Geneva Shelton Weedon

If you're curious who she was, you may know she's the lady that would just randomly spark up a conversation with a stranger, hand a child a dollar bill just to see them smile, bake cheesecakes for friends and would do anything to help another.

In her life, she enjoyed taking care of people young and old, she worked at nursing homes and took care of her family and friends. She did everything from getting them ready to tucking her grandchildren in at night. She devoted her life to her children, she cared for their children so they would never have to miss a day from work or worry their kids were safe. In return it gave her the hearts of all those she cared for and it filled them with her memories to help her live on.

She lived a long life full of love and laughter. If you were to ask her what the secret she would tell you. "You gotta keep on moving!"

Preceded in death by her husband Ray Leonard Weedon, two brothers, and three sisters.

She is survived by three children, Linda Salisbury, Jerry Weedon, and Vickie King, and five grandchildren, Jim Salisbury, Jason Salisbury, Curri Weedon and husband, Andy Gaydish, Heather Place and husband, Eric, and Jessica Connors and husband Patrick and three great grandchildren, Julian Gaydish, Frankie Gaydish, and Elora Place.

A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, September 1, 2021 in Sunset Memorial Gardens at 2:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association. https://act.alz.org/site/Donation

Online condolences may be sent at www.mullinsthompsonfredericksburg.com

Memories of Grandma:

I want to take a moment to recognize my grandma had dementia which stole her from us before she left this world. It took her little by little and it took every bit of her to fight it and we all know she was a fighter.

It took her ability to collect new memories and replaced it with collecting rocks. When she couldn't collect new memories, she tried to hold on to everything she knew was her. She would read every road sign and spell every license plate she saw but eventually she could no longer read. It made her lose her ability to recognize people and everyone became a familiar face. She would see people in cars, stores, even an old Cracker Barrel photo and think she saw them yesterday. It took her ability to recognize or even know her family one by one. It started with her grandchildren, then children in the order they were born but it brought her husband, mother, father and siblings back to her. It only brought her husband back to her for a short while She would ask daily where's Ray? It eventually turned into where's my momma? or I want my momma. When it started, we told her they had passed and her reaction was that of her hearing it for the first time. We never told her that again we just made excuses for their absence or we would sometimes use her mom as a tool to get her to eat or go to bed. Patrick would bring her cookies and whisper to her “don’t tell momma I gave you this” and she would eat it down. It stole her ability to feel comfort in her own home and she began to wander to find her home. Once we found out she was wandering we fenced in the yard then she would scream for help while sitting in her car port and she still wandered her yard. From this point on she only wanted to go home... but what home? She was at home. She lost her ability to know what she liked to eat, how to dress according to weather or even change at all. Then It took her independence when she moved into our home. She was angry, confused and lost but it had to be done. We would tell her each day her story trying to get her to hold on to any bit of her current life or to remember the people that she was a grandmother or Mother too. My Mom would tell her about her great grandchildren and show her pictures, she would get so excited when they talked about them. When she got to meet them it gave her so much joy but she would never remember them but know she loved them.

It took her ability to know how to sit up followed by not being able to stand then she was unable to walk but she would tap on her tray all day. Who knew that would be something that we would miss hearing. Eventually it took that away followed by her ability to stay sitting up in a regular chair. Her last 45 days she could no longer leave her recliner and she was cared for daily by my mom, Patrick and myself. In this time she would lose her ability to know how to eat she would constantly chew. Her vocabulary shrank to a few words, mostly yeah or no and she would tell us thank you. So at least we know she appreciated us even though she had lost the memory of every one of us. We all looked into her eyes and saw the empty shell of what was once the woman we all knew as we watched her fade. We would ask her certain questions to make sure she was still there... like do you want a cigarette 3 weeks prior to her passing she would tell us “No! I don't smoke!” We would also ask her what her name is and she would always say Geneva Weedon. Until 2 weeks ago when she answered Geneva Shelton she was no longer a great grandmother, grandmother, or mother, she left this world as Geneva Shelton because everything she knew was locked away but there is a key. It was the one thing dementia couldn't steal and that was her ability to have a good time! If you ever miss her, know this song always brought her back to us no matter what the situation, it would make her so happy to hear it. As you listen to it, know she will be shaking her hand in the air dancing with you! *Elvis Presley - All Shook up*

Written By: Jessica Connors