Genevieve "Gev" Klainsek

Genevieve “Gev” Klainsek (née Schmidberger), a lifelong resident of the Crest Hill/Joliet area at 95, entered into eternal life on April 21, 2026. She was born to her father Joseph Schmidberger and mother Mary Schmidberger (née Skul) in Lockport Township on January 10, 1931.

Gev graduated from Lockport Township High School and retired from a long and successful career as an Office Manager for Rust Craft. Her devotion to her faith was obvious, and she was proud to have been a parishioner of Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Joliet for her entire life. Throughout her life she was an active member of the community, donating her time and effort to a number of clubs and organizations including the St. Joseph Altar & Rosary Society, Cantigny Ladies Auxiliary, Post 1080 Ladies Auxiliary, Slovenian Women’s Union, Catholic Women’s League, St. Joseph Senior Citizen Association (where she was a former Woman of the Year Honoree), The Elks #296 Auxiliary, and she also worked for the Charity ball at the Joliet Elks for Trinity School. She was a member, and past officer, of KSKJ St. Francis de Sales Lodge 29 where she worked at the Christmas and Easter parties, dressing up as Mrs. Claus for many years. She made her famous “Skul burgers” and Corned Beef and Cabbage for special meetings with her husband Eugene, and for many years was in charge of the annual steak fry. Genevieve had always been very active in her church as a money counter, co-chair of many dinner dances, and volunteering wherever needed, such as painting picnic tables at St. Joe’s Park, setting tables, and helping with phone committees. She even volunteered at the St. Joseph School when her great- niece Chrissy Kozol attended the grade school. Some of Gev’s hobbies and interests included owning a race horse with her husband and friends, bowling, travelling (especially to Las Vegas as Gev was known never to walk past a slot machine without trying her luck), and quite simply relaxing while listening to great Polka music and sipping on a Manhattan or a Chocolate Martini. She thoroughly enjoyed hosting family holiday parties with an open-door policy, if the back & front door lights were on… then come on in. She planned the themes for the Annual 4th of July Parades held on their neighborhood street, and she was always, without fail, the life of the party. Even though she had no children, to her nieces, nephews, great-nieces & great-nephews’ she was a second mother and grandmother. She will be deeply missed by us all, and in honoring her in the best way that we know how, we will continue to party on!

She was preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Mary; her beloved husband of 66 years at the time of his passing in 2017 Eugene Klainsek; her brothers George (Lucille) Schmidberger, Louis (Karen) Schmidberger, and Anton and Joseph in infancy; her sisters Theresa Schmidberger, Agnes “Babe” (Albert) Lovati, and her nephew Joseph Schmidberger.

Gev is survived by her nieces and nephews Georgette (Harold) Vota, Albert (Camilla) Lovati, Judy (Bill) Corum, Mary (the late Joseph) Schmidberger, MaryJo (Perry) Major, Kathy Lovati, Donald Schmidberger, Lucille (Doug) Cueller; numerous great-nieces, great- nephews, cousins, extended family members and other loved ones.

The family would like to offer a special note of gratitude to Aunt Gev’s caregivers, as well as the entire staff, at Renwick Nursing and Rehabilitation of Joliet for the excellent care that she received.

In lieu of flowers, those who choose to offer donations in Genevieve’s honor may direct them to either Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care at https://lightways.org/one-time-donation/, St. Joseph Catholic Church Joliet at https://www.stjosephjoliet.org/giving, or to the charity of your choice.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday April 29, 2026 from 9:00 am until 10:00 am at Tezak’s Home to Celebrate Life, 1211 Plainfield Rd. Joliet, IL 60435 before we travel in procession to Historic Saint Joseph Catholic Church, 416 N. Chicago St. Joliet, IL for a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10:30 am. Immediately following Mass, we will process to Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery, 1500 N. Raynor Ave, Joliet, IL for a Graveside Committal Service.