Genevieve L. Hunt

Visitation:  Wednesday, December 9, 2020, 3:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M., Peterson Mortuary, 212 S. Locust Street, Glenwood, Iowa.  Note:  Public gatherings limited to 15 individuals at any time per the Governor’s Public Health Order.

Graveside Service:  Thursday, December 10, 2020, 2:00 P.M., Glenwood Cemetery, Glenwood, Iowa.

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Genevieve L. Hunt, 101 of Glenwood, Iowa passed away December 7, 2020. Genevieve Linda Jens Hunt was born on her parents’ farm, September 29, 1919. Her parents, Albert W. Jens and Charlotte A. Deitchler Jens lived five miles northeast of Glenwood. Genevieve was their only child. She was baptized and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church in Mineola. She loved life on the farm – playing with the animals, playing house with dolls in the barn and having birthday parties with cousins. (She had 33 of them.) Her parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles all spoke German as well as English. After she started school, Genevieve wanted to speak only English and told her mom and dad to “please speak English now”.

Genny had to live in town in order to go to high school. There was no way to get there and back on a daily basis. She boarded with a family who also had other high schoolers there. Albert paid a small room and board fee, plus fresh produce. She was terribly homesick and couldn’t wait for her dad to come get her on weekends.

In 11th grade she started dating Charles E. Hunt, a dapper senior who lived in town. Not German however! He was the son of Claude E. Hunt and Florilla L. Sandell Hunt – born September 19, 1918. He had four brothers and one sister. Genny taught country school briefly at Barbee and Hawthorne. She and Charles were married on june 1, 1939 at the farm by O.C. Bierman. They started out living in town, renting a small house from dear friends, Gus and Lura Newton.

Dean Albert came along in January 1941 and Deloma Lynne in March 1942. In 1943, Charles was drafted and sent to the Philippines. Genny was alone in town with two babies. She took in boarders and had cousins stay with her to help out. All five of the Hunt boys were in the military.

When Charles came home in 1946, Albert and Lottie bought a house in town so the young family could live on the farm – as was the custom. Charlie now had to learn how to be a farmer!

Genny loved being back in her country home. She had a bridge group, a potluck group and a neighborhood group. She raised chickens, had a big garden, canned and froze produce. They joined the Glenwood Congregational Church and were active in all aspects of the church.

Susan Diane was born in November 1949 and they Wendell Charles in October 1957. Two boys and tow girls were just right.

Genny was always artistic and crafty. She painted, drew, knitted, crocheted and did needle work her whole life. She used to draw pictures to entertain kids and grandkids.

Charles had both knees replaced in his late sixties due to arthritis. They decided to take it a little easier and became “snow birds”. They had many different campers over the next 14 years and always love their winters in the south – sometimes Florida or Arizona, but mostly Texas.

At ages 79 and 80 they spend their last winter in Texas. The drive was getting too difficult for Charles. In the fall of 2004 they moved to a townhouse in Glenwood. Things on the farm were too hard to keep up – mowing, snow removal, sheds, pond, etc. Charles had a couple of small strokes by then and town living was safer and easier.

Genny continued on with her cards and crafts and settled into town life. What she really loved the most was having people around her and parties and kids and grandkids – any kind of activity. The more the merrier. Nobody loved babies like she did.

Sadly, Charles had a stroke and died in June of 2007. Life goes on. Genevieve was content in town and continued on. She stayed very independent and pretty healthy. We finally go her to give up her car at age 95 – only slightly willingly! She moved into assisted living at age 97.

Losing grandson Matthew Hunt at age 16 and son Dean at age 70 were terrible losses for her and not easy to bear. Others preceding her in death were her parents, her husband of 68 years, son-in-law Charles Pippitt and grandson-in-law Steven Klingman.

She is survived by children Deloma Pippitt, Susan Simmon (Rob) and Wendell Hunt (Maggie); grandchildren Laura Hovey, Amanda Hunt, Corey Hunt, Shawn Hollis, Chri Pope, Tanya Klingman, David Simmon, Charles A. Hunt, Nick Hunt, Savanna Hunt; great-grandchildren Paige, Aaron and Conor Hovey, Amy Woods, Josh and Reece Pope, Everett and Ryan Klingman and Max Hunt; great-great-grandsons Ashton Barnes and Luca Hovey.

Genevieve’s life was a happy and busy one, filled with lots of love and many, many friends. She had three wonderful trips to Germany and 78 years on her beloved farm.

Memorials may be directed to: The NEST Program c/o Mills County Public Health or St. John Lutheran Church in Mineola, Iowa.