Genevieve Ione Percival

Genevieve (Gen) Percival, wife of Stan Percival, passed away March 31st, 2015 at Northfield Retirement Center, Northfield, MN. She was a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, and teacher. Gen was born on August 4, 1923, to George and Delia (Boutilier) Dwello in Granville, N.D. She was the sixth of their daughters. Upon the death of both parents, she and her sister Louise, became foster children of Rev. Thomas & Louisa Hacker in Minneapolis, MN. Ministers moved very often. She attended schools in Minneapolis, Seneca, IL, Paynesville, MN, Osseo, MN, but most of the time in Minneapolis. In 1942, they moved to Wadena and she graduated from there. After graduation, she attended two years of Bible school. In June of 1945, she married Stan Percival, who was home on a ten-day furlough before being sent to the Pacific for duty. She attended Normal Training School in Park Rapids. After nine months there, she began her career in rural education at the Bell Hill School. She completed her degree at Bemidji State. After nine years in rural school, she came into Sebeka Elementary to teach fifth grade. She retired in 1984 and substituted for 11 years re-retiring in 1995. Gen loved children and thrilled to see them learn from books and each other. She worked with Bemidji State as a supervising training teacher for six students. With other teachers, Gen wrote a unit for American Lung Association about the disastrous effects of cigarette smoking. She worked on the family life and science curriculum for the local school and state. She was a Laubauch teacher and tutored many students after school and during the summer to get them up to grade level in reading or to obtain their driver license. These were the duties she enjoyed. She was an active church member, teaching Sunday School, worked for the youth organizations church organist and pianist. She became a member of the Sebeka United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women. Professional organizations to which she belonged were Delta Kappa Gamma, Retired Teachers of MN, Minnesota Education, Todd-Wadena-Otter Tail Retired Teachers, and R.E.A.M. She was a former member of hospice and served on its board at Park Rapids. She was also a Camp Courage volunteer. She enjoyed keeping busy helping others. To mourn her passing are her daughters, Patricia (Jim) Sunquist, Debra (Charles) Becker; grandsons Nathan (Emily) Sunquist; Ryan (Beth) Sunquist; Josh Becker; granddaughter Katie (Brian) Shaw; great grandsons Sjon and Sebastian (Nathan); great granddaughters Macy Genevieve and Emma Mary (Ryan); Owen and Audrey Genevieve (Katie);sister-in-laws Merlee Lidke, Beverly (Darrel) Matz; brother-in-law Wayne (Karen) Percival and many nieces and nephews whom she dearly loved along with a host of friends, neighbors and students that were very special to Gen. She preceded in death by her devoted husband Stan Percival, Sister Louise (John) Dillon; sister-in-laws Viola (Keith) Percival and Shirley (Bob) Quasnick. Gen moved to the Northfield Retirement Center in 2009 where she lived independently and then in assisted living. She was loved by the staff and new found friends. Gen went to heaven on March 31, 2015 Visitation will be from 4-7 PM on Friday, April 3, 2015 at the Wevley Funeral Home in Sebeka, MN and continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Funeral Services will be 11:00 AM Saturday, April 4,2015 at the Sebeka United Methodist Church in Sebeka, MN.