Category: Pennsylvania

Cousins, Family News, Obituaries, Pennsylvania

The Passing of Leon A. Genetti Jr.

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Leon Genetti with his great-granddaughters at Genetti Family Reunion, 2016

With much sadness, I bring you the news that my uncle, Leon A. Genetti Jr. of Hazleton, PA passed away suddenly on Monday, December 18th while at home. He was 89 years old, just two months shy of his 90th birthday. Leon was the son of Leon and Angeline (Marchetti) Genetti, and the grandson of Damiano and Oliva (Zambotti) Genetti.

Obituary:

Standard Speaker, Hazleton, Pennsylvania – December 21, 2017

Leon A. Genetti, 89, of Hazle Twp. passed away Tuesday [note: actual death date was Monday, December 18, 2017] at his home.

Born in Hazleton, he was the son of the late Leon A. and Angeline (Marchetti) Genetti and was a member of Queen of Heaven Parish at Our Lady of Grace Church, Hazleton.

Leon was affiliated with the Genetti supermarket chain and owned a local trucking company for that firm. He later owned Hazleton Engine and Brake Co. and operated it with his two sons, Leon and David.

He was an avid fisherman, had his private pilot’s license and had a love for flying.

Preceding him in death, in addition to his parents, were his wife, the former Marie Passarelli, in 2014; brothers, Joseph and John Genetti; and sisters, Catherine Farkus, Rita Young and Adeline Kashi [note: another sister, Joyce, passed away in 1934].

Surviving are his sons, Leon J. and his wife, Diane, Hazle Twp.; David P., Wake Forest, N.C.; and Michael A., Drums; grandchildren, Leon Scott, Ross, Jillian, Lori and Chandra; great-grandchildren, Kaylee Grace and Kelsey Rose; and numerous nieces and nephews.

His funeral will be held Saturday [December 23, 2017] at 9 a.m. at Joseph A. Moran Funeral Home, 229 W. 12th St., Hazleton, Pennsylvania.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. in Queen of Heaven Parish at Our Lady of Grace Church.His funeral will be held Saturday [December 23, 2017] at 9 a.m. at Joseph A. Moran Funeral Home, 229 W. 12th St., Hazleton, Pennsylvania.

Burial will be in Our Lady of Grace Cemetery.

Friends may call Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Hazleton Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 481, Hazleton, PA 18201, or to the Hazle Twp. Fire and Rescue Department, P.O. Box 499, Harleigh, PA 18225.

Condolences may be sent through http://www.moranfuneralhome.com

[webpage for condolences: click here]

Webmaster Note: Visit Leon’s Tribute page on the Genetti Family Genealogy Project website: https://genettifamily.com/leon-a-genetti-jr/

If the family would like to contribute addition photos to our Tribute page, please send them to: info.genetti.family@gmail.com. 

Family News, Genetti Family, Obituaries, Pennsylvania

The Passing of Edward F. Genetti

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Edward F. Genetti, 81, of Sugarload Twp. passed away November 12, 2017 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Born in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Stanley and Eleanor (Rauzi) Genetti and was a member of St. John Bosco Church, Sugarloaf Twp.

Ed started his career by becoming a busboy in the family-owned Tyrolean Room. He also worked on the family fox and mink farm and then in the Genetti supermarkets.

Ed graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business, where he served in his senior year as president of the Psi Upsilon fraternity.

In 1961, he was called into the U.S. Army during the Berlin Crisis.

After his return, he developed Townview Estates in Hazleton, and in 1965, with his brother, Richard, he built and operated Pantry Quiks, the first convenient store chain in the area. In 1967, he built the Church Hill Mall in nine months. Ed also owned several AM and FM radio stations and started Panorama Magazine in 1981. At his death, he served as the chairman of the board of Genetti-owned enterprises and companies.

He was active in several civic organizations, having chaired the United Way Campaign in 1968. In 1978, while participating in the Action for the Eighties, he helped develop the project for the building of the senior community center in downtown Hazleton.

Ed had many interests, including importing Hanoverian horses from Germany and racing cars on the east coast. In his later years, he loved traveling, reading and history, especially the study of World War II.

Preceding him in death, in addition to his parents, were his first wife, the former Rosemary Gaudiano, in 2001, and his brother, Richard Genetti, in 1983.

