Geneva Pearl Rutledge Abner

Geneva Pearl Rutledge Abner, 90, born January 4, 1935, in Metcalf County, KY to Minne Bune Lawson Rutledge and Willie E. Rutledge. She and her brother Robert E. Rutledge moved to Columbus in 1941 with her father after her mother passed. At the age of 15 she lived on her own, and worked for Roy McQueen in a small restaurant, and other small restaurants, such as the Swan and the Belvedier Hotel. After getting married to William O. Abner and raising 4 children, she went back to work as a Senior Nurses Aide at Bartholomew County Hospital in 1973, where she worked for 16 years, then went to work for Hospice for 10 years before retiring. She was a member of East Columbus Christian Church. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, May 9, 2025, at Jewell-Rittman Family Funeral Home with Ron Bridgewater officiating. Calling hours will be from 12 p.m. until service time Friday at the funeral home. Geneva will be laid to rest beside her husband William at Garland Brook Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Our Hospice of South-Central Indiana and American Heart Association. Surviving are 4 children; William Daryl (Pam) Abner, Robert Graylyn (Cristall) Abner, Giovanna (Steve) Abner McHenry, Bryan Keith (Angela) Abner; 11 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. We would like to recognize her fiancé, Tom Starnes loving, caring, blessing God sent, to her. Geneva was preceded in death by her parents, Willie and Minnie Rutledge; husband, William O. Abner and her brother Robert E. Rutledge.