Genevieve “Gen” A. Ashenmacher
Thursday, May 20, 1926
Date of Death:
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Age:
85 years old
Thursday, May 20, 1926
Date of Death:
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Age:
85 years old
Thursday, May 20, 1926
Date of Death:
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Age:
85 years old
Genevieve “Gen” A. Ashenmacher
Genevieve “Gen” Adelheidt Ashenmacher, 85, of Rochester, died Dec. 25, surrounded by her loving family, at Madonna Meadows of Rochester. The cause of death was complications from Alzheimer’s disease.
She was born May 20,1926 in Rubicon, WI, the daughter of Martin and Marie Scharpf. She attended school in Rubicon and in Hartford, WI.
She married George Ashenmacher on April 13,1946 in Hartford. The couple and their five children moved to Rochester in 1962.
Gen and George, with friends from IBM, were founding members of North Spot Lodge on Third Crow Wing Lake near Park Rapids, MN. They spent many happy days there with extended family and friends.
Gen enjoyed travel, flower gardening, music, fishing, home decoration and arts projects. She had a lively sense of fun and more than one friend described her as “a pistol”. Gen embraced new friends throughout her life. She and George were grateful to live in England for two years and in San Jose, CA, for a year.
She took pride in running a happy home for her family. She especially loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchild. Over the years she opened her home to friends in need.
She worked as a seamstress at J.C. Penney in Rochester for many years and was a longtime member of St. John’s Catholic Church in Rochester.
Gen was preceded in death by George, who died in 1998.
Survivors include her daughters Donna (Paul Minta) Ashenmacher of Waldport, OR, and Cheryl (Reynaldo) Saballa of Rochester; sons James (Jackie House) of Rochester, Thomas (Nancy) of Hudson, WI, and Robert (Pam) of Knife River, MN; eight grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild; a sister, Cecelia Heinke of Fort Atkinson, WI; nieces, nephews and many friends.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 31, 2011 at the Madonna Meadows Chapel, with the Rev. James Russell officiating. Interment will follow at a later date in Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, where her ashes will be buried with George. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the Madonna Meadows Chapel.
The family prefers donations to the Madonna Meadows Foundation or the Alzheimer’s Association.
Online condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com
Condolences
The family of Genevieve “Gen” A. Ashenmacher has received the following condolences.
Dear Ashenmacher Family,
I have so many warm memories from childhood of your mother. As a boy in Rochester, "Mrs. A." always had a smile and welcoming arms for me whenever I came to the house (which was often). She and George were my second parents and were very important and encouraging to me in the 60s and 70s. Mrs. A. was helpful and comforting to us young boys, and had a great way of putting things in perspective and helping us appreciate balance in life. Like my own mother, she was especially forgiving when the chips were down, or when a mistake had been made. It was always plain that God's grace was present in her house. I am thinking of you and praying for Gen and George this weekend.
Love,
Bill, Kate, Rob, and Tom Whelan
My thoughts and prayers are with the family members. Wish we could be there. (I'm Joseph Ashenmacher's granddaughter.)
Gen was a very good friend and we had many good times at NSL with our 4th of July parades and costumes, ladies cleaning weeks with many trips to town for pie and supples, our fun excursions to Door Co, Duluth, etc after the cleaning was done. Gen's car was famous for making U-turns to go back to see something we missed. I can see her fishing at the end of the dock, a favorite place of hers. The best activity at NSL was when Gen had the men dress as women and put on a style show to surprise their wives. It was hilarious! My condolences to all the family. Audrey Costello
I have many fond and "funny" memories of Gen. What a fantastic person to work with. Never a dull moment and I bet she is having a great time making God laugh too.
Love her and will miss her happiness.
Sally Oviatt
I am sorry to hear of Gen's passing. I also worked at JCP years past and remember her smile & caring manner . My sympathies to you all -
My deepest sympathy for the passing of your Mom. She was at JCP while I worked there, too. She was such a happy, smiling person. It helped going to work each day. You will miss her a lot. She's not joined the Heavenly Father.
Sandra Anderson
Sorry to hear the loss, our condolences to the family.
Sorry for your loss. Wish we could be with you during this sad time. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers.
Jim and Audrey
Dear Ashenmacher Family...
We were so sorry to read of Mrs Ashenmacher's passing. Please know that your friends have you in our thoughts and prayers.
With deepest sympathy to the family for their loss.
Our condolences to her family and friends.
Our sincerest condolences and sympathy for your loss.
We are so sorry to learn of this news. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the family.
The Hawse's