Genevieve Strutner
August 1925 - August 2020 San Jose, CA
Genevieve Zebrowski Strutner was born on August 10, 1925 in Bayonne, New Jersey, the second of four children born to Polish immigrants Rosalia and Vincent Zebrowski. She learned English in school and taught the new language to her parents, but she maintained a lifelong love of the Polish language. She graduated from Bayonne High School then attended Holy Name Medical Center School of Nursing in New Jersey before pursuing a nursing education degree at St Louis University Hospital, where she lived two floors below Dr. Leo Strutner. After meeting on the streetcar on their way home from church, Leo and Genevieve were married June 17, 1950 in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Bayonne. They had their first child in 1951- they would have seven more children in the next 11 years.
When Leo visited Los Gatos for the first time, he called Genevieve and told her they were moving the family to California. A pregnant Genevieve packed her three sons into the family Ford, and drove with Leo to Oakland Naval Hospital to start their new life out west. In 1964, Genevieve and Leo moved into their house in Willow Glen. They finally had a home large enough for their eight children and Genevieve’s ever growing tea set collection.
Camping at Big Basin was the Strutner family’s preferred weekend activity, Genevieve liked to say the best part of these excursions was the change of scenery. As the children moved out of the house, Genevieve and Leo started to travel more widely. Genevieve’s favorite trip was visiting Israel and seeing the birthplace of her Catholic faith.
God blessed Genevieve with 20 grandchildren. Each of them received handwritten cards and phone calls from her on their birthdays, and were taught at an early age that “Sto Lat” was the required second verse of “Happy Birthday to You”.
Genevieve loved family gatherings, she hosted the entire family for annual Fourth of July camping trips and Christmas Eve celebrations. She also traveled up and down the west coast to attend the family’s endless baptisms, first communions, graduations, and weddings.
After Leo passed away, Genevieve continued to live in Willow Glen, where she enjoyed the frequent visits of her children, grandchildren, and eight greatgrandchildren. She passed away suddenly and peacefully on August 21, 2020, 11 days after her 95th birthday. A small private burial was held at the Santa Clara Mission Cemetery, with a celebration of life to come when larger gatherings are safe.