Geraldine Oliver, 93, of Shelbyville, Indiana, previously of Crittenden County, Kentucky, passed away on February 28, 2025 at the Willows of Shelbyville where she relocated to spend the last six years with her daughter.
Geraldine was born on August 29, 1931, in Crittenden County to her late parents, Milton and Katie Riley. Throughout her life, Geraldine Oliver embraced a diverse range of vocations, serving her community as a substitute mail courier, factory worker, restaurant cook, and farmer. Renowned for her exquisite cooking and her penchant for baking delectable pies, Geraldine’s hands tended not only to the duties of her varied careers but also to the soil of her expansive garden. The fruits of her labor were preserved in jars through the loving process of canning, capturing the essence of each season’s bounty.
A devout Christian, Geraldine attended several churches, from Caldwell Springs Baptist Church and First Baptist Church in Fredonia to Emmanuel Baptist Church in Marion, Kentucky. Her spiritual journey eventually led her to become a cherished member of Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church in Shelbyville, Indiana.
Geraldine is survived by her daughter, Lori (Scott) Tyson of Shelbyville, IN; son, Michael (Gay) Oliver of Richmond, KY; five grandchildren, Ashley (Zach) Haney of Destin, FL, Katie (Bryan) Batic of Camby, IN, Karen (Greg) Vaughn of Paducah, KY, Darrah Crawford, Zak Oliver of Fredonia, KY; thirteen grandchildren, Oliver Haney, Tilley Haney, Maisy Haney, Bettie Haney, Caroline Batic, Graham Batic, Alec Gamblin, Bryson Gamblin, Alex Oliver, Laynee Delgado, Greyson Crawford, Levin Crawford, Aden Crawford; two great-great-grandchildren, Stella Gamblin and Wyatt Gamblin.
In addition to her parents, Geraldine was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth Ogden Oliver; son, Steve Oliver; three sisters, Dot Marshall, Opal Hunt, Clemma Wilson; three brothers, Myron Riley, Owen Riley, Glendall Riley; granddaughter, Morgan Tyson.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at Morgan’s Funeral Home in Princeton, Kentucky with Bro. Aaron Brown officiating. Burial will follow in Rowland Cemetery in Caldwell County, Kentucky.
Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until service time on Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at Morgan’s Funeral Home.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in Geraldine’s memory to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959 (www.stjude.org) or Oneida Baptist Institute, 11 Mulberry Street, Oneida, KY 40972 (www.oneidaschool.org).
