QULIN — Wilma Geniece Hefner, formerly of Qulin, Missouri, passed away Saturday, March 26, 2022, at Westwood Hills Health Care Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, at the age of 98.
Born on Dec. 21, 1923, in Malden, Missouri, to the late Frank and Florena Skidmore Huffman, Geniece moved with her family to Qulin when she was six. She grew up in the Osborn community and faithfully attended Osborn General Baptist Church for nearly 90 years.
On Dec. 20, 1940, she married Lloyd Hefner in Poplar Bluff and together they raised four children and opened their home to several grandchildren. They celebrated 64 years of marriage prior to his death on March 14, 2005.
Life wasn’t always easy for the Hefners. With no car or telephone and barely 20 years old, Geniece stayed home and cared for her two toddler boys while Lloyd served his country in Japan as a Navy seaman during World War II. Two girls were born to them in the years following the war and they continued to work side by side on their small farm raising hogs and chickens, growing corn, cotton, and a garden full of vegetables, and teaching their children to hunt, fish, and appreciate the value of hard work.
In the late 1950s, Lloyd became a builder and Geniece began working outside the home. She managed the Deken Ferry Grocery at the St. Francis River east of Qulin, and later worked at Tom Campbell’s Store where she made lunch sandwiches for students who were attending Qulin High School.
In the early 1970s she worked as a nurse’s aide in labor and delivery, and in the nursery at Lucy Lee Hospital. She was excited to be working there when some of her own grandchildren were born.
After her retirement 10 years later, she and Lloyd grew large patches of strawberries, sweet corn, and tomatoes, and sold them along Highway 53 near their home site.
Geniece loved flowers and spent countless hours in her yard tending them. She was also an avid reader and read the Bible “cover to cover” several times. More than anything, she loved making holiday dinners for her entire family. She secretly enjoyed the squabbling over her special dishes like cherry jubilee and pecan pie, and somehow endured the commotion that surrounded the endless rounds of
Pinochle played around the kitchen table afterwards.
Mrs. Hefner leaves behind two sons: Delane Hefner of Qulin, Allen Hefner of Milledgeville, Tennessee; one daughter: Rhonda (Johnny) Howe of Poplar Bluff; one brother: Jerry Huffman of Memphis, Tennessee; one sister: Mary Byrum of Foley, Alabama; eight grandchildren: Todd (Charlene) Hefner, Rick (Sis) Hefner, Brian (Sherry) Cole, Sonya Hefner, Tonya Cryer, Christie Casada, Dr. Seanica Howe, and Seann (Emilie) Howe; 14 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren; a former daughter-in-law: Diane Bishop; a former son-in-law: Richard Barr; and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a daughter: Reva Jean Barr; a daughter-in-law: Ersa Jean Hefner; a sister: Pauline Osborn; and two brothers: Elroyce Huffman and Donald “Pete” Huffman.
Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 29, 2022 at White-Sanders Funeral Home in Qulin. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Mark Book officiating. Burial will be at the Qulin Cemetery.
Condolences: www.whitesandersfuneralhome.com.