Catherine Frantz

There are many things people can spend their days pursuing such as material wealth, possessions, or recognition from peers, but Catherine Kitty Frantz was not concerned with any of these fleeting things. She was more concerned with loving others, especially after suffering devastating loss in her life. Kitty was a woman with a quiet strength that was hard to miss, demonstrating grace in the midst of trials and perseverance throughout both the peaks and valleys along her lifes journey. She valued the importance of traditions in her family and it will not only be these traditions, but also her tender ways and the precious memories she leaves behind that will be forever treasured. The 1920s was a decade full of promise in America as the end of WWI brought prosperity and great promise for the days to come. People celebrated their good fortune by throwing parties, taking in movies, or perhaps dancing the night away to popular dances such as the Charleston and the Shimmy. It was during this exciting time that Frank and Anna (Osterman) Michielsen welcomed the birth of their daughter, Catherine Anna, on October 1, 1926. Catherine, who was often known as Kitty, was born in Muskegon, Michigan. Tragedy struck early in her life with the death of her mother when Kitty was just 10 days old. Her father left shortly thereafter, and Kitty went to live with her grandparents where she was raised with her aunts who still lived at home, Margaret, Rosalie, and Betty. Because she was too young to walk to school alone, Kitty was sent to live with her Aunt Mary and Uncle Louie when she was seven years old. Kitty did find her father later in life, when she was 32 years old. Throughout most of her formative years, Kitty was raised on a farm in Hesperia. The farming life provided Kitty with plenty of opportunities to work. She hoed a garden for five cents a row, collected honey from beehives, and helped tend to the fruits and vegetables. On Saturdays, they all piled into a truck and spent the whole day at the farmers market. She attended a one-room schoolhouse with about 30 other children and went on to Hesperia High School. As a high school student, Kitty was in the glee club, enjoyed her senior class trip to Chicago, and graduated as part of a class of 21 students. After graduation, great and exciting changes were in store for Kitty. She attended beauty school and earned her cosmetology license. Kitty established strong friendships during this time with Maxine Highland, Sallie Parrot, Helen Shaw, Phyllis Johnson, and Libby Lovett. It was while roller skating at the Curve Crest in North Muskegon that Kitty met the man with whom she would create the family she treasured. His name was Earl Frantz and although he was immediately smitten with the young Kitty, she did not initially care for him. Not one to give up, he continued to chase her until she finally agreed to a date. It didnt take her long to warm up to him and after just three months of dating, Kitty was packing her bags to go to Pensacola, Florida, to get married on August 21, 1948. Not long after Kitty and Earl became husband and wife, they became mother and father to five beautiful daughters: Sharon in 1950, Mary Ann in 1952, Dianna in 1954, Joanne in 1958, and Teresa in 1962. They lived on Auble Road in North Muskegon and Kitty was working as a cashier at Plumbs. Kitty and Earl decided to open there own business together, Frantz's Enterprises. Kitty was actively involved in the lives of her daughters, always attending their school activities. Spending time with family was always of the utmost importance to Kitty. Traditions were of great value, too, as she fondly recalled traditions from her own childhood including Sunday dinner after church complete with real silver and formal place settings. Kitty continued the tradition of going to Aunt Doriss house for Sunday dinner and Saturday nights were spent watching movies at home with popcorn and fudge. Preserving family memories was important to Kitty so she put photo albums together for each of her children and grandchildren. She and Earl enjoyed family trips to Florida, Tennessee, and Colorado, and the holidays were always important family times. Kitty loved nothing more than to bake for the holidays, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it was spending time all gathered together that made the holidays truly special. One special family memory was made on a family trip to Florida when Teresa put a rubber spider on her mother. Terrified, Kitty threw her drink and screamed! In addition to spending time with her family, there were a variety of other activities that Kitty enjoyed. She liked playing the piano, doing crossword puzzles, and collecting Indian arts and craft. Kitty was outgoing and social as she loved attending Catholic Church, playing around on her CB radio, and being involved in the Catholic War Veterans. She and Earl took ballroom dancing lessons together, and Kitty loved the companionship of her dogs, cats, and rabbits. Kitty enjoyed playing shuffleboard, trying to win animals from claw machines, and she was notorious for ordering things from catalogs. Kitty was dealt a devastating blow with the death of her beloved Earl in 1979. Although the days following his death were understandably difficult, Kitty continued to embrace the days she was given. She worked as a cashier at Plumbs and later retired from a canning factory when she was 60. Kitty spent time with friends, too, which included Barb, Mary, Faye, Art, Gene, and Lou among many others. Again Kitty suffered the loss of a loved one with the death of her daughter, Teresa. As a result, she valued each moment spent with her family even more than she had before. Those who knew and loved Catherine Kitty Frantz will remember her for her friendly and outgoing demeanor, her considerate ways, and her deep love for her family. Kitty always had a way of keeping things in perspective, even laughing about the time she mistakenly cut a big chunk out of her daughters hair as a cosmetologist. Her family and friends will forever treasure the memories they have of such an extraordinary woman. Kitty will be dearly missed. Catherine A. Frantz died Monday, March 22, 2010. Kittys family includes her daughters, Sharon Hobby of West Olive, Mary Ann (Dan) Smith of Holland, Dianna Bohunicky of Hart, Joanne (Junior) Gibson of Holland; 14 grandchildren; 3 step grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; brothers in-law, Marion, Robert, Larry (Jan) Frantz; sisters-in-law, Doris (Leon) Anderson, Virginia (Fred) Weber; aunts, Margaret Wortelboer, Florence Osterman; several nieces, nephews and cousins. Kitty was preceded in death by her husband, Earl in 1979, parents, daughter, Teresa Kloet, and sons-in-law, Jerry Hobby, Steve Bohunicky. A service will be held on Friday, March 26, 2010, 3:30 p.m. at Clock Life Story Funeral Homes Muskegon location Muskegon, MI. Interment at Rothbury Catholic Cemetery. Visit with Kittys family and friends on Thursday, 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. at the funeral home. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or photo, sign the online guestbook, or make a memorial contribution to Harbor Hospice.