Genevieve Rita Bashour

The beautiful and inspiring life on this Earth of Genevieve Rita (Joseph) Bashour ended Wednesday morning, August 10th, 2022. Genevieve, 92, died peacefully in the arms of her beloved husband of 64 years, George Emil Bashour. Genevieve is the daughter of the late Elias Joseph and Eugenie (Abousleiman) Joseph. Aside from her husband George, she leaves behind their son, Mark Bashour of Northborough, Massachusetts, and daughters Eugenie Roy of Beverly, Massachusetts and Christina Rexford of Orlando, Florida. Genevieve also leaves behind son-in-law, Paul Rexford, grand-daughters, Genevieve and Lillian Rexford, grandsons, Peter and Michael Roy, and Christopher and Derick Rexford. Her sisters Elaine Joseph, Madeline Strasser and Bernadette Grant, and brothers-in-laws Michael Nagem, Jurgen Strasser and Richard Grant. Another sister Joanne Nagem, passed away in 2019. Genevieve was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts on June 26th, 1930. She spent her entire childhood in Fitchburg where she graduated from Saint Bernard's High School in 1947. She would then graduate from Our Lady of the Elms College in 1951 and Boston College with a Master's Degree in Social Work in 1953. After graduating she moved to New York City and began her career as a social worker. She helped many individuals, couples and families turn their lives around, some under the most adverse of circumstances. Despite her very successful tenure in New York City, she decided to return to Fitchburg so that she could be close to her family. It was soon afterward she would meet the love of her life, George Bashour, on a chance encounter. Within a year the two were married. It was in the small town of Northborough, Massachusetts they would raise their three children. Genevieve was a very loving wife and mother who wanted to see her three children reach their full potential both as students and as people. As young children, she would read to them and then with them, always stressing the importance of education. Being a child of immigrant parents, she shared how her father wanted her to go to college when all she wanted to do was travel. They made a deal that if she achieved earning a bachelor's degree her father would then pay for her to travel for a year. As graduation neared, she really wanted to get her masters and asked her father if he would pay for graduate school instead. Along with education, developing a strong moral compass while living by the golden rule was most important to both she and George. Genevieve continued her career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker throughout the years and maintained a thriving private practice until retirement. Genevieve’s accomplishments are too many to count. She helped institute the LAMO (Learning About Myself and Others) program in the Northborough school system, counseled unwed mothers and at risk teens. She was also involved in multiple organizations and ministries, all the while keeping her family her first priority. Genevieve was incredibly gifted as a stained-glass artist and seamstress. There really wasn’t anything she couldn’t do once she set her mind to it. When Genevieve and George retired, they moved to Downeast Maine to the small town of Blue Hill where they lived in the spring and summer. They would then migrate south in the fall and then winter in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. They enjoyed the best of both worlds from the northern to the southern Atlantic seaboard. In both Blue Hill and New Smyrna Beach, Genevieve and George were active in their local churches singing in the choir and attending weekly Bible studies. Genevieve was an extremely thoughtful and sensitive person who lived her life with strong values and the desire to help others in any way she could. Her warm and loving nature will be missed greatly by all who knew her well. The family would like to thank all of the devoted friends, neighbors and caregivers who aided George in caring for Genevieve these past few years. Your tender care and attention has meant the world to us. A Memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.

Genevieve Rita Bashour

June 26, 1930 - August 10, 2022