Lucy Marker

A remarkable woman who loved her family dearly, Lucy Claire Marker was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great great-grandmother and friend to many. With her quiet demeanor and soft spoken ways, she was truly accepting of all people, and found joy in spending time with those she loved and cared about. She will be truly missed and fondly remembered.

With the end of World War I, thousands of young soldiers returned to their civilian lives back in the states. As the economy began to prosper, industry expanded to meet the demands of a peacetime nation, like Henry Ford’s mass production of the automobile. The roaring 20s brought many changes in America as women won the right to vote, and prohibition took effect. On May 16, 1923, in the growing industrial town of Kalamazoo, Michigan, George and Isabelle (Jackson) Slate celebrated these times with the healthy birth of a little girl they named Lucy Claire.

Lucy joined older sister Emily, and together they later welcomed younger sister Jo. Lucy’s father worked as a millwright for Upjohn Pharmaceutical Company, while her mother had various bookkeeping jobs, and at one point was a dispatcher for a local oil company. Lucy’s parents worked hard to provide a loving and secure home for their family in Kalamazoo. With three girls in the house, it was often a household bustling with the activities of typical girls. With both parents working, the girls often pitched in with the responsibilities of chores alongside their studies.

Having attended the area schools, Lucy excelled academically. In high school, she was at the top of her class, graduating with the class of 1941 from State High School. It was a rough time for young people as America was in the midst of World War II, but they were optimistic and hopeful. It was while Lucy was celebrating her 18th birthday that she found hope in her own future. As she and friends celebrated by going roller skating, she met a dashing young man named Wayne Marker who was also there. In Wayne’s eyes, and in his heart, he knew he had met the most beautiful girl in the whole world that special night.

Becoming quite smitten with one another, Wayne and Lucy began dating, but with World War II raging, Wayne was soon sent off to war. It was during this time that Lucy attended her hometown college, Western Michigan, which was later renamed as a university. School kept Lucy busy and her mind occupied. Over the course of several years, Lucy and Wayne’s relationship blossomed into romance, and on August 31 of 1944, Lucy’s hopes were realized when she and Wayne became husband and wife. Wayne was still in the Armed Forces, and the two made their home on the U.S. Marine base where Wayne was stationed in Cherry Point, North Carolina. The happiest day of Lucy’s life, the two were joined in marriage at a nearby church in Beaufort, North Carolina.

After Wayne’s discharge from the military, they made their way back to Michigan to make a home together. Lucy felt complete when she became a mother, eventually being blessed with four children. While the children were young, the family spent memorable times camping all over Michigan and in the Upper Peninsula. Her most treasured place on earth was at School Section Lake located in Van Buren County where Lucy and Wayne made their home for 29 years. Many enjoyable and wonderful family memories were made there. From springtime until it was just too cold outside, Lucy made it a point to go swimming in the lake each and every day. The happiest times in her life were spent there.

Lucy loved birthdays, but her favorite time of the year was Christmas. Even with her quiet demeanor and soft spoken ways, Lucy was a gracious hostess and enjoyed entertaining. She was a great cook, too, especially venison. But Lucy was an exceptional woman who was very accepting of people, and was never one to be judgmental of others. Most importantly, she always made it a point to make sure everyone felt special and welcome in her company. Throughout the years, she especially loved celebrating her mother’s birthday, and she relished any opportunity that brought her family and loved ones together.

Along with her household duties, motherhood, and eventually becoming a grandmother, Lucy also found time to work outside the home as a bookkeeper in the superintendent’s office at Parchment schools, a position she held for over 20 years. Lucy loved her job there, making lifelong friends. Even following her retirement, she would often meet up with those friends, often enjoying a dinner out. In her free time, Lucy found joy tending to her flower garden, and was quite an avid reader. Over the years, she also took up sewing as a hobby, and found great enjoyment playing the piano.

A remarkable woman who brought forth much love to her family and those she cared about, Lucy Claire Marker, at the age of 85, leaves to cherish her memory her loving husband of 64 years, Wayne; four children: Kathleen (Kent) Bradfield, of MN, Nancy (Robert) Elliott of FL, Lynette (Robert) Jancasz of Lawton, and Terry (Judy) Marker of Kalamazoo; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren and one great great-grandchild; brother-in-law, Dave Newton of Kalamazoo; four sisters-in-law, Maxine York of Holland, Louise Sibberson of Plainwell, Mary Jane (Skinny) Roberts of Au Gres and Fanny (Rex) Weinburg of Vicksburg; as well as several nieces and nephews.

Learn more about Lucy, view her Life Story film, visit with her family and friends, and share light refreshments on Wednesday from 4 to 7 PM at the Life Story Funeral Home, 120 South Woodhams in Plainwell. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, 1:00 PM at the funeral home. Please visit Lucy’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can archive a favorite memory or photo, sign her memory book online before coming to the funeral home or make a memorial donation to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan.