Genevieve L. "Genny" Zohner

Funeral services for Genevieve L. "Genny" Zohner, age 101, of Battle Creek, will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at St. John Lutheran Church in Battle Creek. Reverend Joseph Leech will officiate, with interment in the church cemetery.

The service will be livestreamed on the funeral home website.

Visitation will be Monday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the church.

Steffen Mortuary in Battle Creek is in charge of arrangements.

Genny passed away Thursday, November 27, 2025, at Community Pride Care Center in Battle Creek.

Genevieve "Genny" Louise (Morris) Zohner was born on a family farm southwest of Norfolk, NE on April 25, 1924, to William A. and Dorothea (Watson) Morris. She was baptized on Easter Sunday on April 16,1933, at Warrenville Methodist Church, and became a confirmed member of the St. John's Lutheran Church in 1956.

Genny was raised on the family farm homesteaded by her grandmother, Sarah Cropper, in a house built by her father. She attended grade school at District 16 and graduated from Norfolk Public High School in 1941. Her father took Genny and her sisters from their farm southwest of Norfolk to school (currently Norfolk Junior High School) daily to ensure they received a high school education, as this was very important to her parents.

Genny was a progressive woman for her time, attending the Norfolk Business College, and then establishing her career. She began working at the Madison County Extension Office in Battle Creek and continued working at the Battle Creek Mutual Insurance Company, which she had many fond memories of. While working at the Battle Creek State Bank, she met the love of her life, William Zohner.

She was united in marriage to William Fred Zohner on September 7, 1955, in a small ceremony attended by her sister Betty and spouse Edwin Nunnally at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Bellevue, NE. Their union was blessed with two sons, William "Bill" Morris (1956) and Todd Allen (1961).

While raising her family, she volunteered as the full-time secretary of both St. John's Lutheran School and St. John's Lutheran Church. When her boys were of school age, she was employed at Battle Creek Public School as an assistant librarian and summer secretary for the next twenty-four years.

Community service was very important to Genny. She was a member of the Dorcas Society, later called Ladies Aid (Wings). Her service to St. John's Altar Guild was a passion of hers for over 50 years, which she oversaw for several decades, and continued in an advisory role after stepping down in her late nineties. She greatly enjoyed the friendships made during her active service and cherished the inclusion by current members in an advisory role.

Genny was very patriotic and took great pride in honoring local service members of the United States Armed Forces. She was an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary for over 66 years. During this time, she held various offices and chairmanships in the Unit County and District Auxiliary. She was also an active partner of the 8 40 Madison County Salon #410 for 49 years. Genny volunteered countless hours of service at the Norfolk Veteran's home.

During her years of retirement, Genny enjoyed starting the day reading her morning devotionals with a hot cup of coffee and watching the birds and "fat little" squirrels out her kitchen window. Genny enjoyed attending Saturday night service until she was physically unable to, but she remained connected with the weekly readings that were provided by the St. John's Church family. She enjoyed the various small group bible studies throughout her retirement years, where she made many cherished and special friendships. She also shared her passion for literature over the years with the children at St. John's Lutheran School as a Reading Grandma.

Genny enjoyed gardening and caring for her beloved lawn into her late nineties. Baking was a lifelong passion, where she decorated cakes in her early years, followed by endless supplies of holiday cookies and her infamous Original Chex Mix (with some unknown secret twist). She hosted or assisted with every baptism, confirmation, and high school graduation party for her grandchildren. She loved spending time with family: hosting holiday gatherings, attending birthday parties, church, school, sporting events, concerts, and dance recitals. She especially loved tearing up a rug to the B52's "Love Shack" at her grandchildren's wedding celebrations. Genny's four-legged companions Gnarly and Mater brought her great joy in her last years of life.

Genny had a special place in her heart for hosting her elaborate Thanksgiving meal every year. She shared and trained her grandchildren in the preparation of her special recipes. She spent her final week with family continually at her side. Genny went to be with the Lord surrounded by love and family celebrating her special holiday. She believed the Lord was late, but He arrived on His perfect time.

She is survived by her sons, Bill and Todd (Anne); grandchildren, Cassie (Josh) Tuttle, Nadine Zohner, Jenny (Mike) Schutt, Chrissy (Wyatt) McGhee, Isaac (Leah) Zohner, Chanda (Chad) Wurdeman, Christy (Damian) Prokopec, Bea (Kyle) Blair, Chelsea Zohner, Caity (Matt) Johnson, Callie Zohner, Caleb (Bridget) Zohner, Tim (Stacie) Kearney and Kristy (Nick) Bradshaw.

The role of Great Grandma Genny was her most cherished in her later years of life, as she was blessed with 34 great-grandchildren at the time of her passing.

She was preceded in death by her infant brother, Robert; both parents; loving spouse, William; sisters, Betty (Edwin) Nunnally and Lilly (Jack) Sander; daughter-in-law, JoAnn, Zohner; brothers and sisters-in-law; and many other beloved family members and friends throughout her 101 years, seven months, and two days of life.

In lieu of flowers, any donations are requested to the family for a memorial to be designated at a later date.

Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.homeforfuneralsinc.com.