Genevieve Lucille Callejo

1930 - 2025

Genevieve Callejo
12/04/1930 - 10/02/2025
Genevieve was born during the Great Depression in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Walter Sodeman and Genevieve Reifenberger Sodeman, their youngest daughter and fifth of seven children. She grew up in Duluth, graduated from Denfeld High School (1947) and a few years later moved to Dallas, Texas joining sisters Corrine and Joan and much better weather.
During Memorial Day weekend 1954 Ricardo Callejo, a handsome soldier who loved to dance and swim as much as she did, dove into her at a local swimming pool and the rest was history when they married later that year. They moved to San Francisco the following year with their daughter Franchesca, where Ricardo attended Hastings Law School and Genevieve lovingly received her PHT (pushed hubby through) diploma. In 1960 they moved to Madrid and Paris for Ricardo's work, returning to the Bay Area in 1961. Genevieve had a long and satisfying career in the travel industry with several airlines and travel agencies where she excelled at helping clients plan their trips. A passionate world traveler, Genevieve planned family trips to Canada, Europe, East Africa, Japan, the South Pacific, Mexico, Brazil, Puerto Rico and much of the US including Ka'anapali, a favorite destination for 30 years. She arranged the flight for the Lowell High School Orchestra's 1970 World's Fair concert tour to Osaka, Japan, and managed Ricardo and Franchesca's law office until Ricardo's retirement. An activist at heart, she protested the Vietnam War, advocated for tenants' rights with the Parkmerced Tenants Association, fought alongside G.A.S.P. to reduce smoking in public, supported numerous environmental and humanitarian organizations, the ACLU, Planned Parenthood and wanted a woman President, voting for Hillary and Kamala. Genevieve was a problem solver, never took "no" for an answer, never hesitated to speak her mind, and was always ready to help family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and strangers in need. She was an avid reader, enjoyed history, theater, concerts, museums, and classes at the Fromm Institute. She was wise, generous and led her life from the heart. She believed that experiences with loved ones were more important than things, and giving back to others offered her great fulfillment.
She was a loving and devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, daughter-sister-mother-grandmother-in law, and friend. After Ricardo's his stroke, she was his primary caregiver for over 17 years, with grandson Victor's help. She and Ricardo were married 60 years until his death in 2015. Education was a top priority for her family, and she was deeply proud of Franchesca's accomplishments as an attorney, Victor's masters degree, and granddaughter Isabel and Zach's marriage, graduation from law school and becoming attorneys. During the 2020 pandemic she moved from San Francisco to the Berkeley family compound. She appreciated her family's daily kindness, attention, and care with tea time, crazy 8's, Scrabble, and helping with that darn tv remote control. She encouraged Isabel's love of horses and riding beginning at Golden Gate Park Stables, played street hockey at Victor's 12th birthday, and cheered at his ice and street hockey games. She enjoyed many Bay Area institutions including the Berkeley North Branch Library, See's Candy, Juan's Place, Fat Apples' lemon meringue pie and anything from Hopkin's Street Bakery.
Mom was a beautiful, talented, vivacious, kind, and loving human being. She was predeceased by siblings Walter Sodeman, Corrine Allen, Virginia Michelzzi and Joan Rudolph and survived by brothers Paul and James, Franchesca and husband Jim Brighton, Victor and Isabel, grand-son-in law Zach McCoy, many nieces and nephews and dear friends Nyla Puccinelli Moore and Larry Scancarelli. Her December 4th, 2025 calendar entry is "My 95th birthday, if I am here." She was present until the end and left us having lived a full and rewarding life with no regrets and great appreciation for her family. We welcome your memories at legacy.com.