Geneva Evelyn “Mammie” Maris, retired pastor for the First Pentecostal Church of Texas City, passed away peacefully at her home on October 18, 2018 in Texas City, Texas at the age of 92.

Sis. Geneva is survived by her four children: Sharon Smith and husband, Buzzy, of Houston; Tommy Maris and wife, Rhonda, of Texas City; Larry Maris and wife, Leona, of Pennington; and Mary Watson and husband, David, of Texas City; one brother: Jimmy Morgan of Seminole, OK; 14 grandchildren, and numerous great- and great-great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by Dewey Maris, her husband of 52 years; her brother, Charlie Morgan of Prague, OK; and her daughter-in-law, Sharon Maris of Pennington.   

Sis. Geneva was born on October 14, 1926 in Okemah, Oklahoma to F.G. Morgan and Dorothy Green. She graduated from high school in 1944 then married Dewey Maris in 1945. The couple moved to Texas City in 1947 to raise their family and work with the church. Geneva and Dewey co-pastored the First Pentecostal Church in Texas City since the 1950s and owned and operated Maris Trucking for many years.

Sis. Geneva joined the International Ministerial Association in 1957 and was a continuous member for 61 years. She was a very highly regarded pastor who impacted countless lives during her nearly 70 years of ministry.

A visitation will be held Monday, October 22, from 6-8PM at James Crowder Funeral Home in La Marque. The funeral service will be held Tuesday, October 23, at 10AM at the First Pentecostal Church, 1602 29^th St. N. in Texas City. A graveside service will follow at Galveston County Memorial Park. Family and friends are invited to gather immediately following at the church fellowship hall.