Lillian Reelman

For those who knew Lillian Reelman, it was easy to see that the sun rose and set with her four grandchildren. In fact, she would even pay her daughter and husband to head out for an evening so that she could care for Christopher, Jamie, Anthony, and Angela. Lillian treasured her entire family and was so proud of her Greek ancestry. No one could crochet faster than Lillian could, and she used her talent to show those she loved just how special they were to her. A truly remarkable woman, Lillian leaves behind lessons in generosity, kindness, and unconditional love that will be carried on in the lives of those who follow her. The decade that became known as the Roaring Twenties was a vibrant time in America as the end of WWI fueled a time of prosperity and growth around every corner. This was the decade that saw the birth of dance crazes such as the Charleston and the Shimmy as well as the peak of Broadway and baseball legends Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb take command of the baseball field. This was a time of great significance in the family of Theodore and Athanasia (Sarantakis) Antonopulos as they welcomed the birth of their daughter, Lillian Athanasia, on November 26th. Born in Fruitport, Michigan, as the youngest of seven children in her family, Lillian was raised on the family farm in Fruitport. The farm provided the children with the opportunity to establish a strong work ethic as they were responsible for various farm chores. Lillian fed chickens, milked cows, and helped with the canning. Although farm life was a busy one, it helped foster close relationships among the Antonopulos family who was so very proud of their Greek heritage. By the thirties, the prosperity of the twenties had met the hardship of the Great Depression during the thirties. As was so common of the youth during this generation, Lillian left school after the eighth grade in order to help more extensively on the farm. She eventually found work at a variety of places outside the home including the Norge Plant in Muskegon where she made refrigerators. Life was forever changed for Lillian when she met a young man named Joseph Anderson. After dating for a time, the couple fell deeply in love and was married in October of 1948. The newlyweds settled into a home on Sanford Street in Muskegon Heights. Joe worked as a master plumber in order to support his family that grew to include their daughter Marsha who was born after they were married for just one year. Tragedy soon struck their family, however, when their precious Marsha died after contracting pneumonia when she was only eight months old. Sorrow was replaced with great joy when Lillian and Joe were blessed with the birth of a second daughter, Shirley, in 1954. Lillian was blessed to be able to stay home and care for their daughter and tend to the household needs. She was a great cook who loved hosting family and friends for Sunday dinners on a regular basis and was famous for her rice pudding and Greek spaghetti, of course! Just as she had as a young girl, Lillian canned all sorts of fruits and vegetables. Joe worked hard to support his family and the family enjoyed trips to Manistee, Michigan, to visit relatives as well other relatives that lived near and around Michigan. Since Lillian remained close with her siblings through the years, there were also frequent gatherings with the entire family at the farm for meals and festivities. The farm is still owned by the family today and they still say were meeting at the farm. Although her marriage to Joe ended in divorce in 1973, Lillian was forever grateful for the family they shared. A new and exciting journey began for Lillian when she later met a man named Jack Reelman who was in management at Continental Motors. They dated for a few years and were married on December 31, 1976. Lillian moved into Jacks home in Norton Shores, and they also spent quite a bit of time traveling around Michigan and throughout the Midwest in their fifth wheel trailer. They also made several trips to Florida and later wintered there after Jack retired. According to Lillian, one of the greatest things in life was becoming a grandmother. At times she took her grandchildren out, Russ Restaurant was always a favorite, but they also had fun at home. When Shirley moved to Jackson, Lillian regularly went to visit her grandchildren for weeklong stays. Most of Lillians time was spent with her family, but she enjoyed a few others interests as well. She liked watching soap operas, game shows, and I Love Lucy. Lillian loved to do embroidery, and crochet. She was quite gifted when it came to crocheting and she could make an entire blanket in just one day. Lillian made hundreds of blankets through the years for her daughter and grandchildren as well as for all her nieces and nephews and their families, too. Lillian even made special blankets for the children yet to be born. Although she was deeply saddened with the death of Jack in 1989, she continued on with her life while finding the joy in each new day. She moved to an apartment in Norton Shores and continued to socialize with her circle of friends and family. Lillian never drove, but depended on family and friends to get her where she needed to be. She eventually moved into Christian Care Assisted Living for a number of years before moving to Jackson to live with her daughter. Three years ago Lillians health demanded more care than Shirley was able to provide so she moved into Faith Haven Senior Center. While there she remained as active as she could with crafts and playing bingo. To Lillian Reelman, life was for loving her family each and every day. She treasured the time she spent with her grandchildren even if they were just enjoying a quiet evening of watching television together. Lillian brought so much light and life to the world simply by being who she was. She will be dearly missed and warmly remembered by so many whose lives she touched. Lillian A. Reelman died on Wednesday, June 9th in Jackson, MI. Lillians family includes her loving daughter Shirley (Peter) Jancek, four grandchildren; Christopher (Holly) Jancek of Rolling Meadows, IL, Jamie (David) MacMillan of Jackson, Anthony (Julie) Jancek of Morley and Angela Jancek of Jackson, five great grandchildren, one sister Marianne Sampanes of Grand Rapids, and many loving nieces and nephews. Lillian was preceded in death by her husband, John Reelman; one daughter, Marsha Joanne Anderson; two brothers and three sisters. A service will be held on Saturday, June 12, 2010, 11:00 a.m. at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church with Fr. Catalin Mot officiating. Interment at Mona View Cemetery. Visit with Lillians family and friends on Friday, June 11, 2010, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Clock Life Story Funeral Homes Muskegon location Muskegon, MI. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial contribution to the American Cancer Society.