Genevieve A. Brunhoefer

Genevieve Brunhoefer peacefully passed away February 22, 2026 at the age of 100. She was the loving wife to Norbert for 62 years and the dear mother to Cristine (Dennis Reischl) and Connie (David Keating). Loving grandmother to Matthew and Brian Reischl and Steven (Holly) Keating. Great grandmother to Clayton Zimmerman, Craig and Carter Dunst. She was preceded in death by her husband, Norbert and 7 siblings. She is loved by many nieces, nephews and friends. 

After graduating from Janesville High School in 1944, Gen wanted to study to be a nurse. But in those days, women often didn't have the option of advanced education. Instead, she began her office management career at Parker Pen in Janesville and it was there she met and married her lifelong partner, Norbert. 

Gen was ahead of her time-becoming a 'working mother' before that was popular or expected. She often worked jobs that would allow her to be home summers with her children. She worked at General Mills in Minneapolis, then for a building contractor in Milwaukee. From 1969 to 1973, she assisted college students coming to the Marquette University Counseling Center. From 1973 to 1994, she was the single organizational and financial center, main client contact person, and emotional support for the social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists at the Center for Psychological and Social Services. 

Gen was always interested in travel and in learning about other cultures and because of this, has friends around the globe. She and Norbert volunteered with the American Field Service (AFS) program in many capacities. They hosted AFS student Rita (from Luxembourg) for a year, organized the yearly camp orientation/retreat for all Milwaukee area AFS arrivals and their American brothers and sisters, led fund-raising efforts, supported host families, assisted students, and more. Hediye was also an AFS student and during her year in Greendale, Hediye 'adopted' Gen as her second mother and they became lifelong friends. 

After AFS, they continued to promote global understanding, friendship and peace (a world of friends is a world of peace) by becoming enthusiastic members of the Friendship Force of Greater Milwaukee (FFGM) as both hosts to foreign travelers and as travelers themselves. Gen remains a member to this day. In addition to travel with FFGM, Gen and Norb traveled extensively on their own visiting Guatemala twice, Turkey, Australia, Mexico, Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia, Luxembourg, Spain, and others. 

Gen and Norb hosted an exchange teacher from Peru who lived with them for a year as well as becoming close friends with another exchange teacher, Cecil, from England another year. When one of Cecil's students wanted to come to the U.S., Gen and Norb provided a home base for him and then became friends with his family too, both visiting them in England and hosting them at their home. 

Gen traveled to Costa Rica and Colorado where she assisted in research on ants and wildflowers with the scientific research organization Earthwatch. 

Gen volunteered for many years with the Greendale Schools Reading Buddy program, helping first graders to learn and love reading just as much as she did. She has read many books and been a member of several book clubs for many years. Through her church, St. Alphonsus, Gen helped serve monthly meals to the poor and homeless at St. Ben's Church, sang for funerals with the Resurrection Choir, and participated in bible study.

Gen has been active all her life-cross country skiing, square dancing, hiking, biking, camping, canoeing, boating, water skiing. Gen loved gardening and had a large organic garden and compost heap in her vegetable garden. She also loved flowers and created beautiful gardens in her yard. She was very hospitable and loved to have friends over for a meal or just a chat. 

An avid photographer, she loved taking pictures of flowers, landscapes and people, but also documented our family life through photographs. She inspired the next generations to follow in her footsteps. We will miss her ability to organize the large Hoague family clan for the annual large group picture! 

The family thanks Synergy Home Care and St. Camillus Hospice for their help, support, and wonderful care of Gen at the end of her life. 

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer's Association would bе appreciated.

A memorial gathering will take place at St Alphonsus Church, 6060 Loomis Rd. in Greendale on Thursday, March 19, 9:30AM to 10:45AM with Mass of Christian Burial at 11 AM.  Private burial at Good Hope Cemetery.