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In memory of

Eugenia Marie Esmon

Franklin, NC, USA

March 21, 1949 - November 9, 2020

Mar 21, 1949 - Nov 9, 2020

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Eugenia Marie Esmon, 71, of Franklin NC passed into glory on Monday, November 9, 2020, in Asheville NC, surrounded by her husband of 50 years and their three children.

Genia was born on March 21, 1949, in Painesville, Ohio, to James and Eugenia Braun. The proud daughter of a US Navy officer, Genia was raised in California, Cuba, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Florida and Virginia. Genia graduated from Annandale High School in Annandale VA and from Butler University in Indianapolis IN, where a case of mistaken identity and a blind date turned into a 51-year adventure.

Genia lived for her family. She was a devoted and beloved wife, a superior mother and the picture-perfect grandmother.

Tom and Genia’s relationship had a beginning worthy of a romantic comedy, and from that day forward they worked to build a life together. They were partners in every aspect of life. Regardless of where their current home address might be -- Québec, Alabama, Wisconsin, Mississippi or North Carolina -- Tom and Genia were best friends whose favorite place to be was by the other’s side. Their marriage set a strong and lasting example of what a marriage should be -- a partnership spanning half a century that was always rooted in love, friendship and mutual respect.

Together with Tom, Genia operated Little Journeys Art & Antiques for 35 years and served the community through the Remember the Prisoners ministry for 20 years. Genia was an avid reader with a particular fondness for JRR Tolkien and Jane Austen. She loved a good British murder-mystery and “The Great British Baking Show” almost as much as she loved cheering for her Butler Bulldogs. She spoke fluent French, and her culinary skills were unrivaled. She loved seasonal Oreo cookies, M&Ms of all varieties, coffee, cats, cardigans and tall, cold bottles of Coca-Cola.

Genia was a lifelong night owl who could always be found bustling about on a project in the wee hours -- finishing the hem on a wedding dress, or wrapping a few last-minute birthday presents, or packing up a Bible and an encouraging word to mail off to a fledgling Christian across the state. Her grandchildren especially relished their visits to Grandma’s house. A stay there meant slipping into “Esmon Standard Time,” where they got to stay up long past bedtime watching “Murder She Wrote” and “Magnum PI” and where Grandma brought them a tray of their favorite breakfast foods in the morning on the couch as they leisurely greeted the day together.

She celebrated every holiday with verve. She glowed with joy on Christmas morning, watching her children and grandchildren open the gifts she’d shopped for all year long. Long after her children had left childhood, she still prepared elaborate Easter baskets spilling over with their favorite candies. She loved giving gifts so much that she even made up a few holidays of her own. The family is relatively certain that Silly Shirt Day is not a recognized holiday, but it will remain a cherished Esmon family tradition.

Genia was always generous with her time and her resources. She opened her heart to anyone who needed counsel, her table to anyone who needed nourishment and her home to anyone who needed shelter. She was kind, warm and selfless, and she will be forever loved and missed by her family and by those lucky souls she befriended along the way.

Genia is survived by her adoring husband Tom; daughter Chloe Walker and husband Mark of Rock Hill SC; daughter Phoebe Esmon and partner Christian Gaal of Asheville NC; son Alex Esmon and wife Nichole of Asheville NC; brothers and sister James Braun Jr. of Asheville NC, Anita Miller and husband Troy of Herndon VA and Chris Braun of Denver CO; sister-in-law Sally McWilliams and husband Ken of Madison IN; six grandchildren, Samuel Walker, Sophie Walker, Wilson Walker, Piper Esmon, Claire Walker and Graham Esmon; honorary “fourth Esmon” Don Kostelec; one niece; five nephews; and a host of cousins.

The family has requested that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to the American Cancer Society.

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