Genevieve Marie Holtz

Genevieve Marie Holtz, age 90, died peacefully during the evening hours of Friday, November 20th, 2020, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, MN. Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 29 from 9:30am to 11am at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery with Memorial Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 11am with Father Tom Niehaus, officiating. Burial will be held in the Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.

Genevieve was born September 4th, 1930, in rural Montgomery, MN to the late James B and Christina Petricka (nee Rosival). She was their only daughter, joining her big brother Mahlon, and later was joined by little brother Donald.

Genevieve was a lifelong resident of Montgomery, growing up during the great depression on the family farm south of town. It would have a lifetime impression on her by which she lived.

She received the sacraments, of Baptism, Confession, Communion and Confirmation as a child at the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer in Montgomery and would go on to graduate from high school in town. Genevieve met her future husband John at a dance in Lexington, MN and when love blossomed, they got married in 1951 at the local Catholic church.

Genevieve had a beautiful faith life in God. She served him the only way she knew how and that was through prayer and by serving others, especially her family. We will never know, in this lifetime, how many prayers she would have said for us and for others. It is beyond comprehension to realize how many meals she made, how many loads of laundry she washed, how many times she attended a sick child and how many times she would simply listen to her familys daily happenings. Simply put, her family was her life!

She worked a number of different positions throughout her life, and she and her husband provided a loving home for their family. She definitely was not afraid of hard work. Her biggest role was being mom to her eight children. She was proud of her Czech heritage and enjoyed cooking Czech foods. She always made sure she had something to give you when you left her house. She had a huge garden and enjoyed sharing it with you, and also canned many an item from there. Genevieve loved to sew and sewed many things for her children, and there was always a quilt made by her for each grandchild upon graduation. She would spend many hours as well working on quilts with “the girls” at Holy Redeemer church. She had a loom and made many, many beautiful rag rugs, which she sold but more importantly gave to her children and grandchildren. Over the years Gen was involved in various organizations, and always made time for her childrens many activities. She was very proud to be able to live independently in her own home up until her passing.

Her life will be forever cherished by her children Joe (Sue) Holtz of North Branch, MN, Jerry Holtz of Montgomery, Bob (Candi) Holtz of Wellington, CO, Sandy (Dale) Bastyr of Lonsdale, MN, Nancy (Bob) Franke of Jordan, MN, Rick (Kathy) Holtz of Eagan, MN, and Judy (Dave) Stepka of Prior Lake, MN, her18 grandchildren, 17 great grand-children plus two on the way, her brother Donald and wife JoAnn, sisters-in-law Mary Ann, Liz, and Joan Holtz, and Mary Petricka.

Genevieve was preceded in death by her daughter-in-law Kay Holtz in 2011, husband John in 2012, grandson Bryan in 2017, son Pat in 2020, great granddaughter Graesyn Dreyer, brother Mahlon Petricka, brothers in law Mike, Fritz, Ed, Cyril, and Tom Holtz, sisters in law and brothers in law Aggie and Donald Kukacka, Catherine and Rolfe Hanson, and Angie and Gerald Tuma.


Arrangements are with the Schoenbauer Funeral Home in Montgomery 507-357-6116. On-line condolences may be left at www.schoenbauerfuneralhome.com.