Surviving are his wife, the former Edwina Roland Ustynoski; sons, Timothy Genetti and his wife, Michelle, Sugarload Twy.; and Alan Genetti and his wife, Dana, Sugarloaf Twp.; grandchildren, Stephen, Douglas, Alexandra and Ava Genetti; sister, Beverly Perry, Virginia; five stepchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. John Bosco Church.

Entombment will be in Calvary Cemetery, Drums.

The family will receive friends Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. at Joseph A. Moran Funeral Home, 229 W. 12th St., Hazleton.

 

Ancestors, Family Trees, Genetti Family, Pennsylvania

Updates to our Tree

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Mary Louise Recla (daughter of Erminia Genetti and Emanuel Recla) with husband Harry Pettis – early 1920’s.

Thank you to all of the cousins who have provided new information for our family tree. Your help has been invaluable in growing our Genetti Archive.

As a family genealogist, I research our deceased ancestors who usually leave a pretty good paper trail for us to follow. But it’s much more difficult gathering info on living family members and keeping our tree up-to-date. I rely on all of you to send me names, birth dates, marriages, spouses and children of current generations.

During the past two weeks, I have completed three branches of the Genetti family tree. First is the family of Mary Pettis Russell. Mary is the great-granddaughter of Erminia Genetti and Emanuel Recla, who settled in Spokane, Washington, and the granddaughter of Mary Recla and Harry Pettis. We met Mary’s sister, Linda and her daughter at our recent family reunion. With Mary’s info, ten new family members have been added to the Genetti/Recla/Pettis branch.

 

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William Vigilio Genetti (1852-1932)

Our second family are descendants of Virgil Genetti and his second wife, Margaret Mueller, from the Illinois clan. Tom Genetti and his sisters, Genelle and Sharon, are the children of Virgil’s youngest child Vernon. With their help, we have added twenty-one new descendants to the Illinois Genetti branch.

Our third family line is that of Jeanne Genetti Murphy. Jeanne’s parents Faustino Genetti and Matilda Turri immigrated to Pennsylvania. Jeanne is ninety-two years old and a first generation American. I was able to research and add many new ancestors from Jeanne’s father’s generation in Castelfondo, as well as American cousins and the family’s current generation. This update gave us twenty-nine additional family members on our tree.

 

 

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Jeanne Genetti Murphy – 1940’s.

All total, sixty new Genetti descendants are now a part of our offline and online family trees!

You can access the online Genetti Family tree at: http://genettifamily.tribalpages.com/. (For privacy reasons, personal information for living family members is hidden on this tree.) This page is a great place to start your own genealogy research on our extensive family.

Our offline tree contains all information (such as birth dates and places, spouses, children, etc) on living and diseased descendants. This data base forms the basis of our Genetti Archive. I am happy to provide a 5-generation Descendant Report free of charge to any family member for a specific branch of their family. Simply send me a request through our Contact page and I will email you the report. (Note: Descendant Reports are NOT available to anyone outside of the family. If I have a question about the authenticity of a request, I will not issue the report.)

We still have many branches of our tree to update – both from the United States and Italy. So if your immediate family is missing from our tree, take a few minutes and email me. If you can provide me with information on your living family, I will do my best to research your ancestral line. Together we can grow the Genetti Family tree one twig at a time!

 

Cousins, Family News, Genetti Family, Genetti Shop, Pennsylvania

Reunion Photos and more!

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Reunion 2016

Reunion 2016 – please click for a larger view

Thank you to all who made the journey last week to Hazleton! We had a packed house with a total of 152 attendees at the Saturday evening banquet. I hope you had as much fun as I did – meeting new cousins and sharing stories with lots of hugs to go around. I will certainly remember this reunion with fond memories.

Make sure you visit the Reunion page on our website: https://genettifamily.com/reunion-news/. It has been updated with photos from our family weekend. Want to share your own reunion pics? Please email photos with captions to: info.genetti.family@gmail.com. Let’s share our reunion with cousins throughout the world by adding lots of fun candid photographs to this page. Our special thanks to Patricia Genetti (who did all of our table photos), Diane Genetti (who organized our group photo) and Valeria Genetti Bozek (who photographed candid pics of the Saturday presentations). Your contributions allowed us to have photographs online by Saturday evening!

