Loretta Jean Tiles

It is often said that beauty is only skin deep, but in the case of Loretta Tiles, she was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. She was a gracious woman who was fully devoted to the family she treasured above all else. Loretta was a fun-loving woman, too, who would keep her grandchildren laughing until their sides were aching. Although her life was not without trying times, she never let life get the best of her and continued making precious memories with those she held dear. Loretta will be remembered for her mouth-watering meals and the times shared at her home on the bayou, but it will be her spirit of generosity and compassionate heart that will be her lasting legacy. The decade of the thirties was a trying time in America due to the Great Depression and by 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was attempting to turn the nation around by opening the second phase of his New Deal. It was during this same year that Fred and Helen (Kimball) Williams were celebrating the birth of their daughter, Loretta Jean, on December 30th. Loretta was born in Grand Haven, Michigan, as the fourth of seven children in her family including older siblings Doddie, Margie, and Earl, as well as younger siblings Marilyn, Mary Jane, and Ron. Sadly Mary Jane died shortly after birth. Lorettas father worked at Michigan Brass while her mother stayed home. Growing up along Lake Michigan, the Williams family loved fishing together. Lorettas father often took the kids fishing and even referred to Loretta as his little fisher boy. Her father tied the kids to the pier to keep them from falling in the water and the rule was that what you caught, you had to clean and eat. The Williams children loved visiting their grandma at her house in the woods where they had many adventures during the summers. Even as a young girl Loretta didnt shy away from hard work as she gave her father a helping hand while building their new house. In many ways, Loretta enjoyed a life typical of the youth of this generation. She had a job at Wheeler Drug Store in Grand Haven where she worked both in the drug store and was also a soda jerk. She attended local schools where she was an excellent student and graduated from Grand Haven High School. Lorettas high school years proved to be a fateful time as well since it was then that she met the man who would greatly change the course of her life. Loretta and her best friend Betty Tiles talked Bettys brother John into driving them to Florida for spring break. Although he was shy, he agreed, and by the time they arrived in Florida, John had finally mustered up enough courage to speak to Loretta. Over time, their relationship blossomed into true love, and they were married on October 24, 1953. After a honeymoon in Niagara Falls, the couple settled into a small home they rented in the Spring Lake area. John worked on the farm his family owned and for the Ottawa County Road Commission. With great plans for their future, Loretta and John began building their dream home along Stearns Bayou. In November of 1954, they welcomed son Kurt into their hearts and home. Sadly it was when Kurt was just 10 months old that John died unexpectedly. Since the house was not quite finished, Loretta and Kurt lived in the basement. She was blessed with wonderful support from the Tiles family who were very close. They helped Loretta not only piece her life back together, but finish building her home, too. During this time, Johns brother Walter was a big help and also really good with Kurt. It wasnt long before Loretta and Walter fell in love and were married on July 14, 1956. It was in December of that same year that they welcomed the birth of their son, John. Walter supported his family as an electrician, first for Razok Electric, and he later started his own business, Tiles Electric. Loretta worked with Walter as the book keeper for their new business. In April of 1959, their daughter Katrina was born. Loretta was active in the lives of her children, regularly helping with the PTA and the local 4-H clubs. Their family also helped out on the Tiles family farm, the kids working right alongside their parents. Birthdays were always special occasions in the Tiles home as the children got to pick the dinner menu on their special day and Loretta went to work. Their family took frequent trips to Wisconsin to help bail hay on their old neighbor's farm. Walt and Loretta's home on the bayou was always the place to be. Both Loretta and Walter loved hosting family and friends complete with plenty of dancing, waterskiing, swimming, and sliding in the winter. When their children grew up and had children of their own, everyone absolutely loved going to the bayou and it became known as Wally World! In addition to spending time with their grandchildren, Loretta and Walter enjoyed many other things later in life, too. They loved going on fishing trips with their friends Ray and Waco to Cape Hatteras, South Carolina, taking color tours in the Upper Peninsula, and traveling back to Wisconsin to visit their old neighbors John and Karen Meyer. They purchased a farm from Miller and Beck and later remodeled it, planning to spend the rest of their lives there. Sadly, Walter suffered a massive aneurism from which he was unable to recover, and he died on May 25, 2000. Eventually Loretta moved into the home and lived there as long as she was able, but she was never the same after losing her beloved Walter. Loretta Tiles was a beautiful and gracious woman who viewed her family as her greatest gift. She was funny, vibrant, and full of life, even during the sunset of her journey. Loretta was such a remarkable woman who greatly impacted the lives of those around her in a significant way. She will be dearly missed. Loretta J. Tiles died Wednesday, March 10, 2010. Lorettas family includes her sons, Kurt (Marva) Tiles, John (Wendy) Tiles, both of Scottville; daughter, Katrina (Roger) VanderWood of Grand Haven; grandchildren, Kara (Dan) Krisel, Albert (Michelle) Tiles, Luke Tiles, Jacob Tiles, Sarah (Kevin) Cooper, Lisa (Anthony) Davis, Katerina Tiles, Natalee VanderWood; great grandchildren, James & Lauren Davis; sisters, Doddie (Jack) Hudson, Margaret (Art) Brems, Marilyn Walters; brother, Earl (MaryAnn) Williams; sisters & brothers-in-law, Wilma Tiles, Albert & Joyce Tiles, Bill & Leone Tiles, Bob & Betty Reenders. She was preceded in death by her first husband, John Tiles; parents; brother, Ron Williams; sister, Mary Jane Williams; several sisters & brothers-in-law, Ann & George Berg, Elise & Don Sorensen; brothers-in-law, Frank & Henry Tiles. Funeral services will be held on Monday, March 15, 2010, 10:00 a.m. at St. Patricks Catholic Church with Fr. Bill Langlois officiating. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a memory or make a memorial contribution to Pine Rest or Loutit District Library.