Genevieve Johnson, 98 1/2, passed away in the late afternoon of April 19, 2022, surrounded by her children, as well as some of her grandchildren and great grandchildren, at that moment. Born Oct. 6, 1923, a fraternal twin to her brother, Jerry, in Grand Forks, N.D., the great-granddaughter of immigrants who migrated to America and Canada from western Ireland at the time of the potato famines in the early to mid-1800’s, through the port cities of Boston, (probably) Montreal, and New Orleans, settling eventually around Chicago, Kankakee, IL, and N.D., Gen was one of seven children born to Henry O’Keefe and Francis (Kerin) O’Keefe, and the last surviving member of that group.
After graduating from the University of North Dakota, she ended up in Chicago, working as a flight attendant for TWA. There she met on a blind date a fellow North Dakotan (Fargo), Henry A. Johnson, known sometimes at that time, although of Norwegian descent, as “Swede,” a recently-returned Naval veteran of WWII, and well-known in North Dakota for his basketball exploits. Also known as “Hank,” educated as an electrical engineer at North Dakota State, Henry was just starting a business career in sales.
Despite her fiercely proud Irish heritage, and Catholic faith, Gen married the Norwegian, Lutheran “Hank,” by virtue of a special dispensation granted for them to do so, on June 28, 1947, and they began a lifelong partnership, raising four children, in an adventure that led Gen and Hank, due to corporate job transfers, from Chicago to suburban New York City and New Jersey, Upstate New York, back to Chicago, then to Connecticut, and, finally, retirement in California, always choosing wonderful communities, with great school systems, to live in—in succession, the Northwest side of Chicago, Park Ridge, Park Forest, Clarendon Hills, IL, then on to Eastchester, N.Y., on to Madison, NJ, then to Gen’s favorite, Skaneateles, back to Oak Park, IL, then to Stamford, CT, and finally, retirement in Santa Ana/Tustin/Orange, CA, where Hank died in 2001.
The focus of Gen’s life was always family, both immediate and extended. She gave birth first to William (1948), then, Irish twins Gerald (1950) and Jennifer Sue (1950) and Marianne (1953). Gen was an active mother, sewing clothes, finding the best swimming spots, and making lifelong friends wherever she was. The house was always open, and she fed and entertained innumerous kids’ friends, relatives, visitors, and Hank’s business associates, while also working as a nursery school and Head Start teacher, as well as other part-time jobs to fill in the family income, and hunting the best bargains around for food, clothes, and other necessities, as well as antiques, collectibles and yard-sale finds. She became a clearinghouse for her large, extended family, enjoying her relationships with her siblings, vast array of cousins, aunts and uncles, in-laws and mother Franny, able to relay messages, whereabouts and whatabouts concerning any to another. Her talents, and gifts to all, were her sparkling eyes and smile, which exuded optimism, humble sincerity and empathy, her ability to make and keep friends, quickly find out someone’s entire story and never forget it, make all feel comfortable and at ease; she enjoyed a good laugh, including on her, and remembered all the stories. She was also very sensitive, fiercely loyal and proud of her kids and family, and not afraid to assert herself or speak her mind. She could also be pretty competitive when it came to bridge, bingo, her kids’ sports’ teams, a chosen few college teams (Notre Dame, Univ. of North Dakota, Dartmouth, Syracuse), favorite pro teams, and quarterbacks (Joe Montana, especially), and often rooted for certain players based on things other than their athletic abilities. Beautiful, intelligent, pragmatic, generous, not shy, funny, caring, and “a character” would all be words to describe her. In her last few years, life became hard for Gen, but she managed to smile and laugh it off; while hard for her, her extended life was a gift to those near to and around her.
Gen, who was also called “Murphy” by her husband, and known as “Nonnie” to all the grandkids, was predeceased by her husband Hank (2001), eldest daughter Jennifer Ames (2010), parents Henry and Frances O’Keefe, siblings—Bette, John, Margaret, Bill, twin brother Jerry, and beloved younger sister, Maureen, daughter-in-law Melinda (Jerry), most other in-laws, numerous cousins, aunts and uncles. She is survived by her children, Bill and wife Sara Johnson (Hanover, NH), Jerry Johnson (Tustin, CA), and Sam Johnson (San Rafael, CA), son-in-law Jack Ames (Palos Hills, IL); grandchildren Kaitlyn Sikora (Luke), (San Francisco, CA), and Kara Johnson (Tustin, CA), Kris Ames (Kerri), (Frankfort, IL), Melissa Jurzec (Dan), (Tinley Park, IL), Elizabeth Ames-Wollek (Ray), (Tinley Park, IL), Mara Bailey-Olson (Chris), (San Anselmo, CA), Sean Bailey (Kersta), (San Anselmo, CA), Erin Petrilli (JT), (San Francisco, CA); step-grandchildren: Bart Wells (CA), Andrew Trimmer (Hailey), (Tacoma, WA), Katharine Libby (Kevin), (Boston, MA and York, ME), and Matt Eaton (Somerville, MA); great-grandchildren: Connor Sikora, McKenna, Cayden and Madison Ames, Daniel Jurzec, Leo Wollek, Winston, Ellery Jane, Hendrik Olson, Penny and Arlo Bailey, Sloane Petrilli, Declan and Emerson Trimmer, Vivienne Libby, many nieces and nephews, and lifelong friends, especially Bette Fitzharris and Marianne Sims, who she stayed in touch with until the very end.
The family would like to thank the caregivers at Park Plaza Assisted Living and Cadence Hospice, both of Orange, CA, and Liz Allen, for their care of Gen, and, also, the friends she made at Park Plaza that watched out for her, towards the end of her life. A Celebration of Life is planned for July 23, somewhere in Orange County, yet to be determined. If anyone wishes to make a donation in memory of Gen, please just give to your chosen charity or cause, or, just try to treat all with kindness, respect, acceptance, a smile and a sense of humor.
