Geneva Lou Wheless Schiffman

Geneva Lou Wheless Schiffman, 75, left this earth for her heavenly home on January 9, 2015, in Amarillo. Services will be 10:00 AM Saturday, January 17, 2015, in Carmichael-Whatley Colonial Chapel with Rev. Jim Fox, chaplain of IntegraCare Hospice of Amarillo, and Rev. Philip Elsheimer, retired pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors. Geneva was born July 17, 1939 in Blanchard, OK to Addie Marie and Samuel Tilden Wheless. She had three sisters, Mary, Trula and Emma, and three brothers, True, Bill, and Sammy Joe. After graduation she moved to Pampa and worked at Hi-Land Pharmacy where she met the love of her life Orval Benjamin (Bob) Schiffman, Jr. At 21 years of age she married Bob in Sayer, OK on June 3, 1960 and began raising him and his three children, Bobby J, Benny and Janet. In 1961 they added a daughter, Carla, and in 1963 they added a son, Matthew to make the family complete. Geneva and Bob were faithfully devoted to each other for 54 years, seven months and 6 days. Bob proudly called her the most important thing in his life. On July 1, 1966, Geneva and Bob started their oilfield repair business, Schiffman Machine Company which they have run together for the last 48 years and he loving referred to her as the Chairman of the Board. In the early years she would get the oldest three kids ready and delivered to school and take the youngest two to work where she ran the office, and when needed, she would be out in the shop in overalls cleaning parts and doing what she could to help out. She would then pick up the kids from school, go home and start supper, begin the never ending laundry, fix baths for the kids and get them in bed, and then when all was done she would rest. For last 35 years she has been semi-retired letting Carla run the office, while she worked from home doing the Federal and State Reports which Bob and Carla jokingly said “if any reports were wrong, and someone was going to jail, she could have the vacation!” Never a dull day! Geneva supported the kids in all their activities as they grew up. She was always on the go in her trusty station wagon taking the kids here and there. She was called Mom by many of the neighbor kids that were always at her house playing with her brood. Everyone was welcome and she always had a supply of snacks, fruit and pop-cicles on hand. Over the years she was a member of the Desk and Derrick Club of Pampa, Top O’ Texas Square Dancers, and numerous booster clubs associated with the kid’s activities. She was an avid bowler for over 30 years and was still “rolling the old marble” up until the time of her death. She was a League Secretary for many years and bowled in many state and national tournaments around the country. She has had a box seat at the Top O’ Texas Rodeo for many years and she loved going to rodeos and cheering for the cowboys and cowgirls and especially watching the animals. Another favorite activity she enjoyed with Bob was going to Oklahoma on the weekends and playing the slot machines – Cha-Ching! They called this going to their Senior Citizens Activity Center. Geneva was preceded in death by her parents, her in-laws, Orval and Ethel Schiffman; her 3 brothers; and sister Trula Wheless. Survivors include her husband, Bob and their schnauzer, Katie Bell; two daughters, Carla Schiffman of Pampa, and Betty Janet Schiffman of Turkey, TX; three sons, Matthew Schiffman, Bobby J Schiffman and wife Rosemary, and Benjamin (Benny) Schiffman and wife Cathy, all of Pampa; two sisters, Mary Wheless of Norman, OK, and Emma Bowers and husband Jimmy of Miami, TX; grand kids, Beverly Schiffman of Groom, TX, Bonnie Aycock and husband Jeff of Tamarac, FL, Shawn Rogers and wife Haley of Comanche, TX, Cody Schiffman and wife Kim of Canada, Dakota Schiffman, Kevin Schiffman and Mariah Schiffman (Granny’s favorite nurse-maid) of Pampa, David Greene of Turkey, TX, and Peyton Preston of Abilene, TX; great-grandkids, Rebecca, Samantha, Christopher, Dylan, Grady, Corbett, Madison, Gacie, Serenity, Dusty, Braxton, Jayla, and Harley ; two brothers-in-law Jim Schiffman and his wife Tsuneko of Tamecula, CA, and Carl Schiffman and wife Charlotte of Ft. Worth.; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and their families across the country. Geneva was a very casually dressed lady, and in her honor, the family would like to ask friends and family to dress accordingly for her service. Memorials may be made to the Pampa Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), PO Box 2095, Pampa TX 79066-2095.