Eugenie "Genie" Rose Dunn

Eugenie “Genie” Rose Dunn, 91, of Harlingen, Texas, peacefully passed from this life to her eternal home on May 17, 2025. She was born on February 18, 1934, to Irby Loyd Shelton and Viola Rose Foito Shelton in Detroit, Michigan.

When she was three, her family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. As a little girl, Genie loved to play softball and to play church. She would gather anyone willing to play—dolls, stuffed animals, and real people—and they would have church. She led the singing, collected the offering, performed special music, and preached the sermon. Little Genie desired to become a preacher when she grew up. She also dreamed of being an opera singer or singing so that many people would hear and be moved by her singing.

Genie blossomed into a pioneering career woman who deeply loved God, cherished her family and friends, and valued her education.

Early in her career, Genie’s strong work ethic, excellent office skills, and deep Christian faith enabled her to utilize her talents working at the Baptist Center in Memphis, Tennessee, as well as serving as a church secretary at Prescott Memorial Baptist Church of Memphis, Tennessee, Meadowbrook Baptist Church, and Olive Place Baptist Church in Ft. Worth, Texas.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Memphis State University and a Master’s in Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

Embracing God’s call to the mission field, in 1961, she accepted an assignment in the beautiful Hawaiian Islands. Genie began her career as the choral director at Hawaii Baptist Academy in Honolulu. She also taught junior high and high school typing, office skills, and speech at the Academy.

During a revival service at her church in Honolulu, she met a charming naval officer, James C. Dunn, from La Feria, Texas. “We had a whirlwind romance,” she shared. “He literally swept me off my feet.” James proposed in mid-summer, and they married in August in Honolulu, starting their journey together.

After James’ honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy, the young couple returned to the mainland, traveling through California, Kansas, Michigan, Tennessee, and finally arriving in James’ hometown of La Feria, Texas. Initially, Genie experienced culture shock moving from Hawaii to the Rio Grande Valley, but she soon settled in and made the Valley her home.

During those early years in the Valley, Genie worked at Harlingen's first bookstore, owned by Bill Glass. She also served as the church secretary for La Feria’s First Baptist Church. During this time, parenthood initially seemed to elude Genie and James. Understandably, they were overjoyed when their young son, John Mark, was providentially placed in their home through adoption.

After moving to the Valley, James got involved in the auction and insurance businesses, worked for Burton Auto in Weslaco, and ultimately owned both James Dunn Motors in Harlingen and James Dunn Auctions in Donna.

In addition to being a wonderful and caring homemaker, Genie utilized her expert secretarial skills in the family businesses by designing, typing, and creating photo-ready flyers and mailouts, preparing newspaper advertisements, managing the bookkeeping, and serving as an automotive title clerk.

As a devoted mother, Genie found fulfillment in sharing her love of music with John Mark, who exhibited musical ability from a very young age. When Mark was three, she was hired to start a kindergarten program at Harlingen’s First Baptist Church. In her second year of teaching kindergarten, as often happens to families after adopting a child, Genie and James received fantastic news: they were expecting. In October of 1970, they welcomed their daughter, Debora Kay.

Not one to forgo her hard-earned educational wealth, Genie lovingly continued to direct the choir at the First Baptist Church of La Feria and Valley Baptist Academy for many years. Whether leading choral anthems, singing hymns with the congregation, or joyfully accompanying soloists on her Hawaiian ukulele, her beautiful alto voice truly blessed everyone who enjoyed listening to her sing.

Her memberships at First Baptist Church of La Feria and First Baptist Church of Harlingen offered her many opportunities to share her love for Christ by teaching Sunday school and leading women's Bible studies. Through many testimonies, she helped women return to devoted walks with Christ during hard times. She discovered a talent for calligraphy, which she used to create beautifully illustrated bookmarks with Bible verses to encourage those needing hope. She also valued time spent with friends.

In addition to Genie’s immediate family, numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews considered Genie their special auntie.

Family and friends will truly miss Genie’s heartfelt encouragement, charming quick wit, and unwavering dedication to her friends, whether at church or during those memorable Friday night card games.

In her journal, Genie expressed: “I know this moment in my life is an ‘All is well moment’ (II Kings 4:26). We are counting it all joy, and from that, we get our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). We need to praise God in the day of adversity as well as in the day of prosperity – He made both (Ecclesiastes 7:13-14).”

Genie is preceded in death by her husband, James Curtis Dunn; her son, John Mark Dunn; her granddaughter-in-love, Devyn Reiley; her parents, Irby L. and Viola Shelton; her sister, Mary Knight; and her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Brian and Ada Betty Finley.

She is survived by her daughter Debbie (Jeremy) Reiley, her grandson Hunter Reiley, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Genie’s family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to her caregiver, Esther Hernandez, for her dedicated care over the past ten years before Genie moved to Golden Palms Rehabilitation & Retirement. Additionally, we thank everyone at Atrium Place Rehabilitation & Nursing Center and Golden Palms for the compassionate care they provided Genie until her passing.

You are invited to a memorial visitation at Buck Ashcraft San Benito Funeral Home on May 22, 2025, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Join us to honor and celebrate Genie’s life and legacy.