Muriel Wasilew

For Muriel, home was something much more than a place. It was an atmosphere, shaped by family, friendships, and laughter - not to mention delectable food. This home was built not in a day, but over a lifetime of eighty-three unforgettable years.

Muriel's first home was that of her parents, Robert and Leona Bunting. She was born in their modest Jackson County house on October 15, 1921. Muriel Louise, as she was named, became the second of four Bunting children, and it was they who bestowed on her the nickname " Mur " early on. The Buntings moved house fourteen or fifteen times during Muriel's childhood, meaning that she changed schools nearly as often as she changed addresses. In kindergarten she happened to live next door to a boy she would never forget. He walked to school with the Bunting clan everyday, come sun, rain, or Michigan snow. When the drifts of snow grew so tall and arching that they threatened to swallow little Muriel, the neighbor boy would come to her rescue, carrying her on his back all the way to school. Of course, in later years Muriel would tell this story adding, "He carried me to school because my brothers wouldn't do it!"

Muriel had natural charm and made friends easily, yet sports and other school activities never seemed to interest her, probably because she knew her family couldn't afford to let her participate in such luxuries. As it was, Muriel came to love the time she spent at home. There were always chores to do, of course. Cleaning, laundry, dishes. . . yet when it was her turn to cook, Muriel would never have thought of it as a chore. She couldn't wait to get into the kitchen. Just the thought of it made her eyes light up. As she grew older, Muriel learned to be a great cook. Moreover, she learned that each carefully prepared dish was enjoyed amidst conversations and stories, the unbreakable threads that held her nomadic family together.

Muriel graduated from the eighth grade on May 17, 1935 and went on to graduate from Jackson's Horton High School on May 25, 1939. It wasn't until a year later that Muriel's close friends, Dorothy and Paul Fry, introduced her to a young man named Walt Wasilew. Walt had been a good friend of Paul's, not to mention the best man at his wedding to Dorothy. But it wasn't long before their roles were reversed, and it was Paul standing up for Walt at his wedding to Muriel. Walt and Muriel married on February 7, 1942 in a space perfect for family gathering - Muriel's parents' living room. As for Dorothy and Paul Fry, they would remain close friends to Muriel and Walt throughout their lives. In fact, their relationship began a tradition of Frys and Wasilews sharing friendship, a tradition that continues now into its fourth generation.

Walt and Muriel did everything as a team, from building their house to raising three incredible children. The Wasilew family home, which Muriel and Walt would occupy for fifty of their fifty-two years together, stood at 861 Woodworth Road in Jackson. The kitchen became a natural gathering place, as Muriel was always in the midst of cooking some mouth-watering dish. Her personal favorite was Kaputska - a blend of sauerkraut, split peas, and bacon. The rest of the family favored other selections, such as Muriel's goulash, which was, in a word, fantastic. And no one made Swiss Steak the way Muriel did. The same could be said for her noodle goo, a popular dish among the children and grandchildren. When they were young, Muriel's three children would get excited if they came home from school and saw their mother shredding potatoes - it meant potato pancakes and sausage were on the menu. Of course, the most amazing part of it all was that Muriel never followed a written recipe for any of these meals. She did it all from memory, successfully improvising whenever necessary. Acting as Muriel's assistant - perhaps even secret ingredient? - in the kitchen was her radio. The voices of WJR talk radio would voice their points, one after another, just as Muriel moved from one recipe step to the next. To show his support of his wife's cooking, Walt picked up on the radio theme and eventually decked the kitchen out with large, specialty speakers.

Though the kitchen had a radio and, thanks to Walt, a great sound system, you wouldn't find technology like that in the Wasilew family room. There was no need for it. The family room was for spending time with family, and friends who felt like family. Over the years they would gather around the warmth of the fireplace to chat and play cards. "When you gather, you play cards," Muriel maintained. Always with one of her signature drinks of peppermint schnapps and water in hand, Muriel taught her whole family to play 31. This included the grandkids - although Muriel did have to sponsor them the fifteen cents needed to play. Really, any time spent with her grandkids was special for Muriel. She loved giving them a jar of her famous strawberry jam, or guiding them down to her fully stocked fruit cellar to choose from among the neatly stacked rows of canned goodies. For her own children Muriel made pickled beets, but the grandkids never seemed to want those.

Over the years Muriel and Walt liked to spend time not just with their own family, but with the Frys, the Freeses, or any number of their other close friends as well. Together they would take houseboat trips, play a round of golf, or just enjoy a good boat ride from the docks of the Wolf Lake Yacht Club. Muriel, Walt, and their boat the Kristie Ann were life members of the club. Muriel and Walt also had a cabin in Harrison on Dodge Lake , which was the scene for countless summer gatherings.

In 1994 Muriel's joy turned to sadness as she faced the most difficult time in her life. After fifty-two years of marriage, Walt passed away. Fortunately, Muriel had the support of her friends and family to help her move forward. She began all sorts of projects, like the creation of macramé lawn chairs and handmade quilts for every member of the family. Muriel began to enjoy puzzles too. There was always one in progress, pieces neatly scattered, nearby. And every night before bed Muriel would happily read herself to sleep, usually choosing one of her beloved "trash" magazines like the Star or Globe. If confronted about her choice of reading, Muriel had a reliable defense. "I just get them for the crossword puzzles," she'd say.

Although Muriel was, indeed, a feisty 115 lbs, she was also the glue that held her family together. Over eighty-three years she built a home for the people she loved, a place defined not by its physical presence but, rather, by its embrace of warmth and laughter. These feelings, and the countless memories tied to them, will be part of the lives Muriel touched forever.

Muriel Louise Wasilew died peacefully with her children and grandchildren around her, holding hands. Muriel's children are Gary (Fran) Wasilew of Jackson, Michigan; Ron (Angie) Wasilew of Temecula, California; and Kris (Mike) Bryant of Scotts, Michigan . Her grandchildren are Brian (Jennifer) Wasilew; Jennifer Carlton; Kellie ( Kent ) Walcott; Kevin (Becky) Bryant; Andrea (Cameron) Larson; Sara (Greg) Dorscht; and Nick (Rachel) Bryant. Muriel's great grandchildren are Danielle, Alyssa, Morgan, Brooke, Lukas, Madeline, Angelina and Drake. Her brothers include Jim (Ev) Bunting of Boyne City, Michigan, as well as Bob Bunting and Dick Bunting, who both preceded Muriel in death. Also close to Muriel was her niece, Pam Kennedy.

Visitation for Muriel will take place Monday, October 10, 2005, at 11 a.m. with the memorial service after at noon at Nichols-Arthur Funeral Home in Michigan Center. Inurnment will be at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Jackson. Please visit lifestorynet.com, where you can share a memory with Muriel's family or make a memorial contribution to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.