Thanks to Patricia Genetti, we now have a Facebook public group page where our reunion photos were quickly posted. If you are a member of Facebook, click here to go to the “Genetti Family” public group page – and join! As of today, the page has 92 members.

If you missed our Saturday evening program, “The Genetti Family of Castelfondo: Our Journey to America” we have good news! Bill Genetti had the presentation professionally videotaped and it will soon be produced for sale as a DVD. This presentation will make a fantastic Christmas gift for family members or a historic memento to pass down to future generations.

To order, please send a check for $15 (includes shipping) to:

Bill Genetti (address your check to Bill Genetti)
1345 N. Church St.
Hazle Township, PA 18202

Due to the cost, only a limited number of DVDs are being produced. So don’t delay, order your reunion presentation DVD today!

Genetti Family Tree

Family Tree

And one final note, if you are interested in purchasing a Genetti Family Tree Print, a print of our Coat-of-Arms or a beautiful printed chiffon scarf (one of our many reunion door prizes) you’re in luck. The company that provides our fine art prints (Redbubble) is offering us a one day sale of 20% off on all items through the Redbubble store. This offer is for the Genetti family only (not for the general public)! Hurry – the offer is only valid on Monday, October 17th!!!

Please use the unique coupon code of:
twentyoff-GenettiFamily when checking out. You must place your order by midnight, October 17th to receive the 20% discount.

Here is the Redbubble link to our family page where you will find all of our fine art print products: http://www.redbubble.com/people/genettifamily

You can also find Redbubble Fine Art prints at:
Genetti Family Shop page: https://genettifamily.com/shop-2/

Once again, many thanks to everyone who attended and participated in Reunion weekend!

Ancestors, Family History, Pennsylvania, Photos

New Family Memory Page

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Raffaele Genetti and Lucia (Zambotti) Genetti – photograph of Nono and Nona. Probably photographed in the mid-1940’s.

During the past month, I have been working with Helene Smith Prehatny to create a Family Memory page about her beloved Nono and Nona, Raffaele and Lucia Genetti. The result is a beautiful memoir from Helene’s childhood, recalling loving moments with her grandparents who lived in Weston, Pennsylvania.

Raffaele was Helene’s buddy and mentor, always encouraging his young granddaughter to respect herself and believe “there are no limits in what you can accomplish”. Digging into her collection of photographs, Helene included family portraits that walk us through the years from the late 1890’s to the mid-1940’s. Her well thought-out piece is a moving tribute to her family. And her memoir has now become a treasured part of the Genetti family archive.

Thank you Helene! Your contribution to our Family Story page is so very appreciated!

Click here to read “Family Memories by Helene Smith Prehatny”.

All of Helene’s photographs have also been added to the Photograph Page of our Gallery Section (a total of nine new photos!). Make sure to visit this popular page to browse cherished memories of our ancestors.

Do you have special memories that you would like to preserve for future generations? A Family Memory Page is the perfect venue to express your thoughts and thanks to our ancestors. Feel free to email me with your ideas and we’ll work on your Family Memory Page together. Click here to go to our website contact page.

 

Ancestors, Family History, Family News, Family Stories, Pennsylvania

We Made the News!

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standardspeakerOur thanks to writer, Jill Whalen, at the Standard-Speaker newspaper for writing an extensive article about the Genetti family of Hazleton, PA. When I sent out press releases a few months back, I had expected just a few paragraphs about our October reunion to be published in the paper. I was completely blown away by the full-page article detailing our family’s history in the area and their involvement in local business. Jill obviously did her research – digging into old family documents, genealogy records and newspaper archives. Since my memories of our family businesses are as a child – my father taking me for a visit to the Tyrolean Room (where he worked) or buying groceries at our local Genetti market, I was surprised by many of the details Jill included in her article. Some of which I wasn’t aware of! What a great piece to include in our growing family archive!

imagegallery1The complete article can be found as a link on our Family News page. Or just click here and go directly to the article page on our website.

Want to read the article online at the Standard-Speaker? Click here for the original story.

