Gennifer Joy Buchholz • 1964 - 2009

Gennifer Joy Buchholz, 45, 1011-65th St. NW, died Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009, at her home, surrounded by family and friends following a 10-year battle with ovarian cancer. She fought the disease with dignity, grace, and the flare that was part of her personality and led her forward in a life she lived to the fullest. Cancer did not define who she was.

            She was born July 17, 1964, in Grand Forks, ND, a daughter of Richard E. and Gloria J. Lokken. A year later, the family moved to Minot where she was raised. She attended Minot public schools, graduating in 1983 from Minot High School. She then attended Minot State University before switching to the University of  North Dakota at Grand Forks where she earned a degree in elementary education in 1987.

            Early jobs while going to school were at the Piggly Wiggly Stores and the North Dakota Highway Department. Later, following her marriage to Robi Buchholz on Aug. 7, 1987, in Minot and starting a family, she continued employment at the same time she worked toward a master’s degree in special education at MSU, awarded in 1991. Her first teaching position was with the Minot Public Schools as a teacher of the blind beginning in 1987. Three years later she transferred into elementary teaching at Jefferson, North Plains and Lincoln elementary schools at Minot. Health issues forced her to go on reserve status in 2005. Yet she continued to take classes to keep her teaching certificate active in the hope of returning to the job she loved. She also maintained her membership in the Minot and North Dakota Education associations and Delta Kappa Gamma, a professional organization for teachers.

            Life for Gennifer was to be celebrated, especially her role as a mother to the three sons she and Robi raised. They were the pride and joy of her life, and her success in raising good boys, her husband said, was aided in great measure by the support of family, her community of friends and the staff of Trinity Cancercare Center. She wrote books for her boys, filled with guidance for their lives. Her favorite holiday was Christmas, when she filled their home with nativity sets and angels.

            She established a reputation as an organizer, putting that skill to work in her birthday and book clubs, her quilting group, in planning parties, in any endeavor in which she was engaged. She was artistic and enjoyed painting, decorating, making jewelry and quilts, as well as sewing blankets for family and friends. She became a mentor to other cancer patients who came to the cancercare center, helping countless people learn how to live with their disease.

            She was very eclectic and she loved people, her family observed. She used her time wisely while on earth and refused to accept the initial diagnosis that said death, if not imminent, would occur soon.

            Ten years later, last Sunday afternoon, she told her family: no more treatments. I’m done, I’m ready to move on. Are you sure, they said. Yes she was sure, she said, and thanked those around her. With that, she said, “Okay God, I’m ready. Take me.”  She repeated her prayer, she was organized, she was ready she insisted, and her prayer was answered.  She was gone to the place the Lord had prepared for her.

            She is survived by her husband Robi; sons, Maxwell Elliot, 20, Samuel Ellis, 18, and Alexander Lee, 16; parents, Richard and Gloria Lokken; sister, Lorri (Steve) Haberman and their children, Katie, Carson and Chayse; mother-in-law, Delores Buchholz, and maternal grandparents, Roger and Ruth Bullene: and the family dog Lizzie. All are of Minot. Also surviving: sisters-in-law, Lori (Pete) Wagner and children, Jason, Justin, Jonathan and Hayley, and Shari (John) Tedford and children, Christina, Brian, JoLene and Christopher; grandnephews and grandniece, Haden, Draven, Corbin and Heidi; aunt, Carol Sue (Butts) Meiklejohn and her husband Ray; great-uncle Andy (Wanda) Nikitenko, and great-aunt, Gladys Bostow; cousins, Nathan (Lindsey) Butts, Jessica Butts, Greg (Joanne) Nikitenko, Pat (Shelly) Nikitenko, Dennis (Margaret) Bostow, Terry (Maureen) Bostow and Aaron Bostow.  Numerous aunts, uncles and cousins also survive.

            She was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Joy and Judy Lokken, father-in-law, Norman Buchholz, and sister-in-law, Jodi Buchholz.

Funeral: Saturday, Oct. 10, 1 p.m., Christ Lutheran Church, Minot.

Vigil Service: Friday, Oct. 9, 7 p.m. at the church.

Visitation: Thursday, Oct. 8, from 2 to 7 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot; Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. at the church.

Burial: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot.

Officiants
Rev. David Maxfield
Rev. Mike Johnson

Music
Minot High School Change of Pace Singers
Sam Buchholz, pianist to offer “Angel Eyes”
Allen Drege, organist

Honorary Bearers: All of Gennifer’s family and friends

Active Bearers: Melessa Bosch,  Janet Hornecker, Julie Ebert, Chris Kramer, Brenda Black,           Sara Medalen,  Lisa Kramer
                       
To sign the online guest register for Gennifer
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To view the outside of Gennifer's folder
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