MARIAN LOUISE GENNRICH

Marian was born Feb. 15, 1922, the third of seven children born to Nelson and Hattie (Dehring) Habermehl on the family farm in Herron. At the age of 16 she was in a car accident when the driver lost control while driving in a dense fog. Marian was thrown from the vehicle and suffered life-threatening head injuries. Taken to McRae Hospital in Alpena, she was in a coma for several days in critical condition. She slowly regained consciousness and then spent nearly a year recuperating at the hospital and at the home of her aunt, Katie French. Marian was told later that during her treatment she was Alpena’s first recipient of a person-to-person blood transfusion.

She and Arthur Gennrich were married on July 11, 1942 at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Herron. Owners and operators of the Sunny Side Dairy they were also the distributors for Sealtest Dairy Products in Alpena until his retirement in 1980. She was the business bookkeeper. Arthur passed away Nov. 5, 1996 ending their happy marriage of 54 years.

She was the manager of the Alpena Hallmark store for 15 years and then worked part time at Country Cousins. She was an active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church serving as president of the women’s group; Altar Guild member; and she and her husband were co-founders of the LHO (Love, Honor, Obey) group for young married couples. With three girls, she was active in Brownies and Girl Scouts, and the Alpena Girls Club. She was a member of the Kiwaniqueens, wives of Kiwanis Club members.

Marian was an avid bridge, canasta and spitzer player and loved to travel. She and Arthur made many trips to visit their girls’ families when they moved from the Alpena area. Their travel agenda also included trips to grandson’s and granddaughter’s high school and college graduations, weddings, and baptisms of great-grandchildren. She enjoyed working in her yard and taking care of her many flowers. She was a great fan of the Detroit Tigers and followed them on radio and TV.

Surviving are three children, Judie (John) Williams, Cheryl Rosbeck, and Debra (Gene) Northrup; seven grandchildren, John (Sarah) Williams Jr., James (Julie) Williams, Jennifer (Peter) Chimbidis, Tamara (Matt) Richardson, Jeffrey (Shari) Rosbeck, Stacey (Josh) Paulsen, and Brian Northrup; 12 great-grandchildren, Ryan and Emma Williams, Louis, James, and Nikos Chimbidis, Thomas (Jessie) Male, Christopher Rosbeck, Cherokee (Nick) Leavesley, Michael and Jackie Parent, Aubrey and McKenzie Paulsen; and great-great-grandchild, Addison Male; two sisters-in-law, Dorothy (Gennrich) Carr and Lucille (LaMay) Habermehl and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by three brothers, Charles, Harvey, and Robert; and three sisters, Frances Prevo, Lillian Miller, and Jeanette Chabot. Her favorite pets were Kylie in Phoenix and Tobias in Alpena.

Marian’s family is thankful for and appreciative of the loving care and support she received from all the staff at MediLodge and their Rehab Center.

Mrs. Gennrich is at McWilliams Funeral Home where friends may call on Thursday Nov. 29, 2018 from 1-2 p.m. Funeral services will follow the visitation with Seminarian Mary Hughes officiating. Interment will be at Evergreen Cemetery. Memorials may be made at St. Paul Lutheran Church.