Martha (Mert) Geenen passed away peacefully on April 25th, 2025 at the age of 97 at Christian Community Home in Hudson, WI.
Mert was born on July 11, 1927 to Edward and Elizabeth Scray in DePere, WI at the cheese factory that is still owned and operated by the Scray family today. When her older brothers were drafted to serve in World War II, she had to take a leave of absence from high school to help her family fill the roles of her brothers at the cheese factory. While she understood the sacrifices that everyone had to make during this time, she really missed learning, and regularly wept at how much the war had changed her family’s life. One day her father found her crying on the factory floor, and it was only then that he realized how deeply she missed and valued her education. He immediately allowed her to return and at age 17, she started high school. Determined to catch up with her peers, she took as many courses as she could each semester, worked very hard, and graduated when she was 19. After high school, she enrolled at Manitowoc County Normal School and went on to earn her teaching license. During this time, TVs were not yet common in every home, so Saturday nights at the movies were a popular way to get updates about the war. It was at the theater on a Saturday night that Mert met Bill, who was a student at St. Norbert College, also studying to become a teacher. Bill was drafted in 1950 to serve in the Korean Conflict. Immediately upon his discharge from the army, they married on November 27, 1952 and began their life together.
During their first years of marriage, Mert taught in a one room schoolhouse. After they began having children she stopped teaching to stay home with the kids. In addition to Bill’s job, they began farming to help support their growing family. Mert regularly baked bread and pies and would time them so that they were hot out of the oven when the kids got off the bus from school. Bill’s job eventually moved the family off the dairy farm and allowed for more leisurely summers that were spent traveling and camping in the bus that slept twelve.
Together, they raised nine children: six boys and three girls. When the youngest of her children started kindergarten, Mert opened her heart and home to foster children for the next few years. She and Bill took in eight foster children in all. Her youngest foster son fondly called her Mama Mertie and that nickname would stick for the rest of her life!
When Mert’s youngest son reached middle school, she went back to work, and worked as a housekeeper at the Lowell Inn in Stillwater, MN, where she was thrilled to meet Liberace when he stayed at the hotel. She missed working with children, and naturally gravitated to a role in day care and loved working with the infants and toddlers there before she finally retired. She recently described her time being home with the kids as the best time of her life.
After their children were grown, Mert and Bill split their time between their winter home in Lakeland, Florida and their home in Somerset for many years. Their children and grandchildren would visit them regularly in Florida during the winter months. In retirement, she enjoyed cake decorating, baking, oil painting, stained glass window making, and flower gardening.
Mert and Bill were together until Bill’s passing in 2006. She often talked about Bill in the 19 years after his death and her enduring love and admiration for him remain a beautiful testament to their lifelong partnership. During her difficult times after his death, she devoutly turned to her faith to pray the rosary which was sometimes the only thing that brought her comfort and helped ease her mind.
While Mert did not acquire awards or accolades for her roles as a teacher, parent, grandparent and caretaker of children, she will be remembered for her love of children, her great sense of humor, work ethic, resourcefulness, and devout faith. She was blessed with a long life full of faith, love and laughter.
Mert was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, William Geenen, parents, brothers Norbert, Joseph, Edgar, George, Herbert and sisters, Catherine and Florence. She is survived by her children, James (Sue), William Jr., Thomas (Jacqui), Laurie (Joe) Schmitt, Daniel (Tammi), Robert (Bridgitte), Linda (Tim) Maitrejean, Kathryn Burg, Michael; and sisters Rosemary (Robert) McMonagle and Loretta (James) Rock; grandchildren Stephanie Waller, Charles Schmitt, Rebecca (Dustin) Dodge, Luke Schmitt, Fr. Levi Schmitt, Jesse Schmitt, Isaac Schnitt, Kenneth Schmitt, Geovany Schmitt, David Schmitt, Travis Geenen, Wade Geenen (Kelsey Berna), Brittney (Ryan) Filtz, Brianne (Jeremy) Gould, Joshua Geenen, Benjamin Geenen, Kelsey Moe, Nicholas Maitrejean, Zachary Maitrejean, Skylar Burg and Samantha Burg (John Gurholt); and great grandchildren Waylon Waller, Cheyanne Waller, Mary Dodge, Declan Dodge, Lydia Dodge, Myla Gould, Jace Gould and Jacyn Brantner.
Our family would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the caring and compassionate hospital staff at Hudson Health Partners during Mert’s recent hospitalizations and the wonderful caretakers she had at Christian Community Home. Their genuine love and care for Mertie along with their sense of humor will always be remembered.
Mass of Christian Burial 11 AM Friday May 9, 2025 at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Somerset, Wisconsin. Visitation one hour prior to the Mass at the Church. Lunch will be served in the church basement after the funeral. Interment St. Anne’s Cemetery.
