Genevieve “Genny” Kroepel

Genevieve ‘Genny’ Kroepel, 89, a lifelong resident of Dowagiac, passed away on Saturday evening, February 11, 2023 at White Oaks Assisted Living in Lawton. She was born on June 6, 1933 in Dowagiac, the daughter and only child of the late Ernest and Gladys (Corwin) Cochrane. On May 30, 1953, Genny was united in marriage to Richard Kroepel. In 1974, they built their dream home on Peavine St. and lived there until moving to the White Oaks Assisted Living in Lawton, MI in 2020. Many people knew Genny from her years working at Hales Hardware in Dowagiac during the 60s and 70s. She also worked as an assistant to the museum curator at Southwestern Michigan College and was in charge of the gift store at that museum. Genny enjoyed many activities with her husband, Dick, such as camping, bowling, square dancing and raising, breeding and showing champion Pugs for 25 years. She loved sewing, knitting, crocheting, reading and gardening. Genny also volunteered at the Council on Aging in Cassopolis, knitting hundreds of children's stocking caps among other activities there.

Surviving are her husband of 69 years, Richard Kroepel; three children, Laura (Skip) Magee of Three Rivers, Linda (Gary) Craft of Holland and Laird Kroepel of Kalamazoo; six grandchildren, Gabriel (Aletha Dillon) Smith, Benjamin (Becky Weishaar) Smith, Angela (William Coffing) Craft, Daniel Craft, Jennifer (Dylan) Ginsberg and Andrew Kroepel; and one great-grandson, Lucas Coffing-Craft.

A service to celebrate Genevieve’s life will be held at 1:00 PM on Thursday, February 16, at Clark Chapel – Starks Family Funeral Homes, 405 Center Street, Dowagiac. Interment will follow in Mission Hills Memorial Gardens. Friends may visit with the family from 2-4 PM and 6-8 PM on Wednesday, February 15 at the funeral home. Memorial contributions in Genevieve’s name may be directed to Cass County Council on Aging or Centrica Care Navigators Hospice. Those wishing to share a memory of Genevieve online may do so at www.clarkch.com.