Geneva Ruth Osborne Nicewonder, a resident of Beckley and formerly of Princeton, West Virginia, died on December 20, 2018, at Harper Mills in Beckley, West Virginia. She was 100 years old.

Geneva was born near Boone, NC, on August 13, 1918. She was the only child of the late Edgar Reeves Osborne and Lizzie Eller South Osborne. She graduated from Boone High School and the Perry School of Business. After graduation, she was employed by Belk's Department Store in Boone.

Upon her marriage to Eugene E. Nicewonder in 1938, Geneva moved to Bluefield, WV. She and Eugene spent most of their married life in the Bluefield-Princeton area with a few years of residence in Wheelersburg, OH, Buffalo, NY, and Cleveland, OH. After her children were grown, Geneva was employed at Milhuff's Dept. Store in Wheelersburg and Leggett's Dept. Store in Princeton. In 2003 she and Eugene moved to Beckley to be near their daughter, Rebecca. In 2009, due to declining health, Geneva moved to Greystone Senior Living Community in Beaver.

Geneva was known for her warmth and her sense of humor. She was an avid reader, collector of dolls, bird watcher, seeker of yard sale treasures, protector of animals, and the best grandmother that a child could have. She was a member of Carr Memorial Methodist Church in Glenwood Park, West Virginia.

Geneva was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Eugene, by daughter-in-law, Virginia Blanford Nicewander, by an infant granddaughter, Natalie Ruth Kirkpatrick, and by an infant great-grandson, Jeremy Eugene Nicewander.

Survivors include one son, Robert K. Nicewander of Aberdeen, Maryland, and three daughters, Anna E. Childers of Seneca, South Carolina, Donna L. Bensey and her husband, Lee, of Charlottesville, Virginia, and Rebecca S. Kirkpatrick and her husband, Judge Harry L. Kirkpatrick III, of Beckley; 7 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; and 4 great-great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, if you would care to honor Geneva's love of animals, gifts may be made to The Mercer County Animal Shelter, 961 Shelter Road, Princeton, WV 24740. Geneva spent many happy hours at the Princeton Public Library, 920 Mercer Street, Princeton, WV 24740, which will use donations made in Geneva's memory to purchase books in her name.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM on December 29 at Seaver Funeral Home, 1507 N. Walker St., Princeton, WV, with Pastor Dewey Lowe officiating. Interment will follow at Monte Vista Park Cemetery on Maple Acres Road, Bluefield. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.seaverfuneralservice.com.