Leatrice Ogle

In a culture full of questionable role models, Leatrice Pauline Ogle stood out from the crowd. She was a woman who knew where her true happiness was found and pursued it with enthusiasm. Competitive yet compassionate, she demonstrated a sincere interest in others as well as a love for life. Her roles as wife, mother, and grandmother were precious to her and she treasured time with her loved ones. The Roaring 20s were not as easygoing and fun as they sometimes appear in the movies, but they did provide a brief respite between the anguish of World War I and the economic devastation of the Great Depression. Edward and Lenexa (Simon) Fuhrman of Muskegon, Michigan, were working hard raising their daughters, Evelyn and Lillian, when they found out that their family would soon receive a new member. Little Leatrice arrived on July 30, 1927, just a couple of months after Charles Lindberghs record-setting solo flight across the Atlantic earlier that May. The Fuhrman home on Beidler Street was always bustling and Lea would eventually help take care of two younger sisters, Illagene and Carol. Her father was fortunate to have a job during the trying years of the 1930s, working hard at a nearby coal company. The girls learned resourcefulness and the art of managing the home from their mother and were taught to be grateful for what they had. Despite the inevitable conflicts arising in a large household, the Fuhrmans loved being together and especially enjoyed visits to relatives in Chicago, particularly fun-loving Aunt Fritz. Lea attended Nims Elementary School and later went to Muskegon High. She was competitive and liked being busy. In high school, she held down a job at a dime store downtown and also participated in several sports, including her schools girls basketball team. At the time, the womens game had three forwards and three guards on the court and only forwards could score. Lea was undoubtedly happy to see the progress that the womens game would make in later years. 1945 was a big year for Lea. World War II finally ended, she was a high school graduate, and a new family moved into the house next door. One of the family members was a young World War II veteran named Lauren Bud Ogle. Six years older and a true gentleman, Bud swept Lea off her feet. She accepted his marriage proposal and they exchanged vows on October 6, 1945, with the beautiful yellow roses that Bud bought for her clasped in Leas hands. It was a day of promises that they kept for the next sixty-six years. The poems Bud wrote for her throughout the years demonstrated his adoration for her and helped solidify their love, partnership, and commitment. The newlyweds established their first home in an apartment behind Waynes Delicatessen and Bud worked driving bus for the city of Muskegon. They were thrilled to welcome their first child, Laurie, in 1946. Susan joined them in 1948. Later, Bud found work driving a tugboat for the paper mill and their permanent home was on Lakeshore Drive across from the mill. Their son John was born in 1954. Lea invested her energy into running their home and appreciated the time with her children. She managed the familys money, balancing the checkbook, paying the bills, and giving Bud his weekly allowance. Lea and Bud were social people and enjoyed spending time with their extended family. They and their friends gathered to play cards or met for dinner at Pascoes Place in nearby Bluffton. The family often took Sunday drives, enjoying each others company while listening to Detroit Tiger games on the radio. After the kids were grown, Lea and Bud maintained an active lifestyle, traveling more frequently and enjoying trips to sunny Florida. Lea honed her competitive edge by adding golf to her repertoire of activities and looked forward to getting together with her sisters for board games and cards. They spent time with friends at the Eagles Club and Moose Lodge and Lea helped her cousin part-time at the Farmers Market, eager to visit with her cousin and meet new people. They often enjoyed perch dinners with friends and family at the Doo Drop Inn on Saturday nights. Of course, her favorite pastime was keeping track of her grandchildren and she took every opportunity to attend their activities and sporting events. When the weather or mood kept them home, Lea and Bud liked to read and were regular patrons of the library. Lea naturally gravitated toward books about sports as well as biographies, but she was also known to indulge in a racy romance novel once in a while. She liked to knit and crochet. She was the master of the remote during baseball season and was glued to the action at Tiger Stadium, catching them on the radio if she wasnt home to watch TV. Lea began experiencing some health issues that required her to have oxygen, but she stayed active and often went to the grocery store with her son. Despite their various health struggles, the love that she and Bud shared never faded and their example encouraged those who knew them best. Lea fell in 2010 and broke her hip. She recovered, but the physical trauma took a toll and she was never quite as strong. She grew weaker and was eventually hospitalized the week before her death. Lea died on Thursday, June 30, 2011. Lea saw the value in people, not things. She put her family first, fulfilled her responsibilities out of love for them, and looked forward to opportunities to share life with them. She will be greatly missed, but her example as a dedicated wife, mother, and friend will continue to shine for those who follow in her footsteps. Lea is survived by her husband, Lauren "Bud"; two daughters, Laurie (Lon) Hieftje of Muskegon and Susan (John) Nowosad of Detroit; a son, John Ogle of Muskegon; five grandchildren, Jeffrey Kroll, Tim Kroll, Matt Scherer, Sarah Nowosad, and Anna Nowosad; three great grandchildren, Bianca, Elizabeth and Rachel Kroll; a sister, Carol Doubles of Maryville; and many nieces and nephews. Family and friends are welcome at the visitation on Friday, July 1, from 6-8 p.m. at Clock Life Story Funeral Home Muskegon. A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 2, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. at the Clock Chapel - Muskegon. Interment will be at Lakeside Cemetery. Please visit Leas personal memory page at www.clockfuneralhome.com where you may share a favorite photo or memory and sign the online guest book.