February 20, 1949 – September 27, 2024
It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness that we announce Geneva Eileen Conn, 75, of Muskegon, Michigan, passed away on Friday, September 27, 2024, after a short battle with cancer. Geneva was born on February 20, 1949, to parents Joseph and Arlinda Cautrell in Tabernash, Colorado. She spent her childhood growing up in Tabernash and after high school, she worked at Payne’s Cafe in Granby. Geneva met the love of her life, Melvin Conn, in October of 1968 and it was love at first sight. The two were married only months later on April 23rd, 1969 on a trip to Alabama to see Melvin’s family.
The two had three daughters; Sophie in 1970, Shelly in 1972, and Jennifer in 1983, and raised them in Granby. During that time, Melvin and Geneva owned and ran two restaurants, the Columbine Cafe and later Mel’s Diner where they fixed the best biscuits and gravy anyone had ever tasted.
During her life, Geneva enjoyed going camping with her kids and grandkids, riding up to Rocky Mountain National Park to look for moose and other animals, cooking and baking with the grandkids, doing crafts and diamond art, and most of all, spending time with all of her family. She lived for her family and friends, always taking care of everyone else around her before herself and that was the way that she liked it.
Her house was always open to whoever wanted to stop by and have a cup of coffee or a snack and chat for a while. Most years, Melvin and Geneva hosted the holidays, getting the entire family together at their house on Avenue C and filling it with so much food and love that you would leave with a full stomach and a bursting heart. She was also very in touch with her Christianity, attending church and living through the Lord. Geneva touched many lives throughout her life and always gave to others.
She was the physical embodiment of love and will be missed more than we even have words to describe.
Geneva was preceded in death by her baby brother Ronnie, her parents Joseph and Arlinda Cautrell, her brother Dave Cautrell, and her husband Melvin Conn. She is survived by her brother Floyd Cautrell (Robin Cautrell), sister-in-law Dorothy Cautrell, her three daughters Sophie Strandberg (Bill Strandberg), Shelly Conn, and Jennifer Conn, seven grand-children: Toni Ransom (Cody Ransom), Randi Westphal, Camri Perysian, Taylor Gorajec (Josh Gorajec), Haley Conn, Tucker Minear-Conn, Tristin Minear-Conn, four great-grandchildren: Adalynn Ransom, Barrett Ransom, Payton Perysian, TJ Gibson and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be held at Winter Park Christian Church November 2, 2024 at 1 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may also be made to https://harborhospicemi.org in memory of Geneva Conn.
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