I’d like to acknowledge one detail left out of Jill’s article. It was brought to my attention by a descendant of Damiano and Oliva that there was no mention of their daughters or the role they played in establishing the family businesses. This was an unfortunate oversight and I offer my apologies.

Yes, it is my understanding that all of the children (including their daughters) worked hard to help the family prosper in a new land. Until they married and left the family home, the five Genetti daughters all contributed in some way to the growing business. Two daughters, Esther and Anne, also had official job titles within the Genetti company. According to the Federal Census, Esther never married and worked for many years as a bookkeeper in the family business. Youngest daughter, Anne, was also a bookkeeper in the Genetti offices until her marriage to James McNelis in 1932.

Our family history centers around the four Genetti sons, but often ignores their sisters and the part they played in establishing D. Genetti & Sons. My sincerest apologies to the descendants of these dedicated women (Dora, Tillie, Esther, Erminia and Angela) who were regrettably overlooked in this recent article.

I also would like to acknowledge the many grandchildren (and great-grandchildren!) of Daminano and Oliva who worked in the family businesses throughout the years. You are part of the entrepreneurial spirit our ancestors brought with them on the long journey from Castelfondo to Hazleton. I applaud your contribution to our family history!

Family History, Genetti Family, Pennsylvania

Reunion Photos

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Genetti Family Reunion – 1987 – Hazleton, PA
First Row Seated, L to R: Gus Genetti, Esther Bott Clark, Jean Branz Daly, Catherine Branz LaPorte, Betty Zambotti Reich, Aunt Ann Genetti NcNelis, Leo Zambotti, Catherine Genetti Farkus, Rita Genetti Young, Agnes Bott York, Marianne Genetti, Bill Genetti. 1st Row Standing, L to R: Val Genetti, Gus Genetti III, Joseph LaPorte, Louis Reich, Erma Zambotti, Steve Farkus, Elaine White Young, unknown, unknown, Pat Genetti.

Thanks to Jean Branz Daly, we have just added a few more reunion group photos to our Reunion News page. Take a stroll down memory lane and see what the Genetti family looked like in years past. Click here then scroll to the bottom of the page to see reunions from 1983, 1987, 1992, 1994 and 1995. Jean even provided most of the names for the 1987 photo.

Alas, many of our old-timers are no longer with us. Some who were pictured in the early reunions, were born in Castelfondo, Tyrol (Stanley Genetti, Ann Genetti McNelis). We owe them a debt of gratitude as the first immigrants of our family. They came to Pennsylvania as children, forging a life for future generations. Their children were the first generation to be born in America. Many of our 1st generation family members are also pictured throughout the years (Jean Branz Daly, Catherine Branz LaPorte, Gus Genetti, Bill Genetti, Marianne Genetti, Betty Zambotti Reich).

Can you help identify others in our reunion photos? I know some, but not all. It would be a great gift to the family if we can positively identify each person in all of these photos. If you can help or you were in any of these photos, write me at info.genetti.family@gmail.com with your photo names, reunion year and position in the photo.

Many thanks to Jean Branz Daly (the granddaughter of Damiano and Oliva Genetti). Jean has been a frequent contributor to our family website and we are sincerely grateful! Grazie mille Jean!

Hey – have you sent in your Reunion Reservation yet? Only one week to go before the reservation deadline of September 1st! Don’t miss out on this special event – meet new cousins, hug old cousins, two special presentations, great food and loads of door prizes! It will be a memorable weekend for all, celebrating our Genetti Family heritage!

Check the links below for Reunion info:

Reunion News!

Reunion Reservation Form

Afternoon Workshop: The Basics of DNA Testing

Evening Presentation: The Genetti Family of Castelfondo: Our Journey to America

Reunion Prizes!

Reunion Sponsors

Family News, Genetti Family, Pennsylvania

Reservation Deadline: Sept 1st!

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Reunion-3smallHave you mailed your Reunion Reservation Form yet? The reservation deadline is fast approaching – you only have 15 days left to reserve your space for the Genetti Family Reunion 2016 (deadline is September 1st). What are you waiting for?

It’s important that all reservation forms are received by the requested deadline. Patrick at the Genetti Ballrooms needs a head count to reserve the right size room and to plan our meals. Please don’t delay – print your Reservation Form and mail it TODAY with payment. Click here for the online Reunion Reservation Form.

