Gretchen R. Weeks

Gretchen Rebecca Weeks, 93, passed away in Traverse City on Wednesday, February 15, 2012. Gretchen was born to George and Lena (Lockerby) Bryant on May 6, 1918 at the family farm in Pierson, Michigan. She grew up on the farm and had a happy childhood. Gretchen graduated from Sand Lake High School at sixteen and attended Ferris Institute, earning a teaching certificate. She began teaching at the age of eighteen at the Pioneer one-room school in Pierson, earning $35 a month. She also taught at Kinney and Solon Township one-room schools. In 1940 she married Lloyd Weeks and stopped teaching to be a wife and mother to three children; Lloyd Jr. (1943 – 1950); Larry (1947 – 1997); and Louise, who lives in Traverse City. Gretchen returned to teaching in 1957 at Cedar Springs Elementary, and taught first grade there until retiring in 1979. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University in 1964. Gretchen and Lloyd enjoyed their retirement years, traveling to many states, as well as Israel, Mexico, Hawaii and Canada. They had many friends and were members of Cedar Springs First Baptist Church. After Lloyd passed away in 1991, Gretchen stayed very active and spent a lot of time with friends and family. Her grandchildren meant the world to her. In 2003 Gretchen moved to Traverse City to be near her daughter and grandchildren. She lived at Glen Eagle for the next nine years in the company of many good friends, and enjoyed her life there. Gretchen was preceded in death by her two sons, Lloyd Jr. and Larry, her husband Lloyd, brothers and sisters, Fred, Pearl, Isabelle, Beatrice, Carroll and Martha. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Louise and Jack Scholtus; her grandchildren, Jason Weeks of Marietta, Georgia, Brooke and Neil Fraser of Decatur, Georgia, Hilary O’Toole of Denver, Branden Bearinger of Traverse City, Samantha Packer of Kotzebue, Alaska, and Maggie Packer of Traverse City; and her great-grandchildren, Connor, Kaden, Alexander and Aria; brother-in-law, Donald (Beverly) Weeks; many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held at the Bliss-Witters & Pike Funeral Home, Cedar Springs, Wednesday, February 22 from 6 to 8 pm where services will be held Thursday 11:00 am. Pastors Jim Howard and Bert Boes officiating. Interment Elmwood Cemetery, Cedar Springs.