Marian Oosse

LIFESTORY:

Marian Oosse was a woman cut of the warmest, kindest cloth, who always gave her time, her effort and her love. She was many things to so many people – a loving wife and mother, doting grandmother, faithful Christian and loyal friend. Marian purposely looked for ways to give to others, always thinking of their needs before her own. She lived her life with an open heart and a giving spirit.

Under the leadership of President Warren G. Harding, America entered into the 1920s with confidence. The politics of the time were as turbulent as ever, yet industry had made the U.S. economy surge. The decade would be forever remembered for its carefree and decadent flavor. It was into this relaxed time that Orie and Jane Verhey of Grand Rapids, Michigan were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Marian, on March 11, 1922.

Marian was raised in a loving home at 853 Jones Street in Grand Rapids with her two older brothers, John and Harry, and younger twin sisters, Dorothy and Delores. While her mother was a traditional homemaker, her father worked as a machinist at Oliver Machine Products. The family was faithful members of the Fairview Reformed Church, and this strong Christian upbringing would always be an important part of Marian’s life. Marian received her education at Fairview Elementary and played basketball on the girls’ team at Creston High School. After graduating Creston in 1940, Marian went to work as a secretary at a local insurance company.

Growing up, Marian loved wintertime when she could go ice-skating and sliding in Richmond Park. One winter while skating on the pond, Marian met a handsome young man named Bill Oosse and they soon began dating. With the nation engaged in World War II, it wasn’t long before Bill followed the same patriotic calling of other young men of the time, and enlisted in the U.S. Army. Before shipping out, Bill and Marian were married in her church on November 23, 1943. They then moved to Kentucky, where Bill was stationed until heading overseas to Belgium. Meanwhile, Marian moved home to live with her mother, who was a big help to her when their first child, daughter Marla, was born in April 1945. After the war, Bill returned home to his wife and daughter and they settled into a rented home on Cogswell. Eventually, they had a home built on 578 Ferris Street NW, and it was here the couple welcomed the births of three more children: Larry in March 1952, Barb in June 1954, and Mark in June 1960.

Marian exemplified all things a devoted wife and mother should be. She was patient, caring and generous with her time; she never thought twice about going out of her way to help someone who needed her. Marian was also very close to her siblings, and they saw each other often through the years. The family spent many summers vacationing together at Bill’s brother’s cottage on Lake Ann. For many years, Marian and Bill enjoyed summer outings to their daughter, Barb, and her husband, Kevin’s cottage on Big Star Lake. Marian cherished all the time she spent in the company of her family. Her blessings only increased when she became a grandmother, a role she filled with lots of love and hugs.

A woman of great faith, Marian embodied the true Christian spirit with her kind, generous nature and her strong sense of conviction. She instilled her strong Christian values into her children, and they continued to be devout members of Fairview Reformed Church. Marian enjoyed being active in the Ladies Guild and always felt uplifted when listening to Christian hymns she loved. Eventually, the family became members of Orchard Hill Reformed Church when Fairview combined with Bethany Reformed Church.

Always thinking of others, Marian knitted countless afghans, caps, hats and mittens for her family and friends over the years. She was also a wonderful seamstress and made many outfits for her girls and herself. Marian was only too happy to pass on her skill of sewing and knitting to her girls and later her grandkids. These weren’t the only skills Marian possessed though; she had a tremendous green thumb when it came to her garden. She grew raspberries, butterbeans, asparagus, tomatoes, peppers and so much more, all of which she canned and froze for use throughout the year. Being a great cook was also one of her many talents. Some of her specialties included her homemade biscuits, pies and potato salad. Marian looked forward to preparing Thanksgiving dinner for her family every year, and Sunday dinner at her house was a longtime Oosse family tradition, something Marian treasured.

After her husband Bill retired, the couple took some time to travel, and enjoyed a cruise to The Netherlands and visiting Belgium, where Bill was stationed in the war. Later on, Marian went on a trip with her son, Larry, and his wife, Cheryl, to Colorado and sightseeing through Yellowstone National Park. She also took several trips to Arizona to visit her daughter, Marla. When it came to her leisure time at home, Marian liked to play board games of all kinds, watch the daily news and stay abreast on current events reading the newspaper. She was also a big sports fan, especially when it came to the Detroit Pistons and Tigers. A great joy to her was the many evenings she spent at her son Mark's home where his family enjoyed watching sports together.

Although Marian’s life was happy, it was also marked by great sorrow. She lost her beloved husband Bill on October 31, 2006, after he suffered a stroke and died 3 days later. Although devastated, Marian found great comfort in her family and relied on her abiding faith for guidance. Then, in July 2009, Marian was having difficulty breathing and after several tests, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which had metastasized to other parts of her body. Unfortunately, little could be done for Marian. She continued to live at home with the help of her family, but as the disease progressed, she was admitted to Trillium Woods – Faith Hospice on October 17th.

With her family surrounding her, Marian L. Oosse, age 87 of Grand Rapids, MI went to be with her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, November 17, 2009. She joins her loving husband of 63 years, William Oosse. Marian was a loving mother to Marla Postal, Larry (Cheryl) Oosse, Barb (Kevin) Koopmans and Mark (Joan) Oosse. She was also blessed with 9 grandchildren: Bryan, Stephanie, Lindsay, Hillary, Melanie, Ryan, Casey, Grant and Graham, and 7 great grandchildren: Morgan, Olivia, Maxwell, Spencer, Sydney, Levi and Collin. Also surviving are her brothers and sisters, John Verhey, Harry Verhey, Dorothy Vogel, Delores (Melvin) Veenboer, and nieces, nephews and many friends.

A service to celebrate Marian’s life will be held on Saturday, November 21, at 11:00 a.m. at Orchard Hill Church, 1463 Three Mile Road, NW, Grand Rapids, MI. Relatives and friends may visit with her family on Friday, November 20, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW, and at the church on Saturday from 10–11 a.m. Memorial contributions in her memory may be made to Faith Hospice or Orchard Hill Church. Please visit Marian’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may sign her online guest book or share a memory with her family.