THOMAS EDWARD AND MARGARET “Maggie” CECILIA GEAR GENACK

Thomas Edward Genack and born on June 13, 1877 in Richland Township, Saginaw County, Michigan to Gregware and Maria Welch Genack. Thomas married Margaret “Maggie” Gear on January 15, 1902 in Hemlock, Saginaw County, Michigan. Margaret Cecilia Gear was born October 16, 1881 to John R. and Catherine Burns Gear; she had a twin sister, named Agatha who became a nun. Margaret's mother, Catherine Burns Gear, was born in the County of Kilkinney, Ireland on January 12, 1841 to Thomas and Elizabeth Ryan Burns. Margaret's sisters were Mary Elizabeth Beckley and Catherine Adelia Jacobs; they were all neighbors to one another living in Lakefield Township in 1916. By 1920, they were living in Jonesfield Township, Saginaw County, Michigan before moving to Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan.

Thomas and Margaret had the following children:

1. Gertrude Rose Genack was born on May 19, 1903 in Hemlock, Saginaw County, Michigan and she married Clarence Edwin Armbuster on November 24, 1924 at Holy Cross Church  in Detroit, Michigan. Gertrude became a certified teacher at 19 and later worked for a local newspaper.  Gertrude and her husband had five sons, Robert, Thomas, John, William and Richard.  Gertrude lived in Detroit for 57, then lived in Livonia, Michigan.  Gertrude lived to over 100 years old.  Her husband died in March 2001 and she died on July 10, 2003. and is buried in the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield, Oakland County, Michigan.

2. Female Genack was born November 6, 1904 and died November 7, 1904 in Richland Township, Saginaw County, Michigan and is buried in Richland Township Cemetery, Hemlock, Michigan.

3. Marie Genack was born in 1905 and died January 3, 1906 in Jonesfield Township, Saginaw County, Michigan. She died  at the age of one year, three months and four days old. Marie is buried in Richland Township Cemetery, Hemlock, Saginaw County, Michigan.

4. Edward Boniface Genack was born October 25, 1907 in Saginaw County, Michigan  and married Elizabeth (Betty) Cox.  Edward was living in Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan in the 1920's, 1930's, 1940's and by 1950 in living in Bass and Commerce Lake In Oakland County, Michigan.   Edward worked as a welder and flame hardener for the Foundry Flax and Equpment Company in Northville, Michigan.  Edward and his wife Betty had one daughter, DeAnne who married James J. Maher of Walled Lake, Michigan (DeAnne died in January 2022).   Edward died July 22, 1978 in Pinella County, Florida.

5. Therese C. Genack was born in 1910 and married Joseph Blanke on November 21, 1936 in Detroit, Michigan.  Therese and Joseph had four children John who died, Margo, Mary Kathryn who married Gerald McKenna (Mary Kathryn died on April 6, 2010) and Joseph Genack.  Therese died in 1993 and is buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Saginaw County, Michigan.

6. Margaret (Marguerite) Cecilia Genack was born on October 18, 1912 in Lakefield Township, Saginaw County, Michigan and died on August 2, 1978 and is buried in Mt. Olive Cemetery, Saginaw, Michigan.

7. Bernard Joseph Genack was born November 18, 1915. He married Elizabeth "Betty" DeMars on May 22, 1936. Bernard and Betty had three daughters, Janet, Carol and Nancy.  He was a native of Merrill, Michigan, he had been a resident of the Detroit area for 30 years,  and retired in 1974 after 23 years as a research technician with the Chevrolet Engineering Research and Development Division at the GM Tech Center in Warren, Michigan.  Bernard died on June 25, 1976 in Sarasota, Florida and is buried in the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield, Michigan.

8. Thomas Gregory Genack was born March 18, 1918 in Lakefield Township, Saginaw County, Michigan  and died in of January 1967. He is buried in Mt. Olivet, Saginaw, Michigan.

9. Grace Mary Genack was born 12 November 1920 and graduated from St. Mary's Catholic School in Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan.  She married William F. Lemke and had two children William Lemke Jr. (who died in 1968) and Shari I. Lemke. Grace died on March 26, 1985 and is buried in the Midland City Cemetery, Midland, Midland County, Michigan.

In 1916, Thomas and Margaret owned and operated an 80 acre farm on Roosevelt Road between Chapin and Steel Roads. Their neighbors were: L.J. Pratt, Patrick Crowley, Edward Jacobs, Jay Schoonmaker, John Briggs, John Liebrock, Lewis Liebrock, Dan H. McLeod and J.A. Beckley.

Thomas died on December 20, 1961 and Margaret died on January 28, 1979. They are both buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Saginaw, Michigan.

SOURCES: 1916 Lakefield Township Plat Map; U.S. Census; Tress Gear McNenley's genealogy; Thomas Edward Genack Sr.'s birth record; Thomas Genack's WWI draft registration; Marie Genack's death record; female Genack's birth and death records; Bernard and Elizabeth Genack's marriage record; Margaret Genack's obituary and Edward Genack's SS death record; Bernard Genack, Gertrude Rose Genack Armbuster, DeAnne Maher, Mary Kathryn Blanke McKenna obituaries, Thomas Gregory and Marguerite birth record; Find A Grave, Edward J. Genack WWII draft record.