Genevieve Ethel Billings

Memorial services for Genevieve E. Billings, age 92, of Milaca, will be held Friday, February 26, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Milaca with Rev. Stephen Blenkush officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at church. Interment will take place in the Borgholm Cemetery near Bock. The family requests memorials be sent to Fairview Hospice or Zion Lutheran Church - Milaca. Genevieve Ethel (Hambleton) Billings passed away February 23, 2016. She was born in Des Moines, Iowa on August 3, 1923 to Oliver and Maude (Tinker) Hambleton. She was preceded in death by her husband, George; her parents; and siblings, Joyous Goldsmith, Della Dalton, Harvey Hambleton, and Daryl Hambleton. She is survived by her four children, Sharon (Russ) Adelmann of Plymouth, Mary (Bill) Bemboom of Buffalo, Mark of Plymouth, and Craig (Sherie) of Milaca; grandchildren, Nikki Fossey, Stacy Billings, George Billings, Kristi Billings, and Mitch Billings; great-grandchildren, Madison and Ashton; siblings, Don (Myrt) Hambleton and Brent (Janet) Hambleton; also by many nieces and nephews. After living in various places in Iowa during her childhood, she and her family moved to the Mora area where she spent her teen years and attended Mora High School. She met George at a dance at Fish Lake Ballroom and they were united in marriage on December 27, 1941. They started farming south of Bock and later moved to their farm north of Milaca in 1949, where she continued to live until George passed away in 1978. She then moved into Milaca later that fall. Over the years, she worked outside the home at various places including the Northside Grocery, Sportsman Cafe, Milaca Mills, and at the Mille Lacs County Jail as chief cook and bottle washer. She was known for her cooking and especially baking. She baked many loaves of Swedish rye bread, buns, and her famous caramel rolls. If the coffee pot wasn't already on, it would be on shortly whenever someone stopped in. She spent many hours doing embroidery on dish towels and tablecloths. She was a long time member of Emanuel Lutheran Church in Bock and later transferred to Zion Lutheran Church in Milaca. The family wants to especially thank the staff at Elim Nursing and Rehab Center and Fairview Hospice for their kind and loving care.