Mrs. Vivian Gennai

Vivian was born in San Francisco to Victoria Angela (Jean) Serratto and Angelo Figone on July 9, 1919. The daughter of a rancher, she grew up in the Excelsior district and attended Excelsior and Monroe Schools before going to Balboa High School. She graduated from University of California School of Pharmacy in 1940. She was a hard worker her entire life. At age fourteen she started working as a “soda jerk” in a family friend’s pharmacy on Geneva Avenue, earning $5 per week. This family friend, Herb Picetti, encouraged her to go to pharmacy school. She followed his advice and graduated from UC School of Pharmacy in 1940. In 1937 she was one of the young beauties on a float in the parade to celebrate the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge. In 1940 she met Daniel Gennai who was also a pharmacist. They were introduced in front of Dan’s family home on London Street by a mutual friend of both their mothers. It took some persuading by Dan’s mother to get Dan to ask her on a date, but he ended up asking her to marry him on their second date. She refused, but after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and declaration of war, she knew that he would be drafted and she asked him to marry her. They were married in a simple ceremony in Reno on December 27, 1941. During the war when Dan was in the Coast guard and stationed in various places, Vivian continued to work at pharmacies throughout San Francisco. In 1950, they opened their own business, Daniel’s Pharmacy. They started the business in a building on Geneva Avenue that was previously used by her mother-in-law as a seamstress shop, but was in actuality a cover for her father-in-law’s bootlegging business. They eventually remodeled and expanded the store and Vivian continued to run the pharmacy until 1990, two years after the death of her beloved Dan. Over the years each of their three daughters worked in the drugstore at one time or another. Dan and Vivian were great traveling companions. They traveled throughout the United States and Europe, particularly Italy. Their daughters and other family members share wonderful memories of time spent with them at Dan’s family home on Isola d’ Elba. Vivian celebrated her 80th birthday by taking her daughters to New York for a week. Vivian spent her days working hard, preparing wonderful dinners and caring for her family. Friends and family were always welcomed warmly into her home. She was a great example and inspiration to her three daughters. She was resilient and determined; always supporting and encouraging her daughters in whatever they wanted to do. Not typical to her generation, she was educated and ran a successful business as an equal partner with her husband. She rarely, if ever, criticized others or spoke badly about anyone. She was kind and generous to everyone throughout her life. She loved her husband fiercely and missed him to the end. Special thanks to her dedicated caregivers: especially Tima Diloi, her constant companion for the last 6 years who cared for her with kindness, patience and good humor; her weekend caregiver Kalesita Vakamosiyaga; her hospice nurse Phuong Phan. Thanks to everyone at Daniel’s Pharmacy who could always be counted on to bring medicine and supplies when she needed them, and many times they checked to make sure she was OK when she left her phone off the hook. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to the following organizations: Alzheimer’s Association, Crossroads Home Health & Hospice, S.F. CA, Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital or other charity of your choice.

Mrs. Vivian Gennai

July 9, 1919 - March 23, 2017