Obituary: Genevieve Catherine Moser

Genevieve “Jennie” Catherine Moser, age 100 of Clare, passed away Friday, July 8, 2022 at the Pioneer Golden Estates in Clare. Jennie was born the daughter of the late John and Zophia (Planka) Lyson on May 17, 1922 in Detroit.
If any of you knew Jennie, she was quite a gal. At over 100 years old, she has begun the next part of her journey. At 97, we watched her sweep her son, Dale’s deck as if her life depended on getting every leaf.
Willie Geist has a series on Sunday mornings called “A Life Well Lived”. Jennie was 3 when all six kids were orphaned. Orphanages in the 1920’s leave a mark, as she said. She was in and out of foster homes and essentially used for child labor in the bean fields of the thumb of Michigan.
Her sister, Mary, shortly after her marriage, went with her new husband to retrieve Jennie from her purgatory. This was her first safe family setting. At 14, she was unable to go to beauty school and had to wait until she turned 16. After completing the courses, she acquired her beautician license where she worked in Detroit.
Later she married, had Dale and Joanne, and moved to Clare in 1957. Jennie divorced while the children were young. As a single mother with 2 small children, she found jobs to support her family and ultimately opened a beauty shop in her home creating a career which lasted over 60 years and saved her little family. Dale is certain that Mom would like to thank Clare and all those beautiful ladies who showed up every week in her Salon. They allowed her family to survive and grow up in this wonderful little town. What a safe place in which to be raised.
Jennie was very proud of all her family, Dale and Kay Moser of Clare, Sara Moser of Denver, Colorado, Joanne and Alan Bullard of Cleveland, Tennessee, Mathew and Crystal Clarey and Logan and Emma Clarey of Cleveland, Tennessee.
Sadly, her daughter, Joanne, passed away 12 days after her. They were so connected and needed to walk the path together.
If Willie Geist was to ask Mom, “Hey, Jennie Moser, have you had a life well lived?” She would emphatically reply “Absolutely! Dale, can I go up and sweep out the pole barn?” For you see, when you come from humble beginnings, everything is more and there is always reasons to be thankful.
Genevieve Catherine Moser’s family would like to thank the direct caregivers and administrators at Pioneer Golden Estates for the loving care she was shown. They became our family and loved “Grammy” like their own.
Memorials in Jennie’s honor may be made to Pioneer Golden Estates – Activities Department or the Clare United Methodist Church Child Care Center.
Arrangements were handled by the Clare Chapel of Stephenson-Wyman Funeral Home. On-line condolences may be left at www.stephenson-wyman.com