Genevieve Rafferty

1922 - 2020

Genevieve Rafferty

January 21, 1922-November 13, 2020

DAVENPORT-Genevieve Kennedy Rafferty, 98, of Davenport, passed away Friday, November 13, 2020 at the Ivy at Davenport.

Services will be held at a later date. Donations may be made to St. Ambrose University.

Genevieve was born January 21, 1922 in Davenport, the daughter of Thomas and Mabel (Finefield) Kennedy, Jr. She married Daniel J. Rafferty in 1942 in Davenport. He preceded her in death in 1984.

Genevieve received her Bachelor's degree from St. Ambrose College. She and her friend, Patricia Hewitt, organized the establishment of the Iowa-Illinois Information and Referral Service, which Genevieve managed for many years until her retirement in 1992.

Genevieve was a member of Junior Board of Rock Island, Project Now, was on the Board of Directors for Transitions Mental Health, Board Member for the Rock Island Community Foundation, Board Chairman for Just for Kids Day Care and volunteered at many organizations.

In 1973 she was named Social Worker of the Year by the Association of Social Workers, and in 2007 she received the Keys of the city of Rock Island along with the Civic Service Award. She is named in "Who's Who of American Women" and "Who's Who in the Midwest."

Joining the US Peace Corps in 1992, she was assigned to Uzbekistan where she lived in Tashkent and Samarkand, historic cities located along the ancient "Silk Road" Trade Route from China to the West. In 2003, Genevieve received The Jefferson Award from the American Institute for Public Service, and attended the award ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Her award was unique in being the only "Bi-State" award that year.

Survivors include her daughters, Michele Rafferty, Key Colony Beach, FL, Mary Genevieve Rafferty, Davenport and Sheila Rafferty, Davenport, Eileen Rafferty Foré, Austin, TX and Margaret (David) Swanson, Eagan, MN; sons Thomas Rafferty (Ginger), Austin, TX and Daniel Rafferty, Washington, D.C.; grandchildren Rollin Perkins IV, Christopher Perkins, Jared Rafferty, Joseph Foré, Anna Rafferty Arnold, Thomas Swanson and Finn Rafferty; great grandchildren Kit Perkins, Avery Perkins, Isabel Perkins, Connor Rafferty, Luke Foré and Eleanor Michele Arnold, brother U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant (Retired) James M. McCoy, (Kathleen) Omaha, NE and sons-in-law, Rollin Perkins III and David Swanson.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Daniel J. Rafferty (1984), brother, Quentin McCoy; sisters, Martha (Butler) McCoy, Nancy (Hinton) McCoy, sister Carol (Nielsen) McCoy, Kathleen (Grandfield) McCoy, granddaughter, Danielle Nicole Perkins and son-in-law Michael Foré.

Condolences may be left at www.RaffertyFunerals.com.