Inez Young

Inez Young was a wonderful woman, who was known for the beautiful flowers she grew around her home. They called her the Geranium Lady of Lakeside, for the incredible gardens she grew. Inez was a loving mother, grandmother and friend to so many. She was known for her flowers, but beloved for her heart, which she shared with all who knew her. Inezs story began on a warm fall day in 1921, in the rolling hills of Hickman, Kentucky, on the banks of the Mighty Mississippi River. Those were times of change in this country, as President Warren Harding promised the American people a return to normalcy, at the start of the Prohibition era. On September 25, 1921, Ernest and Maggie (Craddock) Morris celebrated the birth of a beautiful baby girl, a daughter they named Inez. Inez was the first of the couples three children, and was joined by her little siblings Dorothy and Bill on the familys farm in Hickman. Her dad was a farmer and cattle rancher, while her hardworking mother tended to the family, the home and the farm, as well. The farm was truly a family effort, as everyone helped out to keep things running smoothly. Despite all the hard work, times were tough on the family growing up during the Great Depression, and Inez always remembered them being dirt poor. One special Christmas Inez remembered getting two wonderful presents an orange and a doll! Like so many girls of her era, Inez attended school through the eighth grade, when she left to help the family full-time. As a teenager she picked cotton on the local farms in the area to make extra money. Eventually, she met a young man named Meeks Bobitt, who was a lumberjack in Hickman. They began dating, were soon married, and before she knew it, Inez was the proud mother of two fine kids, Marcella, born in 1941, and son Kelly, born in 1943. Inez loved being a mother, and stayed at home to care for her kids. Her marriage to Meeks ended in 1948, but Inez was too pretty, too sweet to stay alone for long. She found work as a cook on a Mississippi river boat, where she met a handsome deckhand on the ship, Jesse Switzer. The two began dating, and were soon married on April 1, 1949, in Jackson, Mississippi. The newlyweds added their son Jesse Jr. to the family mix in 1950, and with a growing family, they soon settled in the Lakeside neighborhood of Muskegon, Michigan, looking for better work. Jesse found a job at Continental Motors, and later the Paper Mill, while Inez stayed home with the family and her flowers. The couple eventually built a beautiful home on Harding, near the Muskegon Country Club, which Inez turned into a veritable Garden of Eden. The couple had three more children, Joyce, Jerry and Juanita, filling their mother with pride and joy. In addition to raising her kids and caring for the home, Inez also worked some as a cook at Pascoes in Bluffton. Inez and Jesse divorced in 1960, and the newly-single mother of six went to work at Sorentos Restaurant and also at the Mill Inn Restaurant, doing whatever she could to provide for her family. Her kids would walk home from school and pass Al Youngs house, stopping to play with the many dogs he had. One day Al offered to give one of the boys a ride home, where he met Inez. They quickly began dating, and were married in 1962. Al moved into Inezs beautiful home on Harding, which she always kept spotless and shining. She polished her hardwood floors, kept everything neat and organized, and even ironed all the boxer shorts! Inez kept the outside of her home even more beautiful than the inside, too. She filled her yard with gorgeous gardens, and became known as the Geranium Lady of Lakeside, for the colorful flowers she grew everywhere. People were always stopping by her home to marvel at her magical flowers. In 1975, after 13 years together, Inez and Al divorced. She was determined to stay single after that, and filled her life with her family, her home, and her flowers. In 1979 her daughter Juanita and husband Dave moved in with her and lived there for the next 25 years. Inez also became a cook for ARA Food Service Seniors Program, where she remained for many years, until retiring in the 1980s. Inez had plenty to keep her busy in retirement, especially spending time with her beloved grandchildren. She loved being a Grandma, and loved going to their activities or having them come over to visit her. Inez loved taking care of her home and garden, too, and enjoyed sewing and making Rag Rugs for friends or to sell at garage sales. She also was content to sit and look out of her window, watching the goings on around her neighborhood, delighting as people stopped to smell her flowers. Eventually Juanita and Dave built a new home just a few blocks away, which was so wonderful for Inez. They also provided so much support to her later in life, as she began to develop health problems. Over the years Inez broke both hips, and recuperated at their home, returning to her own home when she was well again. Slowly, her health continued to decline, and she developed some lung problems, as well. Eventually, her body began to wear out, and she moved to the Poppen House Hospice in Muskegon. Inez died there peacefully on Sunday, February 17, 2008, at the age of 86. Inez was a wonderful woman, a woman well-known for her beautiful gardens. They called her the Geranium Lady of Lakeside, a name she couldnt help but love. Inez was known for her flowers, but beloved for her heart, a heart she shared with all who knew her. She will be greatly missed. Inez is survived by her children, Juanita (David) Bonfoey of Muskegon, Kelly (Marlene) Bobbitt of Otsego, MI, Jerry Switzer of Kansas City, MO, Marcella Robertson of Reeves, TN, Jesse Switzer, Jr. of Muskegon, Joyce (Norman) Tlachac of Norton Shores 7 grandchildren; 6 great grandchildren; sister, Dorothy (Robert) Madden of Westland, MI; brother, Bill (Wilma) Morris of Union City, TN; dear friends, Jody & Dan Spira, Nancy Switzer. She was preceded in death by a grandson and by a great grandson. Services are scheduled for Friday, February 22, 2008, 1:00 PM at the Clock Chapel with Rev. Jerry Collins officiating. Interment at Lakeside Cemetery. Visitation is Thursday, 1-4 & 6-8 PM at Clock Life Story Funeral Home - Muskegon. Memorial donations may be made to Harbor Hospice or American Heart Association. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to share a memory or sign the online guest book.