Ruth “Geneva” Bryant Harwell, 90, of Little Rock, went singing into heaven on June 14, 2018. She was born on June 26, 1927. She is predeceased by her parents, J. Chelsey & Cora B. Bryant; her “one true love” and husband of 45 years, Raymond K. Harwell; and her only sister, Lois Louise Bryant.
Geneva grew up in a family that loved music. Her mother taught her to play chords on an old pump organ and “she never got it out of her system”. She and her sister grew up in the Baring Cross neighborhood and with their parents formed the Bryant Family Quartet. They sang at churches throughout Arkansas and were the featured singers at a “brush arbor” (tent revival) gathering that marked the start of Geyer Springs Baptist Church. They could be heard on regional radio programs in the Golden Era of gospel music. Too eager to learn to play piano through structured lessons, she taught herself to play by ear. She also taught herself to play the accordion, guitar, and harmonica. Geneva always gave thanks for her talents as “a gift from God”. Her music-making had an upbeat rhythm that caught hold of her audience and wouldn’t let go. Like “Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy”, her audience could never get enough of that wonderful stuff!
Geneva and Raymond were long-time members of Asbury United Methodist Church. Over the years, she played piano for her Sunday School Class as well as a steady Wednesday night “gig” at the Hays Senior Center in NLR. She also played and sang regularly at local nursing homes and area senior-living-centers including Campus Towers, Willow House, and Heritage House.
After graduating from NLR High School in 1945, she went on to work for several years in the local office of the Mobil Oil Company where she later met her husband, Raymond. Following job transfers to Amarillo, Dallas, and Los Angeles, they returned to Little Rock in 1971.
Geneva retired in 1989 after serving 18 years as the “frontline face and voice” of Little Rock Water where she greeted customers as “Hon’” and “Suga’”. It seems fitting that one of her favorite songs was “Jesus on the Mainline”.
She gave big hugs, firm squeezes and hard pinches. We’ll miss her trademark line: “Come give Neva some Suga’ Booga’!” She is survived by her cousin Donna Carlson and her husband Steve of Little Rock, and their children, Jennifer Thomason of Chapel Hill, NC and Chad Carlson of Little Rock, and their families; cousin James “Buddy” Davenport of New Smyrna Beach, FL and Harold Davenport of Little Rock; two god-daughters, Karen Griffin & Stephanie Bowman, and a host of extended family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Music or Prison Ministries of Asbury United Methodist Church of Little Rock.
A graveside service will be at 9:00 am on Saturday, June 16, 2018 at Pinecrest Memorial Park. Arrangements by Griffin, Leggett, Healey & Roth, 5800 West 12th, Little Rock, AR.
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