Genevieve Sandona

Genevieve K. Sandona, 83, a lifelong resident of Rockford, passed away Tuesday, December 27, 2011, at her home at Morning Star Village after a brief battle with mantle cell lymphoma.
She was born May 31, 1928, in Rockford, the daughter of the late Frank and Kazimera (Chernauskas) Petronis.
Genevieve worked at home giving piano lessons for many years, and when her children were grown, she also worked for United Bank and for the Rockford Public School System as a teachers aide. She was proud of her Lithuanian heritage which was enhanced by her association with the Ethnic Heritage Museum where she served on the Board.
She was also a member of the Korean War Veterans Auxiliary Chapter 272; her husband, Ben V. Sandona, died on February 14, 1994, and was a Korean War veteran.
She was also an active member of Beth Eden United Methodist Church.

Genevieve was a graduate of West High School Class of 1946.
She attended Rockford College from 19461948, transferring to Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and was a graduate of the Class of 1952 with a major in piano and a minor in voice.
During her senior year, she became a penpal with a soldier serving in Korea.
This blossomed into a serious romance and Ben and Genevieve were married on November 29, 1952. Genevieve was a gifted writer and member of the Writers Guild, and took pride in her poetry and Letters to the Editor.
Many were published in the Rockford Register Star, an excellent forum for citizens, ordinary and extraordinary.

She is survived by 2 daughters, Carol (Joe Akzam) Sandona of Petaluma, CA and Janet (V. Rory) Jones of Burlingame, CA, also 1 grandson, Miles Jones of Burlingame, CA. nbsp;She was preceded in death by her parents and 2 brothers, Edward and Robert Petronis.

Visitation will be held on Friday, December 30, from 3:30 5:30pm at the Fitzgerald Funeral Home and Crematory Riverside Chapel, 3910 N. Rockton Ave.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 31, 2011, at 9:30am at Beth Eden United Methodist Church where she will lie in state from 8:30 am until the funeral hour with Rev. Doug Bowden officiating.
Burial will take place at Calvary Cemetery.

Many thanks to the staffs at Rockford Memorial Hospital Oncology Unit, St. Anne Provena Center, Morning Star Village, and Northern Illinois Hospice for their compassionate and loving care.


In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.