Obituaries

Genevieve Brown Salminen

Genevieve Brown Salminen, 94, died early Monday morning, Nov. 28, 2011, at Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans, Vt., following a short illness.

Genevieve was born in Greenport, N.Y., on Aug. 17, 1917, the daughter of Wayland and Bertha (Ketcham) Brown. Gen grew up on her family’s vegetable farm in East Marion, where they shipped produce to New York City. Graduating early from Greenport High School at the age of 16, Gen went to work in New York City, taking care of babies heading for adoption. Her love for teaching led her to SUNY/New Paltz, where she received her teaching degree. She taught elementary school for years in Aquebogue, N.Y.

Gen married Edwin Salminen at East Marion Baptist Church on July 21, 1940. She loved reaching out to friends throughout her lifetime, be it through teaching, church ministries or visiting elderly shut-ins, even into her 80s. Gen loved art, music, sewing, flower arranging, baking, traveling around the world, babies and was everybody’s mother. Gen loved the beach and especially loved spending time with her family in Alabama, Vermont and New York. To family and friends, Gen was affectionately known as “Mom,” “Aunt Gen” and “Sarge!”

Gen was also a cancer survivor, battling uterine cancer in her early 40s.

Sadly, Gen was predeceased by her husband, Edwin, in 1981, her son, Chris Salminen, in 1989 and her sisters Sarah Dennis, Lillian Heroy, Marjorie Getches and Betsey Corwin.

Gen is survived by her children, Jim Salminen and his wife, Ann, of Montgomery, Ala., Karlo Salminen and his wife, Carolyn, of Milton, Vt., and her daughter-in-law, Donna Salminen of Charlotte, N.C.; her grandchildren, Krista, Scot, Rob, Rachel, Anna and Matti; nine great-grandchildren; her sisters, Lois Wing and her husband, Richard, of Caribou, Maine, and Irene Utter and her husband, Wade, of Fairport, N.Y.; and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at East Marion Community Church in the spring.

This is a paid notice.