Mrs. Arlene Maxine Gemzer

Each of us must follow our own path through life, whether a path of our choosing or one chosen for us. Arlene Gemzer's path was one of selflessness, and sacrifice, and unconditional love. She was a wonderful daughter, sister and loving wife, but more than anything, she was an absolutely devoted mother to her children, who dedicated her whole life to caring for them. The year was 1927, and America was enjoying a heyday, in the height of the Roaring Twenties, and the calm before the storm of the Great Depression. Here in this corner of the globe, the Roest family was enjoying its own heyday, with the birth of a baby daughter, Arlene. Arlene was born May 7, 1927, on a warm spring Saturday in Muskegon, Michigan. She was the sixth of nine children born to Jacob and Edith (Cooper) Roest, joining older sisters Marian, Dorothy, Marguerite, Helen, and Lillian in the family home, which would later welcome sons George and Donald and the baby of the family, Eleanor. Arlene's parents were extremely hardworking, responsible people, who instilled the same traits in each of their children. Her father worked at Muskegon Piston Ring, and also purchased a 5-acre parcel in the celery flats at the south end of Getty Street by Mona Lake, which he began farming. Arlene's mother stayed home and raised the family at the farm, which was no easy task, either. All of the kids enjoyed active youths, filled with four-season fun on the shores of Mona Lake. In the wintertime they enjoyed skating and sledding, and their summer days were filled with plenty of swimming and splashing on those shores. Arlene, though, was a bit of a loner as a child, and loved to go off by herself, riding her bike, exploring her sandy surroundings. The children attended a little one-room schoolhouse called Mona Beach School, although for so many kids in those days, schooling took a backseat to hard work, especially in the Roest home. Her father felt work was more important than high school, so Arlene attended school through the eighth grade. One day, when Arlene had grown into a fine young woman, she was babysitting for a neighbor, when she met a young man named Ed Gemzer. The two went on a date, and when they came home, Arlene met Ed's brother Fred. Well, she liked Fred better than Ed, and the two quickly fell in love, became inseparable, and were married a year later, on Valentine's Day, 1948. The newlyweds made their home in the Wolf Lake area near Muskegon, and soon began to start their family, a family that filled their hearts with happiness, yes, but not without sorrow, as well. Arlene and Fred would be blessed with seven children over the next few years, although their first two children, Frederick Jr., whom they called Fritz, and their only daughter, Linda, were born with mental retardation. Like so many parents of children with special needs, they were encouraged to institutionalize Fritz and Linda, and they grudgingly obliged. Yet they always made every effort to include them in the family. Their youngest son, Joe, recalls every weekend the family would pile in the station wagon and head off to visit Fritz and Linda. Fritz was at Coldwater State Hospital, while Linda lived at Carroll Hospital on the Michigan-Indiana border. When the weather was nice, the Gemzers would enjoy picnics together, as a family. Arlene always wanted what was best for her children, and was fiercely protective of them. When Linda was 15, Arlene discovered that her hair had been burned on a register by one of the nurses. Furious, Arlene immediately packed up Linda's things and took her home, that very day. The next weekend, they went and brought Fritz home, as well. It was an enormous undertaking to care for her children, but Arlene shouldered the burden willingly, and gracefully. She would spend the rest of her life caring for them. She had worked as a nurse's aide at Hackley Hospital, as well as a production worker at Muskegon Button Factory, so in many ways, she was perfectly suited to the arduous task. With her family whole again for the first time, Arlene worked hard to bring them all together. Although the family never took a vacation together (and in fact, Arlene never left the state), they spent many wonderful times at Half Moon Lake, enjoying picnics under the clear blue skies. Arlene was a nurturing mother, who taught her children so many valuable life lessons. Her children were taught the value of hard work, and had to earn what they got. But the family would soon be struck by tragedy. One evening Fred came home from his butcher's job at Town & Country Grocery in Wolf Lake, where sons Carl and Charlie earned a penny each for putting the weekly handbill in area mailboxes, to pay for their beloved pony. Fred asked if they had done it, and they said they'd get right to it, although it was dusk by then and visibility was difficult. A college student was driving to class and hit the boys as they crossed Apple Avenue, killing them both. The tragedy affected their parents very hard, of course, and Fred lost the will to hunt or fish with his children. Arlene immersed herself into caring for her children, Fritz, Victor, Bobby and Joe, but especially Linda. In many ways, Arlene now needed Linda as much as Linda needed her mother. Arlene was such a kindhearted, giving woman, who also took in many children who were having difficulties and needed help. One boy she adopted, Desi Heistadt, remembers her fondly. "She gave me a motherly love ... and was always concerned about my life." Arlene also had a playfully stubborn streak in her. Son Joe remembers how she didn't kiss him, because he "had germs!" But her beautiful smile was unforgettable. She also loved to tease her granddaughter Maranda. "Whether I was a size 1 or a size 7, she would always say, 'Boy, Maranda, you're getting fat!' Even though she always said what was on her mind, I loved my Grandma." After Fred sadly died in 2004, Arlene was left to shoulder even more of the burden of caring for her family, and caring for her beloved Linda. Today her son Joe and his wife Jennifer will assume that duty, which they promised Arlene they would do when she was gone. Arlene was always most concerned with the care of others, especially Linda. The afternoon before she died, Arlene looked up at Linda from her hospital bed, and said "It's time for her to go to bed, she looks tired." She was always concerned with others. Arlene is gone now, after giving so much to all of us. She devoted her entire life to caring for others, especially Linda. Linda needed the care, the most love, and the most faith, which she has so much of today. When her family asked Linda what happened to her mom, Linda pointed to the heavens and said, "Mama go live in Jesus' house." Yet Arlene lives on, in the hearts and minds of all who knew her. She will be so greatly missed. Mrs. Arlene M. Gemzer, age 78, passed away Friday, April 21, 2006. Her family includes: 4 sons, Frederick "Fritz" Gemzer Jr., Victor Gemzer, Robert Gemzer, Joe (Jennifer) Gemzer; 1 daughter, Linda Gemzer; 1 adopted son, Desi Heistard; 3 grandchildren, Branden, Maranda & Cameron; siblings, Helen King, Lilian Jensen & George (Martha) Roest; many nieces & nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Fred, sons, Charles & Carl Gemzer; 1 brother, Don Roest & 4 sisters, Marian, Dorothy, Marguerite & Eleanor.