Molly Gedraitis

Known for her generous heart, Molly Gedraitis made a significant impact in the lives of many around her. With unwavering faith as her constant companion, she provided a living example of what it means to be the hands and feet of the Lord she loved. With a heart that beat to love children, Molly tenderly cared for many children within her community, helping shape their hearts along the way. Being a mother seemed to be a role that was tailor-made just for Molly, and her girls were her greatest gift. Life will never be the same without her here, but her memory will remain forever near and dear to the hearts of all those she leaves behind.

The early forties found WWII enveloping much of Europe. Because England was never successfully invaded, American forces as well as some other European troops were able to gather in England and stockpile their weapons. Food was rationed, and people were encouraged to grow their own food while any spare metal was used to make weapons. It was during this time of great unrest that a young couple from Doncaster, England, was blessed with the birth of a healthy baby girl on April 29, 1941. Molly was one of three girls born to her parents, Thomas and Winifred (Cain) Pearce. At the time of her birth her father was defending the home front, and baby Molly was born in a bomb shelter during an air raid.

Molly’s father made a living in the business sector. His family operated a nationally recognized company, British Rope Company, a manufacturer of rope, but the company was on the decline. When a similar company located in the United States, called National Standard, a wire manufacturer, needed someone to run their company, Molly’s father was the man for the job. Molly moved with her family to the United States, settling in Niles, Michigan, in 1948, where her father became the CEO of National Standard.

Along with her two sisters, Susan and Jennifer, Molly was excited for all the adventures life in a new country would bring. Even on the ship as they came to America, she was delighted to enjoy tea and watch a movie every day. Once in the United States, Molly rejoiced in a food supply without rationing, unlike what her experience had been in her native England. The Pearce family also enjoyed frequent travel all over the world through her father’s work. Molly attended a boarding school in New York and then went on to work for the Austine School for the Deaf located in Vermont after she graduated. She earned her LPN degree in Kalamazoo as a young woman as well.

Life was forever changed for Molly when she was introduced to the man who stole her heart. His name was Torfe Gedraitis and they met through mutual friends. He was five years Molly’s senior and had been in Niles where he was attending a Lithuanian party hosted by some friends. It was there that he laid eyes on Molly who was tall and attractive, with red hair that caught his attention. They discovered that, although they were separated by five years, they shared the same birthday. Deeply in love, Molly and Torfe were married on March 25, 1972, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Niles. They enjoyed a honeymoon in Japan, with a stopover in Hawaii, courtesy of a promotional trip he had earned through his work selling motorcycles at Smith’s in Scottville. Their honeymoon was a memorable one as the couple enjoyed the royal treatment.

The newlyweds first settled into a rental home next to a bean factory in Scottville on US 10 highway, but since it was so noisy there, they desired to move and were delighted to purchase their current home on Scott Street. This home was off the beaten path, providing them with the peace they craved. Together they were blessed with three girls, Kathleen, Holly, and Sara, and they were the light of Molly’s life. She loved being a mother and fully immersed herself in nurturing the girls she loved.

Molly deeply loved her family, but there was nothing that was more important to her than her faith. A prayer warrior, she and her friend, Marie, prayed daily for Torfe to accept Christ as his Savior, and their prayers were answered on May 17, 1976. This was a monumental day in the Gedraitis family. Together they were faithful members of Calvary Baptist Church in Ludington where Molly taught Sunday school and hosted many Bible studies as well.

In 1980 Molly and Torfe purchased a laundromat on Main Street in Scottville called Laundryland. They operated it until they closed the business in 2009. This was a place where Molly made great friends through the years, as it provided her with the social time she treasured. With a special place in her heart for children, she took care of several children from the community both at the laundromat and at home.

Due to their responsibilities with the laundromat, Molly and Torfe were not able to travel all that much, but they did enjoy trips out West and to Prince Edward Island. As a member of the Scottville Clown Band since high school, Torfe travelled often with them, and Molly traveled with him when responsibilities of their business allowed. The couple also hosted the band’s annual picnic in their backyard before the Scottville Harvest Festival each September.

A great listener, the rock of her family, and a prayer warrior who loved the Lord, Molly Gedraitis was a remarkable woman to know and love. With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, she leaves behind a brilliant mosaic of memories that will inspire others for generations to come.

Molly A. Gedraitis went home to be with her Lord on Friday, December 02, 2011. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Susan Kearns. Molly will be lovingly remembered by her husband Torfe, her daughters Kathleen of Scottville, Holly and Sara both of Grand Rapids, her sister Jennifer (Alan Casline) Pearce of Delmar, New York, her niece Elizabeth Casline, and her nephew Thomas Casline both of Delmar, along with many great friends.

Funeral services will be held for Molly at 11:00 am on Tuesday, December 6 at the Calvary Baptist Church with her pastor, the Rev. Timothy Yankee officiating. Burial will take place at Brookside Cemetery in Scottville. Friends may meet with her family for a time of visitation on Monday from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at the Stephens Funeral Home in Scottville, and on Tuesday morning from 10:00 am until time of services at the church.

Those who wish to make a memorial contribution are asked to consider Calvary Baptist Church, Gideon’s International, or the Scottville Clown Band Scholarship Fund.