Cumberland's Style Shoppe

While she was in high school she began making clothes for her friends and used her earnings to purchase fabric to sew a dress for herself.

After Bud and Pat were married, they moved around Nebraska living in Neligh, Valentine and Grand Island before moving back to Geneva.

While Bud served with the Army during WWII, Pat went to work at Miller’s Style Shoppe, which was owned and operated by Mildred Miller Farmer at 848 G Street. In 1945 Pat purchased the shop from Mildred Farmer and changed the name to Cumberland Style Shop, or “the store with the green front.”

Pat was a member of the Saint Joseph Catholic church and altar society, Geneva Women’s Club, Fillmore County Hospital Auxiliary, American Legion Auxiliary and Geneva Chamber of Commerce.

In 1987 Pat spearheaded the building of a park for the children of the neighborhood across the street west from her home on the corner of 9th and C Streets. It was named the Cumberland Mini Park in her honor.

After the death of Pat, the ownership of the business was passed on to her children.

As of 2020, Cumberland Style Shoppe was still a family owned and operated business. Pat’s granddaughter, Patty Ousey Roper Epperson started working for “Nanny” while she was still in high school and continued to manage the store which celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 2020.