Geneva Marie (Hinz) Rusher, 94

Published 7:54 am Thursday, June 27, 2019

Geneva Marie (Hinz) Rusher, 94, of Adams, Minnesota, passed away Tuesday, June 25, 2019, at the Adams Health Care Center.

Geneva Marie (Hinz) Rusher, 94

Geneva was born Oct. 3, 1924, in rural LuVerne, Iowa, to Adeline Augusta (Lena) and Johann Heinrich (Henry) Hinz. She was the fourth child of seven children: Herbert, Francis, Dorothy, Geneva, Eunice, Delores and Donna. She was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in LuVerne.

Geneva went to country school near the Hinz family farm east of LuVerne, attended parochial school at Zion Lutheran Church in LuVerne, and graduated from Vernon High School, Renwick, Iowa, in 1942. Geneva married Harley Ezra Rusher on Nov. 28, 1943, at Zion Lutheran Church in LuVerne. They became the loving and caring parents of two children, Kurt and Pam.

Geneva and Harley farmed in the LuVerne and Bancroft, Iowa, areas and then moved to the rural Brownsdale/Austin, Minnesota, area where they purchased their farm in 1972. They enjoyed working the land as well as caring for their livestock and beloved pets. Both remained on their farm until Harley died on Feb. 9, 2007, and Geneva moved to Cedar Court Apartments in Adams three years later. She was admitted to the Adams Care Center in Adams in January 2017.

Geneva loved the “farm life” and looked forward to each season and its unfolding beauty. She cherished time with family, including her precious grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Geneva liked gardening, traveling, reading, tending her flowers and violets, and helping out wherever she could. Homemade chicken noodle soup was one of her culinary specialties as well as great pies (one of her favorites being blueberry). She also enjoyed dancing and playing cards and could strike up a conversation with anyone. She was an active member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Brownsdale. Geneva encouraged her children and grandchildren to be “faithful” in their relationship and service to the Lord and took pleasure in sharing faith conversations with others. One of Geneva’s favorite Bible verses was her confirmation verse, which comes from the latter part of Rev. 2:10 – “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” She would often quote this to her loved ones.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Lena Hinz; husband, Harley; daughter-in-law, Judy (Kollasch) Rusher; brothers, Herbert Hinz and Francis Hinz; and sisters and their spouses, Dorothy (Leon) Wood, Eunice (Cleo) Harter, Delores (Bernard) Miller and Donna (Joe) Underberg.

Left to cherish Geneva’s memory are her children, Kurtis Rusher, Rose Creek, Minnesota, and Pamela (Derald) Goetz, Algona, Iowa; five grandchildren, Chad (Danae) Goetz, Scott Rusher, Heidi (Dave) Michels, Shawn (Vanessa) Goetz and Pastor Brian (Cari) Goetz Jack; 13 great-grandchildren, Noah Michels, Christian Michels, Mariah Michels, Korben Michels, Breeanna Goetz, Whitney Goetz, Dayton Goetz, Carter Goetz, Evan Goetz, Bianca Goetz, Sidney Goetz, Blair (Goetz) Jack and Judah (Goetz) Jack; and nieces, nephews and extended family.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 28, 2019, at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Brownsdale with the Rev. Ronald Prigge officiating. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, June 27, 2019, at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary and will continue for one hour before the service on Friday at the church. Interment will be in the LuVerne Cemetery in LuVerne.