Genevieve Bosch

Genevieve Ellen Bosch was an honest and devoted wife, mother and grandmother who enjoyed the comforts of a simple and honest lifestyle. She was perfectly happy spending time with her loved ones and didn't need the glitz or allurement in her life.

1914 was a time of great change in America. Jobs were plentiful and thousands of men and women entered this country each day to seek a better life and forever changed and reshaped American traditions. Genevieve entered these changing times on January 7, 1914, in Holland, Michigan to Christian and Emma (Ellen) Sas. Genevieve was born at the Sas home on Twenty First Street. Sisters, Marie and Carol, would later join Genevieve to complete the Sas family. She had a pretty normal childhood growing up and in her early years the family moved to a farm in North Holland. She attended Holland Public Schools and graduated from Holland High School.

Genevieve's life took a new direction when she met Willis (Bill) Bosch at church. The two fell in love and after nearly four years of dating, were married on September 18, 1936 at the Sas farmhouse. They were fortunate to be able to honeymoon after the wedding at the Straits of Mackinac. Their good friends, Heinie and Ann Freriks, stood up for them at the wedding and helped along while they were getting started with their new lives. Both Bill and Genevieve and Heinie and Ann had their first child on the same day and both were blessed with girls. Their family quickly grew to include six children, Leslie, Keith, Marcia, Alan, Kathy and Mark. Leslie and Keith were born the old-fashioned way on their parents' farm in North Holland while the other four were more traditional in the hospital. In the early years of their marriage, Bill began working for General Motors and would work there all his working years. Genevieve devoted her life as a loving and caring mother. Her children could always count on her whether it was just being there when they got home from school or to attend their school activities, even if Bill couldn't. She was always active in her children's lives, serving as a Blue Bird leader and a Den Mother for the Cub Scouts and encouraged them to play a musical instrument while growing up. The family especially enjoyed camping. If Bill couldn't come, Genevieve would still take the children camping at Holland State Park.

Genevieve's favorite place to be was in the kitchen. She loved to cook and bake bread and cinnamon rolls. She would once in a while send the children to the corner store for her favorite treats, cashews and bridge mix. Bill and Genevieve were inseparable. They enjoyed everything together. Side by side they would tend to their large garden, picking fruits and vegetables when they were ripe and canning their harvest for future use. After Bill's retirement from General Motors, they enjoyed going on bus trips to Florida or attend musicals and plays at Hope College. They also played cards with other retirees from Bill's work. When their children were older and lived in different places over the years - Oregon, Illinois, Ohio and Florida, this allowed them the opportunity to travel to these areas as well as visit family. Bill and Genevieve would take traditional Sunday drives on the back roads in the country. They would stop occasionally and pick bittersweet out near Lake Michigan. Genevieve and Bill attended First Reformed Church in Holland since they were married in 1936. They passed these values on to their family with a warm and giving heart.

There were many different interests that kept Genevieve busy. She enjoyed going to doll shows looking to add to her collection of dolls, thimbles, spoons and teacups. She didn't like to sit in front of the TV much but rather curl up with a good book that she found at the book reviews she attended. After the children were not at home anymore, it made it more affordable for them to go out to eat to one of her favorite places, Russ' Restaurant.

Genevieve's family was the center of her world. The holidays were her favorite time when she was surrounded by her family. She would have devoted every moment to her grandchildren, if time allowed. While sitting on her front porch, Genevieve would grow sentimental watching her grandchildren play at the Longfellow Public Elementary School, which was right across the street from the house they lived in for 60 years. Her children attended this school while growing up and often played on the very same playground. She was very proud of her grandchildren and showed her pride at their graduations from high school and college. Her great-grandchildren were equally important and she was blessed to be at their baptisms and birthdays.

Bill passed away in 1996 and Genevieve continued to live on Twenty Fourth Street until she moved to the Appledorn Living Center in Holland in July 2002. She continued to own her home and now her granddaughter and her husband are living in the Bosch home. She thrived at Appledorn, which kept her motivated with new friends and activities.

Genevieve Ellen Bosch passed away on Wednesday, November 19, 2003, at Appledorn Living Center. She was preceded in death by her husband, Willis (Bill) Bosch, her daughter, Leslie Groen, and her daughter-in-law, Janet Bosch. She is survived by her children, Keith and Diane Bosch of Suttons Bay, MI, Marcia and Stewart Washburn of Holland, MI, Alan and Jayne Bosch of Jenison, MI, Kathy Linden of Glenn, MI, Mark and Genny Bosch of Portland, OR, and son-in -law, Robert Groen of Holland, MI; 14 grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; sisters, Marie Nienhuis of Holland, MI and Carol Nash of Holland, MI; and sister-in-law, Harriet Bosch of Holland, MI.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, November 22 at 10:00 am at First Reformed Church, 630 State Street, with Rev. Daniel Gillett officiating. Visitation will be held on Friday, November 21 from 6-9pm at the Mulder Chapel, 188 W 32nd Street. Burial will take place at Pilgrim Home Cemetery. Memorial Contributions may be given to Camp Beechpoint or Hospice of Holland. Please visit Genevieve's personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can read the life story, share a memory, make a memorial contribution, or order flowers online. Arrangements by Dykstra Funeral Homes, Mulder Chapel

Genevieve devoted herself to her family, living life to the fullest as a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She will be greatly missed.