GENOCHIO, Elizabeth (Libba)

Today's News-Herald, Lake Havasu City, Arizona Published Thursday, November 12, 2009 Our precious Libba peacefully passed away Nov. 6, 2009 in her home in Grass Valley, Calif., with her daughters, Sandra and Mary Beth, by her side. She was 85. Libba was born April 4, 1924, in Cookeville, Tenn., to Cora Allen and Clem Abner Womack. She grew up in Cookeville where she was the baby of the family, 14 years younger than her two brothers. Libba graduated from high school in Tennessee and received additional education in administrative work. She and Harlan Genochio met and were married in San Francisco in 1948. Both of her daughters were born in the San Francisco Bay area. In 1957, her family moved to Nashville, Tenn., where they remained until 1965 when they moved to Waterloo, Iowa. After four years, they purchased property in Lake Havasu City where Harlan built their family home and Libba and her daughters joined him in 1970. In the beginning of her professional employment, she was an executive secretary for 12 years and was then co-owner with her husband in the restaurant business for 10 years. Libba was a committed volunteer for more than 30 years for the communities in which she lived. In Lake Havasu City, she volunteered for the St. Vincent De Paul thrift store, the senior center, city police department and the hospital. She truly loved volunteering at the Hospice Thrift store in Nevada City, Calif., for the past six years, where she made many, many dear friends. Libba had a distinct sense of humor and touched the lives of everyone she met. Much of her joy and happiness came not as much from her cherished chocolate chip cookies but from her volunteer work and in helping others. Libba was a sun lover and enjoyed living in the desert. She would feed the local roadrunners by hand when they came to visit the backyard of her desert home. Several years after her husband’s death in 1990, Libba met the second love of her life, Bob Trundle, with whom she shared a close relationship, which included much fun and travel for seven years until his death. Libba had two brothers, George and Clem Womack, and is survived by her daughters, Sandra Genochio and Mary Beth Rich; two grandkids, Jason and Marie Rich; son-in-law, Simon Dewar; her nephew, Jim Womack; and niece, Nancy Huffington, both of Nashville, Tenn., and we can’t forget Velcro her cat. She was loved by so many and will be truly missed. Friends and family are invited to attend the celebration and memorial of Libba’s life at 11 a.m., Nov. 14, at her home in Grass Valley.