Reverend Lillian Hughes Rodgers Geib
July 26, 1946 -January 23, 2024
The Reverend Lillian Hughes Rodgers Geib of Spencer, Virginia died on the morning of January 23, 2024 at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She was the wife of Paul Geib, formerly of Lincoln Park, Reading, PA. Lillian was an ordained elder of the United Methodist Church, a retired minister who served several churches in Virginia and Maryland. A native Washingtonian, she received an associates degree in biological sciences from Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, Virginia and was a 1971 graduate of the University of Maryland with a B.A. in sociology and criminology. She earned her Masters of Divinity from Wellesley Theological Seminary in 1997.
Following her graduation from the University of Maryland, she served in Volunteers in Service to America in Corning, New York and San Francisco, California. She returned to the mid-Atlantic region, living in Fork Union, Virginia, and served as the Director of the Central Virginia Community Health Center. She then relocated to Charles County, Maryland where she served as the Director of the Charles County Children’s Aid Society. While there she co-founded the Charles County Community Crisis and Referral Center and the Charles County Children’s Abuse Task Force.
In 1991 she received her call to ministry and after earning her Master’s degree and ordination, she served several churches in Maryland and Virginia: Olivet and Solomons Island United Methodist Churches in Calvert County and Salem United Methodist Church in Brookville, Montgomery County, MD. She became the first woman to preach at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, Solomons Maryland, during an ecumenical Good Friday service. Following her retirement and move to southern Virginia she served Chatham Heights, Woolwine, and Ross Harbour churches in Henry and Patrick Counties and served other UMC churches when requested.
Lillian is survived by Paul Geib, her husband of over 40 years, at home, her children Christy Frazier (James) of Ellicott City, Maryland, Elizabeth Geib Buswell (Seth) of Mays Landing, New Jersey, and Richard H. Geib (Melissa) of Greensboro, N.C. She is also survived by her sister, Ann Berkley Rodgers of Albuquerque, New Mexico, nieces Katherine Norfolk of Charlottesville, Va and Lara N. Castle (James), Indian Head, MD, 7 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren and numerous Fulcher and Rodgers cousins. Her parents Kathleen F. Rodgers and Elton B. Rodgers and sister Jane R. Norfolk did not survive Lillian.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at First United Methodist Church, Martinsville, VA 24112.
Contributions in Lillian’s memory may be made to the United Methodist Committee on Relief, P. O. Box 9068, NY, NY 10087-9068.
