Genevieve W. Grant, 92, of Elroy passed on Monday, July 8, 2013, at Heritage Manor in Elroy, with her family near her side.
She was born May 15, 1921, to James and Carrie (Severson) Janecek in the town of Greenwood, Vernon County. She attended school at Debello Ridge and Hillsboro High School, and then she worked at Badger Ordnance until she married. Genevieve was united in marriage to Warren E. Grant on May 3, 1947, in Elroy.
She spent many hours farming, milking cows, feeding chickens, gardening and canning and was employed for 28 years at Valley Inn in Elroy as a cook. Grandma Jenny treated many big and little kids to her special chocolate chip cookies. Other treasured recipes included her homemade noodles and boiled chicken, deviled eggs, vegetable beef dumpling roast, corn fritters, red Jell-O with bananas, oyster stew, turkey dressing, kolache and pumpkin pie. Nobody ever left her house hungry, and the cookies never lasted very long when she had company.
Survivors include her children, Karen Leis of Elroy and Alva “Kirby” (Carol) Grant of Elroy; four grandchildren, Jeannine (Chad) Ottum of Kendall, Jennifer (Doug) Brandau of Wilton, Stacy Leis of Elroy and Carrie (Todd) Krueger of Elroy; and seven great-grandchildren, Cory Ottum, Cole Brandau, Alyssa Ottum, Cora Brandau, Liza Krueger, Grant Krueger and Jay Ottum.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Warren “Govy,” on June 4, 1977: her parents; a brother, Leo Janecek; a son-in-law, Donald Leis; and special friends, Irene Snyder and Dorothy Novy.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, July 12, at the Picha Funeral Home in Elroy, with Rev. Wesley Dunbar officiating. Burial will be in the Elroy City Cemetery. Friends may call at the Picha Funeral Home in Elroy from 4-7 p.m. Thursday and from 10-11 a.m. Friday. For online information, go to www.pichafuneralhomes.com.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Heritage Manor and the health care providers from Gundersen, including Michelle Masters and Jane Weiss, for their many years of care and compassion for Genevieve.