Eugenia "Genie" Radcliff Inge

Genie was born on April 1, 1941, in Mobile, Alabama to Bobby and Dottie Gene Radcliff. The oldest of four children, she attended Old Shell Road School, Barton Academy and ultimately graduated from Murphy High School in 1958.

As a senior at Murphy, Genie was elected Homecoming Queen and also chosen to serve as the 1957 Azalea Trail Queen, in which capacity she gracefully served as an ambassador for the city of Mobile, touring the United States, spreading her infectious charm and making lasting impressions on those who met her. This was only the beginning of how she would contribute to the broader Mobile area community.

After graduating from Murphy, Genie attended Mount Vernon College and the University of Alabama, where she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. Genie ultimately left school to pursue a future with the love of her life, Clifton. Genie and Clifton were married on December 1, 1962, at Christ Church Cathedral with a reception at The Grand Hotel.

Once settled back in Mobile, Genie dedicated her considerable talents, time and energy to the Junior League, Conde Charlotte House / Colonial Dames, St. Paul's Altar and Flower Guild, and the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, among others. An avid runner, she also helped to start the Azalea Trail Run in 1978, alongside Richard Overby.

In addition to her civic and charitable endeavors, Genie was one of Mobile’s leading interior designers for over three decades. Her keen appreciation for design dates back to the 1950s where she started folding fabric for Harriet Kelly’s design shop as a middle-schooler. This experience would ultimately propel Genie to found and operate Genie Inge Interiors through which she shared her creative eye and passion for design with anyone she could - family, friends and strangers alike.

Genie was also a lifelong supporter of the arts and cultural events. Her ideal Sunday included church, altar guild, and then an afternoon performance at Pixie Playhouse, the Mobile Ballet or the Mobile Symphony Orchestra. She was a wonderful resource for her other artistic friends and Mobile’s creative community more broadly. From floral designers, Mardi Gras planners, luncheon hosts, musicians, and set designers, everyone was drawn to Genie and eagerly sourced her inputs and ideas.

Above all, Genie will be remembered for her steadfast dedication to her family and friends. Genie and Clifton had two children, Clifton “Clif” Clarke Inge Jr. and Ashley Eugenia Inge O’Connor. Genie was a devoted mother not only to her two, but to many neighbors, friends of Clif and Ashley, godchildren, and nieces and nephews. Genie loved deeply and freely - always the first one to lend a helping hand, an encouraging word, a place to stay, or merely a hug and a smile.

Genie became a beacon of generational love and support that many younger people looked up to, especially her grandchildren. Genie’s five grandchildren – Clifton Clarke Inge III, Robert Conrad Inge, Eugenia Greer O’Connor, Henry Clarke O’Connor, and John Inge O’Connor - were immensely special to her. Like her husband, who everyone knew as “Big C”, “Big Gigi” never missed a sporting event, school play, carpool pickup, overnight stay, birthday party, graduation ceremony, or an opportunity to host the grandchildren and their friends in her home on Mobile Bay. Whatever the 5 grandkids cared about, she cared about and supported even more. Genie was their biggest fan, often telling them "It's your time!" and teaching them the importance of attitude, putting God and others first, finding joy in others' success, entering any household with a drawn out “yoo-hoo”, laughing easily and forgiving quickly, over-using text emojis, and standing up for the hard right against the easy wrong.

When not crisscrossing the Bayway, Genie could usually be found in her kitchen with paints, canvases and crafts spread across the entire island and a grandchild or two by her side. Her inspirations and ideas were plentiful and poignant, including portraits of her grandchildren, watercolor / acrylic florals, Mobile Bay landscapes, Western mountain scapes, and ceramic figures - all of which she gave away freely and without hesitation, refusing invitations to have shows or exhibits. Of course, the grandchildren’s favorite creations were her painted crosses on the back of catfish bones. Her friends’ favorites were likely the painted scissors she gave out every holiday. Whatever Genie could get her hands on became art for others.

Genie’s most treasured creations were undoubtedly her homemade notecards, which, together with roses from her garden, arranged in red Folgers coffee canisters, she delivered to friends and family alike, spreading her creativity, encouragement, and joy far and wide.

Genie gave witness to her unwavering, private faith through the life she lived. She was as selfless, engaging and compassionate as it gets. Her joy stemmed from giving to and celebrating others. Her unconditional love and acceptance were her gift to all. She was from another era of grace, kindness and goodness. A hallmark of timeless beauty, inside and out.

We will miss hearing her share her favorite one-liner, “It’s all about your attitude!” with her twinkling bright blue eyes, contagious smile, joyful laugh and elegant demeanor. May Genie rest in peace. She was and will always be our onward Christian soldier.

Genie is preceded in death by her husband Clifton Clarke Inge Sr., mother, Dorothy Eugenia Greer Radcliff, father, Robert Herndon Radcliff Jr. and brother Robert Herndon Radcliff III. Genie is survived by her two children, Clif and Ashley, their spouses Ginna and Henry, grandchildren Clifton and his wife Hartley, Conrad, Eugenia, Clarke and John, her sister, Lucy Lyons Harrison, and brother, Barton Greer Radcliff, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

The Inge Family will always be grateful for the outpouring of love and support from family and friends near and wide over the course of Genie’s struggles.

We also want to express a heartfelt and sincere thank you to the many amazing caregivers that have cared for Genie in her final stretch of life, namely Norma Sanchez, Alicia Esperanza Sanchez, Tonia O’Daniel, Samantha Hardy Cook and Pamela Williams. Your unfaltering love and support will always be remembered and forever appreciated.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, the Mobile Ballet, and Conde Charlotte House / Colonial Dames.

A Memorial Service will be held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. Private interment will be held in Old Spring Hill Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama.