Genevieve Hartwig

Genevieve (Gene) Hartwig, 83, died on Wednesday December 11, 2024, at Freedom Village, after a year and a half long battle with cancer. She was born June 7, 1941 to Joseph and Betty Glass, in Bloomington-Normal, IL. As a child, she believed she caused WWII as her father told her, in gest, she was born and six months later the world went to war. This is where her beautiful sense of humor was born.

Gene graduated from Bloomington High School, class of 1958 and entered the University of Illinois, graduating with a teaching certificate. There she met her future husband, Dale Hartwig, who was studying to be an architect. After a couple years he felt called to the ministry and they married and moved to Minnesota so Dale could attend St. Olaf and finish an English major before heading to McCormick Seminary. Gene taught in the Chicago school system and waited tables while Dale finished an MDiv., which is what brought them to a little town called Concord, MI. This was their first church placement and little did they know, it would be their last. The moved to Concord in 1968 with their one-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Amy. Three years later they had a second daughter Jennifer. Concord and the 1st Presbyterian church became their home and community. Dale served in pulpit for over 33 years and Gene did the music for services and led the church choir. She had a huge passion for singing and had an amazing voice, often enlisting the rest of the family to join her. In addition, she volunteered for numerous church activities, including the Women’s Association and the annual church bazar.

Early on, Gene taught piano lessons to many students. This allowed her to be home more with her daughters. She trained many kids and adults to play the piano, even when her own daughters artfully shared their less than excited approach to playing. Gene substitute taught at Concord in different grades before becoming a full-time high school English and Speech teacher at Concord High School; but she wasn’t just a teacher. She started full time teaching in 1983 and retired after over 33 years of teaching total. Gene was a beloved teacher, colleague, friend, and surrogate mother to many over the years. She loved serving as a class advisor and singing the national anthem at practically every sport the school had. She was an announcer for games, line judge for volleyball, and announcer for track meets. Students loved her and she took great pride in pushing them to be their best and to be prepared for college or whatever their next chapter held. After retiring she taught English at Spring Arbor University for a short time.

Gene loved her community of friends in Concord. Most of these came through relationships in the church. She was an official member of the Walkie Talkies who exercised together, ate meals together and provided support to one another. In April 2023 she became sick, entered the hospital for the 2nd time, and ended up in rehabilitation at Freedom Village in Holland, MI, where her older daughter lives. She transitioned to assisted living, and then back to skilled care after the cancer started winning the battle. One beautiful thing that came out of this transition was increased time with family, including her 6 grandkids and 4 great grandkids.

Gene was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Joe, and her husband Dale of 50 years. She is survived by her two daughters Amy (Dave) Freehafer, Jennifer (Jeff) Rapelje, grandkids Kayla (Jesse) Tripp, Amanda (Jordan) Berends, Aaron (Maggie) Freehafer, Jacob Rapelje, Joey Rapelje and Jonny Rapelje, four great grandkids Ayrianna, MaKynna, Kiliyn, and Kavary, and nieces and nephews Bill (Caroline) Glass, Robert Glass, Cyndy (Shane) McNett, Bryan (Amanda) Glass, Laurie Glass, Valerie Ibarra, and many great nieces and nephews.

A service of remembrance will be held on Sunday December 22 at 1pm at the First Presbyterian Church of Concord, with visitation with family from 12-1pm and lunch following the service at the church. In lieu of flowers the family asks that gifts be made to The First Presbyterian Church of Concord in Gene’s name

Gene’s family is being served by J. Kevin Tidd Home in Albion.

To leave online messages of condolence, please visit www.kevintiddfuneralhome.com