to dance. "I wouldn't call it a date," she says. After all, Rex was eight years older than Genne. So when he was drafted, it was no big deal. Genne simply found another partner, Charlie. "Charlie wasn't much of a dancer," Genne says with a sad little smile. Nevertheless, they got engaged. "I didn't want to," she explains, "but when someone hands you a gift, nicely wrapped, what do you say?" Obviously what she said was Yes. "I knew I had to give the ring back to him, and I did." It wasn't a week too soon! The Army released Rex about that time. "He was angry when he learned that I'd been engaged. I guess he thought he'd better get high behind," she says with a coy grin. Rex did, indeed, get 'high behind,' and the couple married in the early 40s. They moved to Dallas where Genne suffered a long bout of severe homesickness. Did she cry? "Not where he could see me." In time, Genne and Rex had a daughter, Kay. Kay was their only child, so when she--still in her 40's--died, the couple's grief was nearly intolerable. Genne talked with friends, and the couple wept and talked together for hours at a time. Genne believes expressing grief--even when words can scarcely carry the weight of such enormous pain--is a healthy way to get it out. After a long, happy marriage, Rex died. Genne moved to Montereau. "I was the 32nd person to come," says Genne. Her sister, Gwen, came, too. That was in 2003 when Montereau's door swung open for the first time. Genne eventually moved from independent living to the Villa. Is she happy in the Villa? "I am happy because I decided to be happy." Genne firmly believes that contentment is largely a matter of decision. The four quilts hanging on the wall of Independent Living's first floor honor those charter members. Each square of quilt is dedicated to one person or couple. By Judith O'Brien, Montereau Resident

Genne Christian Mitchell

October 8, 1922 - September 15, 2016