So far we have cousins attending from nine states! And I know from your emails, there are many more of you who are making the trip to Hazleton but haven’t sent in your reservations yet.

Only 50 days left until “Reunion 2016: A Gathering of Genetti Descendants.” Reunion Weekend, October 7-9, will give you the opportunity to meet new cousins, share family stories and learn about our shared ancestry. If you have enjoyed reading our family website, we have so much more to tell you during our special DNA workshop and evening presentation. Each and every one of you is a vital part of our Genetti heritage! We look forward to your attendance and participation at this event to celebrate our family and the centuries of history that came before us.

Stop by the Reunion News Page for updates and to read about our weekend presentations:

The Basics of DNA Testing

The Genetti Family of Castelfondo: Our Journey to America

Don’t hesitate – print out your reservation form and get it in the mail today!

I look forward to seeing all of you in October!

Cousins, Family News, Pennsylvania

Come to the Reunion! Represent your Branch of the Tree!

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Genetti Reunion 1992 – Hazleton, PA

Gosh – I’m getting so excited about the Genetti Family Reunion 2016! I’ve heard from many cousins who are planning to attend. How about you?

We hope every branch of our family tree will be represented at this reunion. Are you a leaf from the Wyoming limb or a twig from the Illinois bough? Do you hail from Michigan, Texas, California or Utah? Maybe you are a descendant of the Pennsylvania Genetti family. And ciao to our Italian cousins – we would love to have you as an honored guest, representing our ancestral home of Castelfondo.

Time is slipping by! Start making plans for your hotel and travel arrangements today! If you are one of the lucky family members who live in or around the Hazleton area – you have no excuse! You are only a short drive away. Come meet, visit and hug your cousins – cousins that represent every branch of our amazing family tree!

Remember – the dates are October 7th – 9th, held at the Genetti Ballrooms, 1345 N. Church St., Hazle Township, Pennsylvania.

Check out new updates to our Reunion Page, click here!
(We’ve added a description for the DNA Workshop to be held on Saturday afternoon and a page listing door/raffle prizes and a special auction to be held!)

Download your Reunion Reservation form, click here!

Family News, Genetti Family, Pennsylvania

Our Journey to America

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1994ReunionBill Genetti has graciously invited me to give the Saturday evening presentation at our Reunion banquet dinner on October 8th. As most of you know who read this blog, I am passionately absorbed in the research and presentation of our family genealogy. Usually my only means of sharing historical tidbits and ancestral tales is through this website and ongoing email conversations with those who are just as driven as I in the pursuit of family names, dates and connections. Yes, there are a number of family genealogists among us with whom I share the same ardent intensity for digging into Genetti history. In our quest to reconstruct the past, we swap photos and stories, check each others dates and refer new genealogy resources through our information pipeline. Linked together by email, we are an electronic tribe of genealogists! (You know who you are and I thank you for your ever-present help and support!)

Now back to the reunion – for our Saturday evening presentation, I’ve chosen the theme: The Genetti Family of Castelfondo: Our Journey to America.

Curious? Here’s a description of my presentation …

Beginning in the 1870’s, our Genetti ancestors made the long, arduous journey from the Alpine mountains of Tyrol to the shores of America. Why did they leave their village of Castelfondo? Where did they establish roots in the United States? How did they seek their fortunes in a strange land? Find the answers to these questions, and much more as we explore the individual branches of the Genetti family in America.

Our presentation will focus on the first family ancestors to arrive in the United States. Learn when they immigrated and where they settled (Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Illinois, Michigan, etc.). Plus we’ll share: stories newly discovered through joint family research; how different branches of the Genetti family are related; and where their descendants are today.

We’ll take a closer look at three siblings: Damiano Genetti, Rafaele Genetti and Angeline Maddalena Genetti Recla.  Recent investigation of public documents, along with personal research by several family members, has revealed much about their intertwined lives. The siblings were a great support to each other, working to establish thriving family businesses in Pennsylvania.

Come listen to the fascinating stories of the Genetti family from Castelfondo. Your participation and input is welcomed!

See you in October!

For updated Reunion Info, check out our page –
Reunion 2016: A Gathering of Genetti Descendants

To print a Reunion reservation form, just click here!