Eugenia “Genie” Moore Wheeler, 102, of Jackson, passed away peacefully on August 9 th , 2023.
Genie was born on January 28, 1921, in St. Louis, Missouri, where she and her younger sister,
Annie Laurie, grew up. She was always seeking knowledge and wanting to learn and experience
new things. When she was 25, she accepted a job as a Regional Manager with Avon Cosmetics. However,
the job required her to move to Meridian, Mississippi. This was quite something, especially in
1946, for a young woman to pick up and move from the city to the deep South! Nonetheless,
she eagerly took on the challenge! Part of her territory included the town of Laurel, and that is
where she met her husband, Jim Wheeler. In 1949, they married. Genie helped Jim in his insurance office part of the time, while also becoming active in the community. She served as President of the Laurel Junior Auxiliary and
enjoyed acting in numerous productions with the Little Theatre. She served on the board of St.
John's Episcopal School and was President of the Episcopal Church Women, both at St. John’s
Church and at the Diocesan level. In the fall of 1966, she and her family moved to Jackson. They became active communicants of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral where she served on the Altar Guild and continued her service
with the Church Women. As someone who loved the arts, she and Jim were appreciative members of the audience
enjoying many of the cultural gifts within their community. She involved herself with the Opera
Guild, Ballet Mississippi and the Symphony League, where she was a past President. She also
served on the board of the League of American Orchestras. She was a Co-Chairman for the Mississippi Arts Festival in 1973. In 1979, when the International Ballet Competition began coming to Jackson every four years, Genie recognized
what an honor it was to host such an event and opportunity it was to showcase both Mississippi
and Jackson. She so enjoyed helping organize events and providing hospitality for dancers,
judges, visitors and supporters. Always encouraging her husband in his support of the Republican Party, eventually Genie
became involved with the Hinds County Republican Women, serving in various capacities, including President. Additionally, she served on the board of the Mississippi Federation of Republican Women for decades. She enjoyed her friendships and visits over lunch in the Debutante Mother’s Club and always looked forward to the Twenty-One Club, the supper club to which she and Jim belonged. Genie also enjoyed participating in several bridge and luncheon clubs, including the Mecca and
Concordia, serving as President of each, and the One O’Clock, serving as President twice.
Gardening became a special joy to her and her membership in the Brook Garden Club furthered
that love. She was always excited to receive the latest flower and bulb catalogs and share her
finds with family and friends. In her early eighties, after Jim passed, she became a faithful communicant of Holy Trinity
Anglican Church. She worshipped on the second row every Sunday when she was in town until
her very late nineties. The love she received from the Holy Trinity family will always be
remembered and appreciated.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Allene and Sydney Moore, sister, Annie Laurie Peters,
her husband of 53 years, Jim Wheeler, and her son-in-law, Pat Temples. She is survived by her daughter, Cynthia Temples, her granddaughters, Mary-Baldwin Albriton (John, IV) of Oxford, MS, and Claire Burkes (Andrew) of Jackson. Also, her much loved great-grandchildren, Jack and Hattie Albriton and Eugenia “Gigi” Burkes.
Her life will be celebrated at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Madison, on Friday, August 18,
2023. Visitation will begin at 10:00, with the service following at 11:00. If wishing to make a memorial in her memory, in lieu of flowers, please consider doing so to Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 432 Bozeman Rd., Madison, MS, 39110, or to the charity of one’s choice.
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