Genevieve Esther Berg

She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Warren H. Berg; her parents, Eugene R. Fitzgerald and Esther C. Fitzgerald Bencken; and her sister, Janet Fitzgerald Raef. She leaves daughters, Melissa Harmon (Stephen) of Lenexa and Catherine Frohman of Mequon, WI; grandchildren, David and Elizabeth Harmon, Stephanie Sawejka (Dustin) and Sean Frohman. She also leaves great-grandchild, Maxine Sawekja.

Genevieve was born July 7, 1920 in Mankato, MN. She grew up in North Mankato, MN, on the same street as the boy who would become her husband. She graduated with honors in 1941 from Mankato State Teachers’ College (now Minnesota State University-Mankato) with a bachelor’s degree in education.

During World War II, she taught high school English in several small towns in southern Minnesota. During her summers off, she did on-air interviews of interesting local residents for a Mankato radio station. One of her interviewees was Army Air Corps Capt. Warren Berg, a high school and college classmate, who had been a German POW after his B-17 was shot down. The two had never dated before, but the interview sparked a romance. On April 27, 1946, Genevieve and Warren were married in North Mankato.

After their wedding, the couple lived in Kansas City, MO, where Warren had begun a 38-year career with Trans World Airlines. Genevieve was a substitute teacher in the Kansas City public schools before her daughters were born. In 1957, when St. Pius X High School opened in Kansas City, North, the principal desperately needed a physical education teacher. Genevieve, who had a minor in physical education, agreed to help for a year. When she was invited to stay on the faculty, she consented, only if she could teach English, her major field. That turned into 25 years at St. Pius, 18 of which she served as head of the school’s English Department. English literature, particularly the works of Shakespeare, was her passion.

Throughout her years at St. Pius, she wore many other hats besides teaching. She choreographed school musicals, took students on field trips to plays, served as a cheerleading sponsor, helped start a parents’ booster club and planned graduation ceremonies and awards banquets. She once said: “Whatever they needed to have done and didn’t have anyone to do, I did it.” In 1982, the year she retired, she was awarded the Giuseppe Sarto Award for outstanding service to the school.

She served as president of the American Association of University Women, founded the Northland Women’s Investment Club, was a board member of the Shepherd’s Center of the Northland, was active in the altar societies of St. Gabriel’s and St. Therese Catholic parishes, served on the Education Committee at St. Therese School, was a Girl Scout leader and rose at 4 a.m. to serve as a Platte County election judge until well into her 80s. Her many travels included a trip with Warren around the world.

The family especially thanks the staff of Santa Marta’s skilled nursing unit for their eight years of care and concern. Catholic Community Hospice staff and volunteers also brought great solace to Genevieve in the final months of her life, which was greatly appreciated.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 9, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 11300 W. 103rd St., Overland Park. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. in the church. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery, 5001 N.E. Cookingham Drive, Kansas City.

McGilley State Line Chapel is handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations in Genevieve’s memory may be made to St. Pius X High School, 1500 N.E. 42nd Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64116, or to Catholic Community Hospice, 9740 W. 87th St., Overland Park, KS 66212.