Genevieve M. Brazzil

Genevieve M. Brazzil, 92, passed away peacefully at Hospice of Northwest Ohio, on Thursday, November 11, 2010. Gen's life was her work, first her family, then her church and community, and finally returning to her Lord. Born on March 30, 1918 to William Francis and Josephine Blessing in Toledo, she attended St. Anne’s and St. Agnes Grade School, then Central Catholic High School, graduating in 1936, where she met her husband and life partner, Richard L. “Bud” Brazzil. They married in January of 1942; she worked as a beautician and volunteered to help with the war effort until they were reunited in December of 1945. They never again parted until death temporarily separated them after nearly sixty-three years of marriage. Together, Gen and Bud operated Franks Fish and Chips on Summit Street at 116th, for several years. When they began their family Gen stayed home, later volunteering for many youth organizations, touching the lives of many area children, and participating as an active parent and fan of her children and grandchildren's many sporting events. Gen was noted for her industry as a neighborhood mom helping produce numerous neighborhood stage plays and musicals, backing homemade lemonade stands, and sponsoring craft events for all of the neighborhood kids. She and her daughter were active rock hounds and she scoured the country on family summer vacations for prized finds. In fact, her late husband regularly noted her talent at keeping gas-station attendants and auto mechanics employed, with her unique ability to squeeze her rare and treasured finds into the already grossly overloaded family station wagon. Together, Gen and Bud counted themselves among the founding members of St. Joan of Arc Parish, and treasured the good times and rich experiences they had with dearly cherished friends, central to their spiritual lives. Gen was active with the Bloodmobile, arts and craft fundraisers, volunteering to help shut-ins and the sick, and with Heartbeat, helping young and unwed mothers. Her personal hobbies included gardening, sewing, crossword puzzles, cooking, baking, and setting preserves. In later years, her fondness grew for watching professional basketball as well as college football, especially with her Irish, the Buckeyes, Pistons, and the Rockets. Her neighbors and friends will always remember the beautiful gardens she tended and her grandchildren will always treasure their memories of her specialty fruit pies and getting whipped at “Go Fish!” and later Gin Rummy. Genevieve is survived by her daughter Kathleen (Donald) Sulgrove and her son Gregory Brazzil; her grandchildren Nikol Tilson, Kenwyn (Bryan) Chambers, Brian (April) Brazzil, Michael (Shannon) Brazzil, Kayla, Mariah, Isabella, Julia Grace, and Brendan Brazzil. Gen is also survived by her great grandchildren, Julia Nikol, Andrew, and Joseph “Joey” Chambers, Cheyenne Williams, Jála, and Soneé Brazzil. Genevieve deeply loved and respected her sister in laws, Margaret Perkins and Patricia (John) Eggl; her many nieces and nephews and their families. Genevieve is preceded in death by her parents, loving husband and life partner Richard, sisters Dorothy Johnson and Mildred Reed, many cherished in-laws, nieces Joanne Johnson Stevenson, Judith Brancheau, and nephew Thomas Reed. Family and friends may visit at the Coyle Funeral Home, 1770 S. Reynolds Road, on Sunday, November 14, 2010 from 3:00-9:00 p.m. where a Scripture Service will be recited at 7:30 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Monday, November, 15, 2010 beginning at 9:30 a.m., in the mortuary, followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Joan of Arc Church at 10:00 a.m. Interment to follow at Resurrection Cemetery. The family requests contributions (instead flowers) be made to Hospice of Northwest Ohio, who made Gen’s last days together with her family comfortable and filled with peace and joy,to St. Joan of Arc Parish, or to a Toledo area Catholic High School of your choice.

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Genevieve M. Brazzil

March 30, 1918 - November 11, 2010