Genevieve Demeyer

Genevieve DeMeyer was born Oct. 16, 1913, in Eureka, Calif., the fourth of eight children of Francis and Florinda Early. She died Sunday, March 2, in Fort Collins. She was raised on her parents' dairy farm until her father lost the use of one of his hands in an equipment accident. Then she and her family moved to Eureka, where her father worked as a janitor at a local dairy. Genevieve graduated from high school at the age of 15, second in her class. On turning 16, she began working to help support her family. In 1935, she met and later married Henry DeMeyer and they moved to San Francisco, Calif. There they had three children, Frank DeMeyer spouse Annette of Fort Collins, Alice Van Oppen spouse Philip of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., and Richard DeMeyer spouse Carol of Naples, Fla. At the end of World War II, she moved with her family to Seattle, Wash., and began a career in banking, beginning with a data entry job and rising to a position as a loan officer. She retired in 1977 and moved with her husband to a farm near Yelm, Wash. In 1992, they moved to Olympia, Wash., to live with their son Richard and his wife Carol, then to Tacoma, Wash., to Franke Tobey Jones Retirement Estates, where Henry died in 1995. In 2002, Genevieve moved to Fort Collins and resided in Spring Creek Retirement Home. We are thankful to the staff at Spring Creek for their caring service. For the past 20 years, Genevieve bore up bravely under the affliction of Parkinson's disease. Genevieve was always interested in intellectual pursuits. She learned to play bridge at the age of 90 and regularly beat her son Frank at cribbage into her 90s. She worked the crossword and other puzzles in the daily newspaper. She was also proud of the educational accomplishments of her children all of whom received college degrees, and she lived her whole life in quiet dignity, giving service to others. Toward the end of her life, she said she owed those around her a hundred thank yous. Genevieve was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. Her survivors include two younger sisters, Gertrude Siggins and Evelyn Massaro of Eureka Calif.; three children and their spouses; seven grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. There will be a graveside service at the city of Yelm cemetery at 11 a.m. Monday, where Genevieve will be buried next to her husband, Henry.