Genevieve Nash Hare
December 16, 1921 - April 15, 2017
Obituary
When Genevieve and Ray Hare arrived in Seattle in the fall of 1951 she surely missed her home state and the mountains of Montana but she fell in love with the Pacific Northwest, especially the vegetation and flowers. The love of flowers was a passion her entire life. She could spot and name the wildflowers at highway speeds of 70 mph often telling Ray “Quick, look over there”. Bouquets of flowers brought her joy until the very end of her life.
Genevieve Hare was born Genevieve Monica Nash in Livingston, Montana on December 16, 1921, the youngest of 5 children. She attended Montana State University (MSU) in nearby Bozeman, where she earned a degree in Home Economics and got her teaching certificate. She taught high school Home Economics for several years in Montana. In the meantime, Ray Hare, a family friend and neighbor from her childhood, had returned from the war and was attending MSU. They reconnected, and the rest is history…..Gen and Ray married in June of 1947, they remained in Bozeman while Ray finished up his Masters degree in Physics, then headed west to Seattle in November 1951 for Ray to start his job at Boeing. Seattle became home, and there they raised their family and enjoyed a host of outdoor activities and exploring the northwest.
Gen and Ray lived an active and adventurous life, with many summer vacations spent cruising Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, the Canadian Gulf Islands, the coast of British Columbia and circumnavigating Vancouver Island. Their cruising vacations were first on their power boat Sunshine and later on their sailboat Shaman, built by Ray from the hull up. Between boating trips you could find them camping in the mountains of Washington, starting with camping trips to Buck Meadows with close family friends when their daughters were very young. After they retired (Gen from teaching elementary school, Ray from Boeing), they added a winter trip to their travels, spending several months each year exploring the Southwest in their motorhome. Another summer motorhome trip took them up the ALCAN Highway to Alaska for several months.
When one remembers Genny, one cannot help but smell the yeasty cinnamon scent of her homemade bread and rolls!! Not to mention her fabulous flakey crusted pies, at which she was a master. She loved to cook (in her kitchen, on the Shaman, in the motorhome), and took great joy in feeding family, friends, whoever stopped by for a visit. The welcome mat was always out!
She also really enjoyed sewing and was an excellent seamstress, making her own tailored suits and tailored shirts for Ray during her years teaching, then clothing for her daughters as well. Sewing did not end with clothing – she made drapes, cushions, pillows, aprons. She tried cross stitch, macrame, fabric art and made several fur coats, purses and collars all by hand.
Gen was a talented and smart woman, learning to navigate a boat, sail a sloop, fly a plane and cook for road crews in Yellowstone Park. She was blessed with a long and happy life, and she often commented on how fortunate she was.
Gen is preceded in death by her daughter Stacia (1962-1967), and son-in-law Brock Suddaby. She is survived by Ray, her husband of 69 years (69 years, 10 months, to be exact!); daughter Becky and granddaughters Megan Suddaby and Jessica (Suddaby) Thiessen (Geoff Thiessen); daughter Diane, son-in-law John Logan, granddaughters Anya (James Honkola), Jackie Logan (Damien Wylie), Annie Logan, and Tricia Logan; and great-granddaughter Louisa Honkola.
I used to visit Babe and Ray when I was visiting Carol in Seattle and I remember those visits fondly. I remember Grandma Hare rolls and the time they took me on the sail boat. I had a great time hunting banana slugs in the garden – I was much more excited about those slugs than Babe was.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
Mrs. Hare was my third grade teacher at St. Bernadette’s in Burien. She was tough but fair. I’ve often thought of her over the years. My condolences to her family.