Genevieve Marcelle Wolff

Geneviève Wolff was born on April 11, 1931 in Saint Germain-en-Laye, located near Versailles in France. In 1939 she spent the summer with her aunt and uncle on their farm near Rennes, France and should have returned to boarding school near Paris in September. Instead, World War II began, and Geneviève was forced to stay on the farm. Her father was captured at the battle of Dunkirk. He eventually escaped from prison, found her mother and then Genevieve's parents served in the French Resistance. At the end of the war, Geneviève and her family returned to Paris to live where she eventually received a business diploma from the Pigier Business School in Paris. In 1952 she went to England to serve as a governess to the daughters of Brigadier Sir John Hunt and Lady Hunt at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst Surrey. In 1954 she came to the United States with the Military Attaché Colonel Robinson, his wife and their four children. Until her death, she kept in contact with the children she looked after-Judith, Tina, Andrew, and Colin. When the Robinson family returned to England, she stayed, found employment, and eventually met the love of her life, LTC Robert A. Wolff. They lived together for nearly 55 years, until his death in 2012. She traveled to 21 countries and lived in 12 different states. One of her favorite places she lived was Accra, Ghana where her husband served as the Defense Attaché at the American Embassy under Shirley Temple Black.

Geneviève may have been born in France, but became an American by choice. She admired Generals Charles de Gaulle, Patton and Eisenhower. She couldn't believe that the final years of her life would be spent in the home state of General Eisenhower. A devoted military wife, she loved this country and felt proud to be an American. She attended the University of Kansas where she received her M.A. in French Literature as well as a Specialist degree. She taught French at Olathe North for many years. Genevieve began the College Now French program at JCCC and also taught at JCCC.

When she retired, she moved to Florida, but moved back a few years later to Olathe because her husband missed seeing the four seasons, the friendly people of Kansas and family. While in Olathe she volunteered at many area schools, went to the YMCA, and took classes at JCCC. Each year she returned to France to visit friends and family.

She leaves behind her son, Robert A. Wolff, Jr. and his wife Cathy L. Wolff, her daughter Christina G. Wolff, her grandchildren Robert A. Wolff, III & his wife Kelly Michelle (in Michigan); Natalie Casquino Wolff; Andreas Casquino Wolff; Kelly Marie Eilefson (in Michigan), and her great-grandson Alexander Frandsen (Georgia).

She was preceded in death by her husband Robert Anthony Wolff, Sr. (2012) and her son James Theodore Wolff (2005).

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Lawrence Humane Society or the Wounded Warrior Project.

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