January 16, 1924 to December 25, 2013
Resident of San Jose
Genevieve, 89, joined the Angels and her beloved Blessed Virgin on Christmas Day. She was the matriarch of a beautiful family that included her husband Jim Garvey who she loved and adored for 70 years and her 8 children that knew her as a combination of Sophia Loren, Julia Child and Mother Theresa. Her earthly journey began in Fresno, California where she was educated and then to St. Louis, Missouri. There she met the “Man of her Dreams” in a dance club where she pointed out to her friends that the man who had just entered the room would be her husband. She was the best dancer at the club and figured that when this handsome hockey player from St. Paul, Minnesota asked her to dance that he could also hold his own. This would be the only thing about which she guessed wrong in their courtship and marriage that lasted 75 years. Their marriage in St. Vibiana’s Cathedral in Los Angeles continued their love affair that began with Jim’s participation in military duty in the Pacific Theatre in the Philippines and continued after the war with residences in Duluth, Minnesota and San Jose, California. Gen was the Italian beauty of 8 adoring children and the kitchen chef of countless homemade breads, pastries and mouth-watering pastas that graced their kitchen table and sent aromas throughout the neighborhood. It was once said that with her kitchen craft and innate ability to sing that she could feed the poor and with her voice bring saints to tears. Always the entrepreneur, she was known throughout the Santa Clara Valley for her creative means by which apricots, pears, prunes, figs and walnuts would grace their kitchen table. Prior to the holiday season, her young brood would gather together cracking walnuts that would be sold to local bakeries for spending money targeted for Christmas gifts. In the summer Gen drove the old Chevy station wagon from orchard to orchard early summer mornings hiring out her young help for the tasks of providing the farmer with young hands to help pick and dry their apricots and prunes from East San Jose to Santa Clara to Sunnyvale. Paychecks for this spirited group were meager but the lessons of hard work and saving a dollar precipitated this early education forum for her children. Gen was famous for backing up her young sons in their paperboy careers when they met resistance from some households that refused to pay for their newspapers. She would get in the car, drive to the negligent home, drive up the lawn to the front door with headlights blazing, and direct her sons to collect the $1.25 due. It worked every time. St. Anthony was her patron saint and much to his chagrin he was called on multiple times to find prime parking spaces, lost keys, lost dogs, lost bikes, lost change, lost clothes and may have even been called on to patch up lost relationships, as well as find partners for any of the 8. St. Anthony may be relieved at Gen’s passing as he won’t be required to perform countless miracles at her residence; now he will be able to collaborate with her as she works miracles from heaven. Her family was proud of her accomplishments, particularly her graduation from San Jose Junior College with an Associated Arts Degree in Cosmetology. This occurred while her youngest was in elementary school. She started her own hair styling business and brought cheer, joy, friendship and style to the local retirement homes. She also kept her husband, sons and daughters plus neighbors trimmed with the latest and most popular hairstyle. It wasn’t the need for a hair cut that got people to her barber chair but the magic of Gen’s touch, smell, voice, wisdom and advice that was really craved. We take comfort in knowing that Gen’s love, her faith and her will to live will carry over to all of us as she protects and guides us through our journey. Genevieve is survived by her husband Jim and their children Pat (Julie), Liz, Mike, Paul (Lynn), Bernadette (Dan Burns), Mary (Mike Pierce), Joe, and Monica (Pat Huyck). Her beloved nieces Cathy Fieser and Shirley Smith and 19 grandchildren and their spouses also survive her. Sean (Lindsay, Graham, Sabine); Joe; Brooke (Michael and Roman St. Germaine); Shannon, Genevieve and Matt; Scott and Jessica; Ben (Kat) Tsukamaki, Alexander and Lukas; Jason (Rachael), Kai, Teo and Malia Tsukamaki; Nick and Anna Tsukamaki; Patrick Tsukamaki; Katie and James Pierce; Jake; Adam and Cara Huyck. Heartfelt thanks for her friends and caregivers Lorraine Heuther, Cristina Tate and Carolyn Eisenstaldt. Hospice was a jewel in providing care in Gen’s last month. Donations should be sent to: Sacred Heart Community Service, 1381 So. First Street, San Jose, CA 95110. Sacredheartcs.org 408 – 293-6111. The Rosary will be held at 7pm Jan. 2 at St. Clare’s Catholic Church, 941 Lexington St., Santa Clara. A Mass the following morning at 10am at St. Clare’s will be co-celebrated by Rev. George Aranha and Msg. Tom Garvey. Interment will follow in Santa Clara Mission Cemetery.
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