Marie Windisch

Marie A. Windisch was a mother whose compassion shone in many forms. She tried to bring the best out of each of her loved ones, leading them by example in matters of faith and honesty. Marie was a strong and giving person who found the greatest happiness in the presence of her family.

They called the decade the "roaring twenties" and the name was justly deserved. It was a fantastic period in our nation's history, when the sounds of progress could be heard in every village and city across America. It was the birthplace of Jazz, the golden age of industry and above all, a time of plenty.

Marie entered this bustling world on May 14th, 1926 in the city of Chicago, Illinois. She was the second of two children born to Edwin and Mary Videan. Her early life got off to a rough start when her parents divorced while she was young. Both Marie and her brother Ed went to live with her father in the town of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Church played and important role in Marie's early life. Her father remarried in Grand Rapids and began raising two stepchildren as well as Marie's half sister Evelyn. Thus Marie was expected to do many things for herself as a young child. Her maternal grandfather was a priest in the Grand Rapids Apostolic church and he made sure that the church was there to help her along the way while she was growing up. Marie attended South High School in Grand Rapids, just a few years behind future President Gerald Ford. She went all the way up through the 11th grade before seeking full-time employment. Marie had to buy all of her own clothes and books as a teen and it became difficult to afford such necessities without a steady job.

So to that end, Marie took her first job scrubbing pans for a local family-owned bakery. The family took in young Marie and helped her earn extra money by allowing her to clean their house on Saturdays. This was during the height of the Great Depression, and any sort of employment was a blessing. After working for the bakery for some time, she found employment at a dime store in Grand Rapids.

Though Marie had found steady work in tough times, all was not well in the world. The United States soon became embroiled in the fierce battles of WWII. Marie’s brother Ed joined the navy and set sail for foreign shores. He began to send Marie letters while he was deployed, and Ed’s friend Chuck started sending Marie letters as well. She and Chuck corresponded many times and became fast friends. For four years they sent each other letters, and it was only after that period that Chuck finally came home and got to meet Marie for the first time. He already knew it was meant to be; he got a tattoo bearing Marie’s name on his arm long before they ever met face to face!

Chuck and Marie continued to date after he returned from the service and the two married on November 8th, 1946. The newlyweds moved into a tiny little cabin on 136th Street, north of Holland that lacked a bathroom amongst other things. Charlie and Mary Riemersma, who became lifelong friends and mentors of Marie and Chuck, owned the house. Chuck’s first job was driving trucks, and Marie stayed home while he worked. They were blessed with their first child in 1948, a daughter whom they named Jane Marie. Three years and three months later, the family welcomed Kay Ellen into their home, and another three years and three months saw the birth of Michael Charles. It was apparent that the little house would no longer hold the entire family, so they packed up and moved to 856 West 25th street on the south side of Holland in 1954. Chuck often said “He would never move again”.

Marie was a great mother to all of her children and taught them by setting good examples. She was a master seamstress. She took great care in sewing her children’s clothes. She always had something to mend because Chuck was an ironworker and constantly burned his pants while welding steel. Marie would often sing the big band tunes of Glen Miller while baking or taking care of other tasks around the house. When she had a moment to rest, she would relax with a novel; usually an Agatha Christie-style mystery.

Chuck had a good friend named Ray who asked Chuck to attend his church on Sunday. Chuck obliged his friend and the entire family showed up at the Apostolic church the next Sunday. Ray and his wife helped Marie and Chuck get acquainted with the church community. After church on Sundays, the family would pile into the "snot-green" Ford and go for a drive. Sometimes they would go to the Skyline Drive-in, and the night would always end with Kay asleep in the back window ledge, Jane sprawled across the backseat and little Mike in the front seat between Marie and Chuck. It was precious family times like these that Marie valued the most.

Marie and Chuck liked their family time so much that they seldom went out alone. The only exception to this was a Thursday night bowling league at Northland lanes and the annual Anniversary dinner. It didn’t really matter that they rarely ate out; Marie was an incredible cook and kept the house stuffed to the gills with food. Even in retirement, when it was just her and Chuck in the house, it was literally impossible to find room in the refrigerator.

When Chuck retired in 1986, he kept to the garage and Marie kept to the kitchen. Marriage wasn’t always easy for them, but they loved each other dearly and tried to set a good example for their children. Marie could always be relied on for driving, and she kept a tight (tight!) family budget. She spent her later years hunting bargains like a pro in many different stores in the area - Marie could smell a bargain from a mile away. Though she was thrifty by nature, Marie didn’t place much value in material possessions. Her greatest pride was her family and would never hesitate to tell someone just how proud she was of each person in her family. Her greatest happiness was always her faith in god and endless love for her family.

Marie A. Windisch passed away on Tuesday, March 23rd at Spectrum Health - Butterworth Campus in Grand Rapids MI. She was preceded in death by grandson Christopher Sawtell in 1989. She is survived by her husband of 57 years Chuck Windisch of Holland, Children Jane (Joseph) Sawtell of Ionia MI, Kay Smallegan of Holland, Michael (Roxanne) Windisch of Zeeland; #7 grandchildren; Brother Ed (Betty) Videan of Grandville; Sister Evelyn (Jim) Dreyer of Caledonia MI.; In Laws Teresa (Herman) Shumaker of Holland, Mary Stoel of Holland, John Windisch of Holland, several nieces, nephews, and cousins. Services will take place at 1:00 PM Friday at The New Apostolic Church of Holland 117 west 14th Street, with the Priest Ardee Rocha officiating. Burial will be in Restlawn Memorial Gardens. Visiting will be from 7-9 Thursday at the Mulder Chapel, Dykstra Funeral Homes, located at 188 west 32nd street in Holland MI. To read Marie’s complete life story, share a memory, send flowers, or make a memorial contribution to The New Apostolic Church of Holland Memorial Fund, or to Hospice of Holland please visit her personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com.

Marie was a loving mother who enriched the lives of all those around her. She will be greatly missed.