Genevieve Baydarian

Published 10:52 am Friday, April 7, 2023

Genevieve Baydarian, age 94 passed away peacefully on April 4^th, 2023. She was born in Detroit Michigan November 23^rd, 1928. She was the third child of Jennie Mae and Francis McGinity. She was named after her maternal grandmother, who lived with her for most of her childhood. She adored her two older brothers, Jim and George. She lived through the Great Depression and watched her father, while out collecting premiums from clients, once seeing their desolate state, would give them money instead. Her brother Jim went to West Point and joined the cavalry before becoming a paratrooper in the 82^nd Airborne. He died on D-Day on the beaches of Normandy, where in later years she would travel to France and find her brother’s grave. Her brother George joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and later the US Army.

Genevieve is preceded in death by her husband Varskin and two sons, Paul and Mark. She is survived by her daughter, Beth, and her two sons, Jim and Michael.

Gen was valedictorian of her class at St Rita’s and excelled at sports. She received a scholarship to Nazareth College where she made lifelong friends. She majored in chemistry and minored in biology. She then attended the University of Detroit to study Physics. The class was 90 men, six nuns, and Gen. She joined a Convent and became a sister of St Joseph, but that vocation was not meant to be. She entered Marygrove College, graduating with a BS in science. She went on to Wayne State University School of Education for her Teaching certificate and taught Elementary science at Ann Arbor Trail School. She proceeded to get a master’s degree in Educational Psychology and resumed teaching 5^th grade then kindergarten till retirement in 1990 after 30 rewarding years.

Genevieve and her husband Varskin retired to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. Gen loved the natural beauty here. She threw herself into volunteering, classes at Isothermal Community College, and her horse Charlie. Buying the Arabian gelding fulfilled a lifelong dream. She volunteered at FENCE and the Humane Society. She became involved with Literacy and taught people how to read. She was certified as a Literacy trainer and ESL. She tutored Hispanic children in Elementary/Middle School in Polk County and was inducted into the “Second Wind” Hall of Fame for her work in Literacy in 2000.

She had many happy times traveling with her husband and children in the US, Spain/ Morocco, Italy, the UK, and ultimately Ireland to trace her roots. She made many dear friends here. She was incredibly kind, thoughtful, and above all Faith-filled. Her love of Jesus guided her and sustained her. She felt incredibly grateful and blessed, by the love she received from her friends. To Gen, her achievements and accomplishments were insignificant, in comparison to her Love, Hope and Faith in Jesus Christ. We’re comforted that she now knows what JOY is.

May she rest now in Peace.