Obituary for Genevieve Grace "Gracie" Hertel
Genevieve Grace Hertel, “Gracie,” passed from this life on August 4, 2022, at Garden Valley Retirement Village in Garden City, Kansas. She was 90 years, seven months, and 24 days old. Genevieve was born December 11, 1931, during the depression era, to Peter and Lois Bergen of Ensign, Kansas. She grew up on a farm south of Ensign, with her two older brothers, Marvin and Ervin, and her younger sister Irene. Genevieve graduated from Ensign Rural High School in 1949.
Settling in Garden City, Genevieve was a devoted wife, mother, and homemaker. She married Donald L. Hertel in 1959, and raised four sons, Eugene, Melvin, Daryl, and Marc Hertel, and a daughter Connie (Hertel) Henry.
Genevieve was involved in a number of things through her many years of life. She worked and volunteered, having great passion in all that she died. In the 1970’s, she was a Welcome Wagon Hostess to families that were new to Garden City. For 23 years she was the curator at the Finney County Museum in Garden City. She absolutely loved her job and looked forward to going to work every single day!
She was a true historian, having great skill and paying close attention to detail in all her research endeavors. For several decades, Genevieve’s spare time was spent on genealogy. As a genealogist prior to the internet existing, she conquered the monumental task of tracing back family ancestry in to the early 1600s using “snail mail” to request and receive information and documentation, as well as spending countless hours at the library. She was a member of the Kansas Genealogical Society and Finney County Historical Society.
At family gatherings, you could count on her to have an entire list of random fun facts, or unusual things that peoples should know. She may also have asked you to recite a tongue twister, or she would go around the room and see who could wiggle their ears.
Some of her hobbies included making and collecting things for grandchildren and great grandchildren. She would create scrapbooks and fill mason jars with buttons, as well as complete sewing projects like handmade rag dolls or coverlets made from scraps of denim, to name a few.
Every grandchild has memories of her singing I the kitchen and helping bake her special “health food cookies.” She loved garage sales and coupon cliffing, as Genevieve was known to be simplistic and frugal by choice; never wasteful of anything and always resourceful. Even at unannounced visits to her house, she was always happy to see you and always had something for you to take home.
Genevieve had been a member of the Church of the Brethren in Garden City since the 1960’s and attended regularly until her health wouldn’t allow it. She then had enjoyed reading the church bulletin up until her passing.
Genevieve was known by her family to have a clever way of being bossy or giving her opinion; and everyone knows that she also had a very cheerful disposition. She could be heard singing or humming or whistling a tune at any given time. When she was 85, she hung a sign in her home that read, “Someday there won’t be a song in your heart, SING ANYWAY.”
Genevieve is survived by a sister, Irene “Bergen” Edgett, daughter Connie (and Jim) Henry, son Daryl (and Sue) Hertel, nine grandchildren, twenty great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, Don Hertel, her parents Peter and Lois Bergen, two brothers, Marvin and Ervin Bergen, three sons, Eugene, Melvin, and Marc Hertel, and a grandchild.
Garnand Funeral Home provided services for a cremation. The family will have a private burial for Genevieve at Valley View Cemetery in Garden City. Memorial donations are asked to go to the Finney County Historical Society in care of the funeral home.
Settling in Garden City, Genevieve was a devoted wife, mother, and homemaker. She married Donald L. Hertel in 1959, and raised four sons, Eugene, Melvin, Daryl, and Marc Hertel, and a daughter Connie (Hertel) Henry.
Genevieve was involved in a number of things through her many years of life. She worked and volunteered, having great passion in all that she died. In the 1970’s, she was a Welcome Wagon Hostess to families that were new to Garden City. For 23 years she was the curator at the Finney County Museum in Garden City. She absolutely loved her job and looked forward to going to work every single day!
She was a true historian, having great skill and paying close attention to detail in all her research endeavors. For several decades, Genevieve’s spare time was spent on genealogy. As a genealogist prior to the internet existing, she conquered the monumental task of tracing back family ancestry in to the early 1600s using “snail mail” to request and receive information and documentation, as well as spending countless hours at the library. She was a member of the Kansas Genealogical Society and Finney County Historical Society.
At family gatherings, you could count on her to have an entire list of random fun facts, or unusual things that peoples should know. She may also have asked you to recite a tongue twister, or she would go around the room and see who could wiggle their ears.
Some of her hobbies included making and collecting things for grandchildren and great grandchildren. She would create scrapbooks and fill mason jars with buttons, as well as complete sewing projects like handmade rag dolls or coverlets made from scraps of denim, to name a few.
Every grandchild has memories of her singing I the kitchen and helping bake her special “health food cookies.” She loved garage sales and coupon cliffing, as Genevieve was known to be simplistic and frugal by choice; never wasteful of anything and always resourceful. Even at unannounced visits to her house, she was always happy to see you and always had something for you to take home.
Genevieve had been a member of the Church of the Brethren in Garden City since the 1960’s and attended regularly until her health wouldn’t allow it. She then had enjoyed reading the church bulletin up until her passing.
Genevieve was known by her family to have a clever way of being bossy or giving her opinion; and everyone knows that she also had a very cheerful disposition. She could be heard singing or humming or whistling a tune at any given time. When she was 85, she hung a sign in her home that read, “Someday there won’t be a song in your heart, SING ANYWAY.”
Genevieve is survived by a sister, Irene “Bergen” Edgett, daughter Connie (and Jim) Henry, son Daryl (and Sue) Hertel, nine grandchildren, twenty great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, Don Hertel, her parents Peter and Lois Bergen, two brothers, Marvin and Ervin Bergen, three sons, Eugene, Melvin, and Marc Hertel, and a grandchild.
Garnand Funeral Home provided services for a cremation. The family will have a private burial for Genevieve at Valley View Cemetery in Garden City. Memorial donations are asked to go to the Finney County Historical Society in care of the funeral home.