Genevieve knew from the time she was a little girl that she wanted to be a nurse. The teachers at Roosevelt gave her helpful advice as to what courses she should take to enter nursing school. At age seventeen she entered Washington University School of Nursing.

Gennie started working at Barnes Hospital where she stayed for thirty-three years. Gennie left Barnes to serve on the team which opened St. Louis University’s Eye Hospital on Grand and Shaw. She stayed there as a Nurse Manager until November 2003, and then worked part-time at St. Joseph and St. Clair Hospitals and finally ended up at the Barnes West County Hospital where she finally retired.

In January of 2006 she received a call from one of her nursing friends asking, “How would you like to go to Uganda with Orbis” Gennie immediately replied that she would love to go. (Orbis is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to saving sight worldwide) After arriving in Uganda, she toured the hospital plane which was equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment as well as an examining room and an operating room. She joined other nurses, anesthesiologists, and ophthalmologists from the United States and Great Britain to diagnose eye problems and, in many instances, to assist at corneal transplant surgeries, removal of cataracts, and treatment of other eye diseases. The medical group also trained ophthalmologists and nurses in Uganda to manage eye problems and teach public awareness of eye care prevention. After leaving Uganda, she went to China where she performed the same duties.

Gennie is a lifetime member to the American Society of Ophthalmic Registered Nurses ASORN), having served as its Secretary, President, and Past President. She was Editor of “Insight,” the official publication of ASORN and contributed the chapter “Trauma” to their book Essentials of Ophthalmic Nursing. Gennie has also published many articles in professional publications.

In addition to her volunteer work in these countries, Gennie, and her husband, served as foster parents to abandoned kittens. Since Hurricane Katrina, they saw the need for volunteers to take care of abandoned animals. Gennie also serves as a Secretary for our Alumni Association.