Genevieve C. Hamrock, 74, of Ridgelawn Avenue and formerly of Manhattan Avenue, passed away Monday morning, Feb. 15, 2010, at St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown, Ohio after a courageous and hard-fought seven-year battle with metastatic cancer.
Genevieve, who was known to many as “Geni” (pronounce Jenny), was born May 20, 1935 in Youngstown, Ohio the youngest daughter of Slovak immigrants, the late John and Mary Bartos Yalch.
She was a lifelong resident of Youngstown, grew up in the Lansingville area of the city, and moved with her family to the west side in the 1940s. Geni was a 1953 graduate of Chaney High School.
She worked in admitting at Forum Health Northside Medical Center for 18 years, retiring from the bed board in 2000 to care for her husband. Previously, she had worked at Youngstown State University and at Sharon Steel.
She enjoyed baking for the holidays, made delicious beef stew, sloppy joes, stuffed cabbage and barley soup, and adored polka music and polka dancing.
She expressed her creativity by sewing many of her own stylish clothes, and later in life, took inspiration in remodeling and decorating the homes she lived in. She enjoyed working jigsaw puzzles and was a fan of football, and could often be heard at games cheering the loudest. She also loved visits from her children.
Geni was an independent, energetic, and determined woman who possessed an unyielding courage of her convictions and a willingness to fight any battle, no matter the odds. She loved and protected her family and her spirit and lessons taught will never be forgotten.
Her beloved husband of 44 years, Edward Hamrock, whom she married Sept. 7, 1957, passed away March 19, 2002.
Mrs. Hamrock leaves three children, Edward J. of Austintown, Ohio; Geraldine “Geri” of Youngstown, and Bernice “Bernie” of Boardman, Ohio; two nephews, Thomas Mrofchak of Austintown and Joseph Mrofchak of Canfield, Ohio; a great-nephew, Jason Mrofchak; and her extended family and friends.
Geni will be truly missed by all who loved her, especially by her children.
Besides her parents and husband, Geni was preceded in death by two sisters, Eleanor Mrofchak and Gertrude Yalch, by her younger brother, Robert Yalch, and by two infant siblings.
Family and friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18, at Kinnick Funeral Home, 477 N. Meridian Road in Youngstown.
Funeral services will begin at 9:15 a.m. on Friday at the funeral home, and continue with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at St. Christine Church in Youngstown.
Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery, where Genevieve will be laid to rest next to her husband.
In lieu of flowers, Mrs. Hamrock’s family requests that memorial contributions be made in her name to the American Cancer Society, 525 N. Broad St., Canfield, OH 44406.
Mahoning