Geneva Belle Delgado passed away on July 22, 2024 in Chula Vista, CA at the age of 96. Geneva was a Missouri farm girl who was born on May 22, 1928 in Ellington, MO to James “Toney” Ratliff and Ila May Asberry. She was one of seven children.
Geneva lived through the Great Depression and often told us of her life on the farm and the living conditions she and her family endured during that time.
Geneva was briefly married to Eugene Loran Sutterfield who was in the United States Navy. As a result of orders, she and Eugene moved to San Diego in the late 1940s.
She had many small jobs. She had a weekend job searching the sky for planes, post WWII. She began working at Convair in San Diego, CA where she was a “bucker” of rivets inside planes as they were manufactured. Convair is where she met Romeo “Del” Delgado who she married in 1955. As a result of their marriage, Geneva and Romeo adopted their only child, Joan Elaine Delgado. Joan was the light of their lives.
In 1986 she and Del divorced after 31 years of marriage.
Geneva was a fantastic seamstress, sewing clothing for herself, family and friends. She loved to be fashionable and sewing helped her accomplish that. She also enjoyed needle crafts and quilting. She participated in quilting clubs at Southwestern College and at the Chula Vista Presbyterian Church. She quilted many beautiful quilts. She loved to grow roses and tend her garden. Geneva was also a fantastic cook.
Geneva was preceded in death by her parents, James “Toney” Ratliff and Ila Mae Asberry, her sisters Eunice Boudreau and Januetti Ratliff and her brothers Burl Ratliff, Elvin Ratliff and James “Eldon” Ratliff. Geneva leaves behind a sister, Agnes Caby of Steellville, IL, Geneva’s daughter Joan Wallace, her son-in-law William Wallace, two grandchildren Courtney Merle (Jordan Merle) and Christopher Wallace, and two great grandchildren, Matthew Merle and Nathan Merle.
Services will be held at Glen Abbey’s Little Chapel of Roses located at 3838 Bonita Road Bonita, CA at 10:30AM on August 1, 2024.
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