ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Genieve Guenthner, 92, of Alexandria, Va., formerly of the North Platte and Hershey areas, died Dec. 16, 2001, at her home in Alexandria.

She was born Sept. 5, 1909, in Farnam to Jesse H. and Alice Phillips Fitch. The family moved to their homestead in Dickens in 1910. She attended high school in Hershey, graduating in 1927. She worked at the Post Office and the Bank of Lincoln County in Hershey until she moved to North Platte in 1930. She met her future husband, Ruben Guenthner at Northwestern Public Service where they both worked.

They were married Sept. 14, 1933, in the home of Omar and Della Kitchen in North Platte. Four children, Shirley, Eugene, Jerry and Jerome were born to the couple. After Shirley and Gene were born, the family moved to Mott, N.D. where the twins, Jerry and Jerome were born. The family returned to North Platte for several years before moving to Washington, D.C. in 1947. The family moved to Cochituate, Mass., in 1958, where they lived until her husband’s retirement. At that time, they moved to Springfield, Va., to be closer to their sons. Her husband preceded her in death in April 1991. She lived in Alexandria with her son, Jerome, until her death.

Mrs. Guenthner was an active member of the Methodist Church in North Platte, Mott, Cochituate and Springfield. In her later years, she enjoyed playing her organ and oil painting, especially with her sister, Lavonne. She lived a full and active life all of her 92 years and the lives of her children and all their families have been richly blessed by the warmth of her mother’s love.

She is survived by her four children and their spouses, Eugene and Becky Guenthner of Fredrick, Md., Jerry and wife Gloria Guenthner of Lorton, Va., Jerome and wife Tricia Guenthner of Alexandria and Shirley Guenthner and Carol Peterson of Boulder, Colo.; a sister, Lavonne Miller of Hershey; 10 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; as well as many other relatives and friends.

She was also preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Flossie Baker, and twin infant sisters; and three brothers Horace, Maurice and Aubrey Fitch.

Memorial graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Dickens Cemetery with the Rev. Karl Lent of the Hershey United Methodist Church officiating.

The North Platte Telegraph