Genevieve “Gen” Grahek

Genevieve “Gen” Grahek, 94, of Silver Bay, passed away Friday July 15, 2011, at the Cook County North Shore Care Center in Grand Marais.

Gen was born Aug. 25, 1916, to Karl and Justine (Wroblewski) Karczjewski in Milwaukee, where she grew up and graduated from South Division High School.

As a young lady she was employed at Layton Park State Bank, Milwaukee County Court House, Baxter’s, and Manpower Temp Service in Milwaukee.

Gen married Edward Grahek Jan. 25, 1941, and they moved to Silver Bay in the summer of 1955 as pioneer residents of the community. She was employed as an executive secretary at Reserve Mining Company for 29 years.

Gen enjoyed traveling, singing, and crossword puzzles, and was an avid reader and “Hand & Foot” card player. She especially enjoyed the outdoors and time spent at the family cabin on Devil Track Lake near Grand Marais.

She was a founding member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, where she was the head of all church circles, later leading St. Rita’s Circle. She also served on the funeral committee and was in the church choir. She was a member of the Silver Bay Golden Agers, a scout leader, and the first woman president of AmVets.

She was a wonderful wife, mother, and friend, and was a warm compassionate, caring and understanding person with a great sense of humor. She was always willing to listen to and help others. She was dearly loved and will be sorely missed by all who knew her. She and her daughter, Janet, were best friends.

Genevieve was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Edward; a brother and three sisters.

She is survived by her daughter, Janet Grahek of Silver Bay; a son, John (Barbara) Grahek of Rochester; a sister, Alice Gjurek of Indianapolis; grandchildren, Elizabeth Nelson, Tiffany Wyant, John (Kim) Grahek Jr., Sami and John Tayeb; seven great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandchild; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials are preferred to St. Mary’s Church in Silver Bay, the Silver Bay Library and the North Shore Care Center’s Activity Department in Grand Marais.

There was a visitation and Mass of Christian Burial Wednesday at St. Mary’s in Silver Bay. Burial was at Silver Bay Cemetery. To sign the online guestbook please go to www.cavallinfuneralhome.com.

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