Obituary for Genevieve Westervelt
Genevieve Westervelt slipped the bonds of this earth on January 5, 2016 surrounded by her loving family. Genevieve Joan Sandage was born to Tom Sandage and Jennie Kamps at the family home 9 miles west of Big Timber, MT on November 8, 1934. At the beginning of World War II the family moved to Mouat Mine and Genevieve received some of her early education at the Mouat Mine School, Nye School as well as various other rural schools. After graduating from Sweet Grass County High School she worked in Yellowstone Park one season later returning to Livingston to work at Wilcoxson's. In 1952 she married Paul Westervelt. Genevieve was mother to Nicholas, Mela Dee, Kelly, and a baby girl that was stillborn. She instilled in her children a love of nature and the outdoors. She taught them all to love ice skating, spending many hours laughing and skating together on any ice they could find. She enjoyed living in the country raising animals and large gardens. She raised registered Hampshire sheep, even traveling to Utah to buy rams and produced some of the best black-faced sheep in the country. Her get-of-sire won the Winter Fair in Bozeman at least 2 years and the NILE in Billings. As young woman she survived ovarian cancer. Genevieve worked as a janitor at the county courthouse and cleaned houses for private people. Her lifelong love of reading led her to a job as assistant librarian and then promotion to head librarian. While at the library she loved helping the children choose books for school and for reading for pleasure. After retiring from the library she pursued her interest in raising roses. Genevieve and Paul missed seeing the many bluebirds they had seen in earlier years. So Genevieve accompanied him in putting up bluebird houses, checking them for babies, cleaning and repairing the houses. She helped fledge about 15,000 birds, returning flashes of sapphire blue joy to the area. She enjoyed traveling to Hawaii, several different states and to Canada several times. She was a member of the First Congregational Church for many, many years. Genevieve was a very private person and her creative nature bloomed in writing poetry and in photography. She expressed herself in designing and making beautiful quilts - all made completely by hand. Each of her children and grandchildren are especially blessed to have a quilt she made just for them to cherish and remember her by. Unfortunately after suffering several strokes she was unable to continue many of her activities, but she never complained, accepting her limitations with grace. She and Paul were married 63 years. Genevieve is survived by her husband, Paul; sons Nicholas and Kelly and daughter, Mela. Also by granddaughters Heather (Brad) and their daughters Matti and Karly; granddaughter Kara (Morgan) and her daughter Bea. Granddaughters Jennifer (Wade) and Mariah (Gary) and their daughter Morgan Beth, granddaughter Lindsey; and Kelly's children Timothy, Hillary Jo, Sierra and Rebecca.
Service:
2:00 P.M. Saturday January 9, 2016
First Congregational Church Big Timber, MT
Service:
2:00 P.M. Saturday January 9, 2016
First Congregational Church Big Timber, MT
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