Genevieve Ruth Martin Lincoln, 96

VENICE, Fla.—Genevieve Lincoln had an infectious love of life and was one of those people who never met a stranger. She embraced her early life as a farming housewife and then dedicated herself to teaching. She loved traveling across the United States, with several trips to Europe, China, the Holy Land, and Canada.
Genevieve M. Lincoln, 96, passed away of natural causes on Nov. 3, 2017 at her home at Jacaranda Trace in Venice, Fla. She was born Oct. 30, 1921 to Abbie (Kinzy) Martin and Arthur Wylie Martin in the farmhouse of her maternal grandparents, Charles W. Kinzy and Cora (Stinson) Kinzy, near Eskridge, Kan.
Her family moved to Del Norte in 1923. She graduated from Del Norte High School in 1940 and attended Adams State Teachers College in Alamosa for one year, returning to Del Norte, where she worked for the Rio Grande County Bank.
Genevieve joined the Del Norte (CO) Chapter #49, Order of the Eastern Star in 1950. In 1958 she served as Worthy Matron and the following year as district instructor. She was also Mother Advisor of the Del Norte (CO) Assembly Order of Rainbow Girls for several years.
On Nov. 12, 1943 she married Samuel Thomas Lincoln at her parents’ ranch near Del Norte, and they shared nearly 45 years of blissed marriage. On Feb. 6, 1945 the Lincolns were blessed with a son, Thomas Samuel Lincoln. In June 1953, they again were blessed with the adoption of infant daughter, Sarah Geneva Lincoln. The couple farmed in Del Norte until the fall of 1960 when they moved to Shiprock, N.M., where Genevieve taught English and music in The Central Consolidated School District in Shiprock, N.M. The family moved to Alamosa in the beautiful San Luis Valley in 1963, where they lived until their retirement in 1985.
Education was an important goal in Genevieve’s life. She received a BA in elementary education and an MA in education, both from Adams State College in Alamosa. In 1972, she earned an MA in educational media from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. Further education came with a MA in genealogy in 1975 from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
She served as the elementary school librarian and then middle school media specialist in the Alamosa (CO) City School District for over 22 years, retiring in 1985. Upon moving from the San Luis Valley, traveling around the southern part of the U.S. she settled in the Woodmere Jacaranda Trace Condominiums  in Venice, Fla. in 2000.  
Christianity was an important part of her life and she remained active in all aspects of Christian leadership throughout her lifetime. As a young girl, she joined the Presbyterian Church in Del Norte, and over the years she became involved in Sunday school as a superintendent, teacher and musician. She was always active in various women’s church organizations in Del Norte and Alamosa and in Venice, Fla., and served in several groups, including the Mariners, the Session and as a church Deacon. She became one of the first Stephen Ministers at the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Venice, Fla. and enjoyed serving the church’s many shut-in parishioners.
Genevieve Lincoln was preceded in death by her husband, Samuel Lincoln (1988); an infant son (1947); her father Arthur Martin (1966); her mother Abbie Martin (1974); her brother Charles Martin (1962); her sister Rita Martin Black (1969); her brother-in-law Paul Lincoln (2006); her sister-in-law Arlene Lincoln (2011); and her sister-in-law Jane Martin (2014).
She is survived by son Thomas Lincoln (Margaret), Arvada, Colo.; daughter Sarah Lincoln, Huntsville, Ala.; grandchildren: Lisa Lincoln, Venice, Calif.; Lori Lincoln (Benni Wiedmann), Oslo, Norway and Shawn Lincoln, Northglenn, Colo.  
A celebration of life will be hosted by the family in Chapel of the Pioneer United Church (her childhood church and home town), 630 Spruce Street, Del Norte at 2 p.m. on Aug. 4. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Genevieve’s name to benefit Alzheimer’s Association research at: https://alz.org/.