Highland woman was a 'little spitfire'

Running the family business may have been her life, but Genevieve Mundo's family was always her passion.

"(My mom) was there for her kids and her grandkids," daughter Carol Riccio said.

Mundo and her husband, Martin, always made time for their family. "During the holidays, we all got together; that was Dad's rule," Riccio said.

Genevieve Mundo, 88, of Highland and formerly of Calumet City, died Jan. 26. She was the family baker, and her confections were popular. "She made kolache, cheesecakes, peanut butter balls," Riccio said. "She was a fabulous baker. She just baked her little brains out."

Mundo and her husband owned and operated Mundo's Pizza Villa in Calumet City. "The funny part about that, here was this little Polish lady cooking Italian food," her daughter said. But she became renowned for her pasta and cooked it for every family party.

Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Mundo came to live with her sister in the Chicago area when she was 21. She met and married her husband, and the couple eventually bought the restaurant. The family business took up a good deal of their time, but they always managed to create a family atmosphere in the workplace.

"We three kids worked there with them. Even the grandkids worked there," Riccio said. Mundo "was an extremely hard worker."

She also was known for her fiery personality. "She was very outspoken," Riccio said. "She'd tell it like it is. She was a little spitfire."

Her mother also loved music and sports. She was a New York Yankees fan first, but also cheered for the White Sox. In football, she stayed loyal to her home state, cheering for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But she also was a Chicago Bears fan.

Before she died, her family let her know the New England Patriots and New York Giants would play in the Super Bowl. Her pick was the Patriots, her daughter said.