Vennera R. Genovese

DELMAR- Vennera Germano Genovese passed peacefully at home, in her sleep, on July 3, 2026, with her daughter at her side. She lived ninety-nine beautiful years, and she filled every one of them. She was born November 6, 1926, in Albany, NY, to the late Lorenzo and Mary (Gitto) Germano. From graduating as valedictorian of her high school class to re􀆟ring as Vice President after 39 years at Leroy Holding, her life was marked by integrity, perseverance, and grace. At a time when few women held executive leadership roles, she quietly built an extraordinary career. She led with warmth, humility, and a quiet strength that never needed to prove anything. She was predeceased by her husband, Louis. She is survived by her daughters, Josie (Genovese)
Brooks and Maryann (Genovese) Fennell (Edward); her grandchildren, Tom, Jason, Alison, and Amanda (Scott); her great-grandchildren, Alex, Charlotte, Willow, and Poppy; and several nieces and nephews. Her grandchildren will tell you that being loved by her was its own kind of magic.
Somehow, every one of them felt like the most important person in the world because, in her presence, they were. Vennera's home was the kind you didn't want to leave. She waved you in from the front door, sat you down, and had food in front of you before you could think about protesting. Her lasagna
was the one people asked about. Her meatballs earned their own following. But the people closest to her knew the real magic was in the small things: the pancakes, the grilled cheese. Each one was made with the care most people save for special occasions, because for her, the people she loved were the occasion. She was a grounding force, steady in a way that put everyone around her at ease, and spunky enough to keep things interesting. She loved a good mystery novel, a well-set table, and a full house. She was elegant without effort and sharp without edge. She spent ninety-nine years making the people around her feel loved, and she promised she would keep watching over them. Knowing her, she already is.
Vennera's Mass will be celebrated on July 10, 2026 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 35 Adams Place, Delmar, NY. Relatives and friends are invited to visit with her family at the church beginning at 9:00 a.m. prior to the Mass. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Glenmont. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Vennera's memory to honor the nursing team that cared for her with such compassion and to support the important work of
The Community Hospice Foundaton. Donations can be sent to Gift Processing, 310 S. Manning Blvd., Albany, NY 12208, or made online at communityhospice.org. Online condolences may be offered at danielkeenanfuneralhome.com