Gen Shultz

Genevieve ‘Gen’ Shultz

Gen Shultz 96, died Friday, Dec. 18, 2020, at her home in Craig, Colo.

Genevieve “Gen” H. (Simonson) Shultz was born October 22, 1924, in Broken Bow, Neb. to Robert P. Simonson Sr., and Elizabeth H. (Kennedy) Simonson.

Gen’s paternal grandparents Peter and Lucy (Cantrell) Simonson owned and operated Simonson’s Meat Market for over 40 years in Broken Bow, Peter coming from Denmark as a child. Her maternal grandparents John and Flora (Hircock) Kennedy were farmers in Merna for three generations.

Genevieve was allowed to skip kindergarten, was a straight A student, a lifelong reader, had beautiful penmanship and graduated in 1942 from the Broken Bow High School. Wanting to see the country after graduation, she took a bus by herself, went East and got as far as Baltimore, Md. then turned around and came back to Broken Bow. She enjoyed being an “in town” girl.

Genevieve was always close to her parents and younger brother, Bob Simonson. They were a very giving family and would help anyone, when they had nothing themselves, especially during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. The family included a brindle-colored Bulldog named Boots.

She moved with her family to Los Angeles, Calif. during World War II where her father found work building ships for the Navy. For three years Gen worked in an office for the New York Stock Exchange. She met many interesting people there, told stories of lights off on the coast during the war, including covering vehicle headlights in Los Angeles at night.

Moving back to Broken Bow with her family, she worked at a retail store that sold everything except bulk groceries. While working there, she was introduced by a girlfriend to Roy F. Shultz, and they married July 15, 1946. They had two children, son Clifton D. Shultz born November 1947, and daughter Sandra Kae Shultz born December 1950. A loving Springer Spaniel named Ginger made the family complete. 

Genevieve took in ironing to help support the family while Roy had various jobs working for the railroad, was employed at Holcomb Drug Store and was a butcher for Chapin’s meat packing plant. They moved to Lexington in 1956, where Roy worked at Sixth Street Supermarket and the Canaday Station steam powered plant. Then moving to Elwood to a rented farmhouse with tractors, barns, cattle, horses, chickens, ducks, geese, fruit trees, 3 acres of vegetable garden, pastureland, snow blizzards, and tornadoes, Gen got her first taste of not living in town and became a “farm girl.”

The Canaday Station became outdated and closed so Gen moved with her family to Craig, Colo. in August 1964, where Roy worked at the Hayden Station for Colorado Ute. Eventually, Roy transferred to the Craig Station for Tri-State, and retired in 1984. 

In 1967 Genevieve started selling Avon door to door in Craig, Co., for 20 years, mostly to get acquainted in a new town. She was known as the true “Avon Lady” for the entire town, walking, meeting people, that became lifelong friends.

After retirement Roy and Gen made a few trips to the western states in a new pop-up camper she enjoyed. Genevieve was an excellent cook, made everything from scratch, and was noted for her homemade chicken and noodles, cookies and delicious pies, never owning a cookbook until she was 80 years old. She did her own canning, freezing of vegetables, fruits, meats, and wild game and made and canned every type of pickle.

Gen liked to embroidery and learned to crochet later in life, making many afghans for family and friends. She enjoyed music and flowers her entire life, was great at playing cards including poker and pinochle, liked all sports, could tell you many sports statistics, and was an avid Denver Bronco fan.

“Kitty,” a stray cat with a dog’s personality, adopted Genevieve, protected Gen outdoors, and they became buddies, late in life. Gen lived her life to the fullest, making every day count with what she had and took in many events around town, in Craig, Co. and Steamboat Springs Co., Moffat and Routt counties. 

Genevieve is survived by her two children, son Clif (Lowa) Shultz and daughter Sandy Shultz and two granddaughters Annie (Paul) Nelson Sr., and Jaime (Clay) Trevenen, all of Craig, Co.; one sister in-law Clarene Simonson of Mullen; six great-grandchildren Angela Black of Arizona, Paul (Mandy) Nelson Jr. of Grand Junction, Colo., Alicia (James) Douglas of Alamosa, Colo. and Morgan Nelson, Isaac Trevenen and Ian Trevenen, all of Craig, Colo.; Two great-great-granddaughters Chloe and Hailey Nelson of Grand Junction, Colo.; 11 nephews; four nieces; and several cousins.

Genevieve was proceeded in death by her parents Robert P. Simonson Sr., in August 1982 and Elizabeth Simonson in May 1987; her husband, Roy F. Shultz in October 1990; her brother Bob (Sam) Simonson in May 2005; four brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Clayton and Alvina Shultz, Lewis and Alice Shultz, Leo and Opal Shultz and Dale (Bud) and Darlene Shultz; many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Cremation has taken place. Gen will be laid to rest next to her husband Roy in the Merna Cemetery.

Genevieve will be remembered as a sweet, humble, and kind lady who had a great smile and a real zest for life. She will be dearly missed by many friends, and family members. Gen would not want one to grieve or mourn for her, but to remember and cherish the times spent together with her.

A sincere heartfelt thanks to all for your thoughts, concerns, condolences, phone calls, sharing memories, beautiful cards and offers of help, regarding the death of Genevieve Shultz.