 1945 - 2009 (64 years)
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| Name |
Marylou Hiestand |
| Born |
10 Feb 1945 |
Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA  |
| Gender |
Female |
| Died |
16 Jul 2009 |
Hickory Corners, Michigan, USA |
| Person ID |
I21759 |
Family Tree |
| Last Modified |
24 Dec 2016 |
| Father |
Floyd Elroy Hiestand, b. 17 May 1912, Redfield, Kansas, USA , d. 20 Oct 1990, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA (Age 78 years) |
| Mother |
Nona Yvonne Baker, b. 12 Aug 1918, Burdell Township, Michigan, USA , d. 15 Nov 2010, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA (Age 92 years) |
| Married |
21 Jun 1937 |
South Bend, Indiana, USA |
| Family ID |
F10753 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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| Notes |
- Mary Lou Zettelmaier lived her life to serve others, seeing that her loved ones were taken care of well before she cared for her own needs. An amazing mother, wife, and grandmother, Mary Lou was a real "nest-builder" who put her family first.
The youngest of three children, Mary Lou was born on February 10, 1945 in the bustling city of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Her father and mother, Floyd and Nona Heistand, were overjoyed to welcome their third child into the family, and Mary Lou became the younger sister of Robert and Joan. Being the youngest, Mary Lou learned quickly how to help out around the house, and witnessed firsthand what family was all about. These early lessons would prove useful to Mary Lou later in life, when she would raise her own family.
As a child, Mary Lou was well mannered, earning herself the nickname "here am I!" when she would announce her presence at the door in order to ask for a cookie. Spending time at her Uncle Henry's dairy farm was one of her favorite things as a little girl, where she got to spend time with all the farm animals. She was a very social young lady with many friends, and would eventually graduate from Mattawan High School in 1963.
Continuing on to higher education, Mary Lou went to Nazareth Nursing School to receive her LPN. It was no surprise that Mary Lou would choose a career path that involved providing care for others. Kindness came naturally to Mary Lou, and it made her happy to be able to help people in need.
Mary Lou's parents were regulars at Harold and Ruth's Bar, (now called Skis Bar) which is just north of Paw Paw. It was there that Mary Lou would meet her future husband, Mr. Glenn Zettelmaier. The couple quickly fell in love despite the fact that Glenn was five years older than Mary Lou. They were married February 24 of 1968 at St. Mary's Church in Paw Paw, heading off to Daytona Beach, Florida for a romantic honeymoon. This marked the beginning of a beautiful life together, full of many special moments and memories.
Being as family focused as she was, it seemed natural that Mary Lou would quickly become a mother, as well. She and Glenn started their family in 1970 and had three wonderful children - John, Eric, and Elizabeth. Her kids were always priority, and Mary Lou made sure that they each knew they had support from their family in all their endeavors. Mary Lou was always present at sporting events and was a stay at home mom, determined to spend as much time with her family as possible. Holiday dinners were always special with the time and effort she put into them. Mary Lou ran a day care at her home for many years, taking care of other families as well as her own! After raising her children, she continued with her caring and giving spirit as a medical paraprofessional for special needs children at Gull Lake Schools.
The family vacationed in their RV, and had owned three fifth wheel trailers, and two motor homes throughout the years. The outdoors were like home to Mary Lou, and she loved to take her family to her parent's cabin in Baldwin for fishing and hiking. Her house was decorated with moose, bears, and deer, and her pontoon boat was one of her favorite places to relax and reflect on all the joys she had in her life. She also found enjoyment from her favorite show, Days of Our Lives. She especially enjoyed spending time at Crooked Lake, Delton, with her family, camping, fishing, boating, and going on twilight cruises. Mary Lou always had a special fondness for her dogs, who she cared for immensely. She and Glenn often went out for dinner dates, always caring for each other as they had when they were newlyweds.
Like her big sunflowers and flower gardens, everything around Mary Lou seemed to bloom. She was a strong woman with an even stronger love of life. Unfortunately, Mary Lou suffered for many years with arthritis in her back and a knee replacement, but true to Mary Lou's personality, she never complained of her pain and only concerned herself with the needs of others. In November of 2007, she was diagnosed with colon cancer, which turned out to be stage four. After doing all the treatments she could, she finally decided that enough was enough, and stopped treatment.
Surrounded by her loving family, Mary Lou Zettelmaier of Hickory Corners passed away July 16, 2009, at age 64, after a courageous battle with cancer. She will be very deeply missed.
Family will receive friends Sunday from 4:00-8:00 PM at the Life Story Funeral Homes, Betzler-Kalamazoo; 6080 Stadium Drive, 375-2900. She is survived by her husband of 41 years, Glenn, 3 children John (Tess) Zettelmaier, Eric (Tanya) Zettelmaier, and Elizabeth (Craig) Petto, all of Delton, 7 grandchildren: Samantha, Evelyn, Keegan, Kimberly, and Ashley Zettelmaier, and Jessica and Gabrielle Petto; her mother, Nona Y. Hiestand, brother, Robert (Kathy) Hiestand, and sister, Joan (David) Miller, all of Kalamazoo. Please visit Mary Lou?s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can read her Life Story, archive a memory or photo or sign her memory book before coming to the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Calhoun County Humane Society.
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