Genevieve Mary Janssen (nee Lalonde)
1943 - 2022

It is with extreme sadness that the family of Genevieve Janssen announces her peaceful passing on Friday, August 5, 2022 at the age of 79 years.  Mom has gone to be with her loving husband Maurice (deceased 2009) and son Daryl (deceased 2010).  She leaves behind to mourn her children, Jacqueline (Darren) Schlageter of Saskatoon (children Nathan & Emma); Beverley (Cliff) Bund of Estevan; Teresa (Scott) Sahulka of Regina (children Courtney, Ashley & Myles); Cordell Janssen (Jolene Dusyk) of Benson (children Carter, Cameron & Kolby; step-children Ella & Sophie Dusyk), Daryl’s children Christopher (Dominique Millman) Janssen (great grandchildren Rowan and Walker) of Estevan, Dayton and Wyatt Hatch of Grande Prairie, Alta, step-children Damien Murray (Caity Colibaba & Lexi) of Lampman & Tristen Hatch of Grande Prairie; her brothers and sisters, Omer (Dorothy) Lalonde, Emile (Doris) Lalonde, Elaine Audet, Fred Lalonde, Leonard (Helene) Lalonde, Raymond (Donna) Lalonde, Jo-Anne Lalonde (Bob Mathews) and Ernie (Lynne) Lalonde, Maurice’s brother Marcel (Donna) Janssen as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and neighbours.  Mom was also predeceased by her parents Leon and Julia (nee Cossette) Lalonde and her father and mother in law, Frank and Susanna (nee Nimegeers) Janssen, her infant sister Simone Lalonde, and brothers-in-law, Marcel Audet & Albert Janssen.

Mom was born in Estevan on May 1, 1943 and grew up on the family dairy located along Highway 18 west of Estevan.  Mom attended school in Estevan “leaving early” to lend a helping hand at home.  As the oldest girl within a large family of ten children, chores were many and pitching in was necessary.  Mom later worked caring for the children of a local family and then at Courtesy Cleaners in Estevan.  She met Dad at a box social and dance in Estevan and they were married on October 3, 1964.  They would live and farm at Benson with Dad’s parents before taking over the farm a couple years later.  Mom and Dad would work side by side raising not only their five children but also various grain crops and many purebred and beef cattle.  The mixed farm provided their livelihood, gave them an amazing way of life, and remains the Janssen farm today.

A farm wife through and through, Mom worked hard and planted a huge garden and many flowers, milked cows, raised chickens & pigs and helped with the cattle and harvest.  Up early every day, she prepared meals, baked homemade bread, canned fruit, made preserves, kept us supplied with cookies and even sewed a few of our clothes when we were young.  Mom learned to drive only after some of us were born and enjoyed the ability of driving to town on her own for groceries and errands.

Together Mom and Dad enjoyed many pastimes including square dancing, round dancing, card parties, visits with family, friends and neighbours, camping, and travelling both near and far.  Mom’s world crashed the day we lost Dad but it was her faith and inner strength that helped her continue on.  Losing Daryl only 16 months later broke her heart and again reminded us of the preciousness of family.

Mom decided to move to Estevan in 2012, bought her townhouse behind the mall and adjusted to being in town and having a much different window view.  She often went to help and visit at the farm, played cards regularly, continued with her love of quilting, and even took up league bowling again.  Mom was a long-time member of the CWL in Benson and remained a devoted parishioner all her life.  She attended mass faithfully and was one of the first on the list when you could attend in person again during COVID.  She served as treasurer for the Estevan branch of the Diabetic Association when Daryl became diabetic and again as treasurer for her condo association.

Special to Mom’s heart were the family moments - time spent together sharing good conversation, love & laughter, companionship, and even silence.  Mom’s grandchildren and now two great grandchildren were a special source of joy.  She was ready with advice when asked while they were younger, has always been interested in what the kids were doing or planning to do, and loved to hear any funny stories.  I am sure many of you have heard some of Mom’s stories…maybe even more than once!  Not being able to drive or do the things she wanted recently was one of the hardest things for Mom to accept and she fought hard to regain her independence.  We have been lucky to share many extra moments with Mom over the past year and a half but still wish it could have been much longer.  We will miss you Mom but know you are now at peace!

Prayers were held on Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. at the Chapel of Hall Funeral Services, Estevan, SK with Connie Wheeler officiating. The Funeral Mass was celebrated on Thursday, August 11, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at St. John the Baptist R.C. Church, Esteavn, SK with Rev. Sathiadas Antony presiding. A luncheon followed in the parish hall, after which interment took place at Sacred Heart Cemetery, Benson, SK.

For the next 90 days, a video recording of the Funeral Mass may be viewed using this link: https://event.forgetmenotceremonies.com/ceremony?c=8b4ea5b7-63a4-4b80-b8db-e4a8d8593d40.

Our family would like to thank everyone who assisted with Mom’s prayers and funeral mass.  Special thanks also to the staff at Hillview Manor for making Mom feel at home for the past year, to the Allan Blair Cancer Clinic staff in Regina for their support and to all those she recently encountered in the medical community in Estevan and Regina.  The support of family and friends has also been greatly appreciated and touched our family deeply.

Those so wishing may donate in Mom’s memory to the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan (Designate Allan Blair) 200 – 4545 Parliament Ave., Regina, SK S4W 0G3 or online at cancerfoundationsask.ca or to the Sacred Heart Parish Cemetery, Box 82,Benson, SK S0C 0L0 or the charity of their choice.

Hall Funeral Services in Estevan provided care to Genevieve's family - Yvonne Clark, Funeral Director.