Sally Anne Welcome

Sally Welcome was a woman who filled every ounce of her life with love, friendship and happiness. Sally had many loves in her life, many friends, and so many wonderful moments, yet her greatest love she always saved for her children. Her love lives on in them today. Sally's story began on a warm spring day in 1943 in the town of Grand Haven, Michigan. Those were such tumultuous times in this country, as the darkening skies of World War II affected everyone in America and around the globe. Yet on May 1, 1943, Howard & Dorothy (Cooper) Johnson found a glimmer of hope in those dark days, when they celebrated the birth of their youngest of four children, a baby girl they named Sally Anne. Sally joined older siblings Bill, Stanley, and Sandy in the Johnson home, and when she got older, she went to Grand Haven High School. When she was just 16, though, Sally met and married a young man named Greg Ruiter. The young couple lived in a little apartment in Spring Lake, while Greg worked at North Shore Marina, and Sally tended to their growing family. Their son Greg was born in 1963. Sally's marriage didn't last, ending in divorce after 5 years, but it wasn't the last time she found love. She met a man named Jerry Welcome, from Muskegon, and they were soon married in 1965. Together they were blessed with four children, Jodi and Jill, and twins Jerry Lee and Joye, who together with son Greg, filled Sally's life with such pride and joy. The family enjoyed many wonderful times camping on their property in Ruby Creek, Michigan, near Baldwin. Sadly, Sally's marriage to Jerry ended in divorce, but she filled her time with her many friends and her family. She loved gardening, and cooking, and also made and enjoyed ceramics. Sally also loved Tupperware parties, or her "Tops," group where she made many friends. Sally always had many friends, including her lifelong companions Dee Wheeler Bauer, Jane VanDop, Carolyn Smith, Carolyn Wiles and Barb Zayas. One of her favorite pastimes was playing bingo with Carolyn Smith. She eventually met a man named John Reid, and they married in 1980. Her marriage to John didn't last long, though, and she soon met Robert Riley, who became her very close companion for 16 years. Most of all, Sally was deeply devoted to her children, and later grandchildren. She sadly suffered the death of her son Jerry Lee in 1992, which devastated her and Jerry Welcome. But she got through it with her family's love. Sally lived with her sister Sandy for three years later in life, until she became ill, and moved in with her daughter Joye. Joye and sister Jill cared for their mother during her final days, granting her wishes for a peaceful death at home, rather than a nursing home. Sadly, Sally died Sunday, August 27, 2006. Sally was a wonderful woman, such a quiet, loving, generous and loyal person, who filled every ounce of her days with love and happiness. Sally was blessed with so much of both, and we were so blessed to have known her. She will be greatly missed. SURVIVORS: Son, Greg (Jody) Ruiter of Muskegon; 3 daughters, Joye Welcome of Sand Lake, MI, Jodi Schaefer of Walkerville, MI, Jill (Ben) Weavers of Custer, MI; 13 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; 1 sister, Sandy (Bill) Byl of Grand Haven; 2 brothers, Stanley Johnson of Spring Lake, William (Lu) Johnson of New Mexico; special cousin, Karen Kresnak of Grand Rapids; several nieces & nephews. She was preceded in death by her son, Jerry Lee Welcome. SERVICE: Wednesday, August 30, 2006, 3:00 PM at Clock Chapel-Muskegon with Rev. Don Letson officiating. VISITATION: Wednesday, 1 hour prior to the service at Clock Funeral Home - Muskegon. MEMORIAL: Broadway Baptist Church Memorial Fund. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to leave a memory or sign the online guest book.