Geneva Newberg

Geneva Newberg, 93 of Fort Morgan, died Wednesday, March 6, at the Valley View Villa in Fort Morgan. Geneva Ellen Schafer, the daughter of Lyle A. Schafer

And Hazel F. (Keenan) Schafer was born December 11, 1925 in Wray, CO. She grew up in Wray and was in her junior year of high school when she married Donald Clair Muller before he joined the Army and was sent to the Phillippines during WWII. Three children were born to them, Douglas Craig, Janet Kay, and Cynthia Sue.

When Don returned from the war he and Geneva ran the Riverside Dairy a mile west of Wray and began raising their family. In 1955, the family moved to Bushnell, NE where Don built homes during the big oil boom in Kimball County until his death in 1957.

While In Bushnell, Geneva completed her last year of high school by taking correspondence courses. She worked as a Spotter for the Kimball Dry Cleaning Business and then a Teller in the Bushnell Bank.

In 1971, Geneva married Leonard Newberg of Chappell, NE who was part owner of the Chappell Livestock Commission. They made their home in Chappell their entire married life. Geneva worked part-time for the Chappell Livestock Commission in bookkeeping and was a member of the Berea Lutheran Church where she remained active until she moved to Brush, CO after Leonard passed away in 2003.

After Leonard’s passing, Geneva began a slow descent into dementia. It was like a fog settling over her mind, clouding her thinking and slowly robbing her of her memories.

Survivors include her children Doug Muller who lives in Lakewood, CO and Kay Thiel who lives in Fort Morgan, and one step-son Leon, Newberg who lives in Essex, Conn. She has nine grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents, both brothers, two husbands, one daughter Cynthia Sue, and one Step-son Lynn Newberg.

Separate graveside services will be held in Chappell, NE and Wray, CO sometime early this summer. Notice will be provided.