Louis Moritz

Some individuals find it very easy to prioritize their life. Louis Moritz was one of these people. In his life, he knew the three things that were most important to him: his family, his work, and his church. A man who lived a life deeply rooted in faith, Louis had a strong work ethic, a compassionate spirit, and a great devotion to those things he cared about the most.

The Roaring Twenties are a golden time in United States history. From the great authors, like Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, to the rise of jazz and dancing, the 1920s was an era of progress and industry. In Dallas Township, Michigan, Edward T. and Amelia (Sudrow) Moritz were filled with joy and excitement as they anticipated the birth of their first and only child. One beautiful spring day, on April 10, 1920, Louis T. Moritz caught his first glimpses of the world.

As soon as he was able, Louie helped his family work on the family farm, which spanned 40 acres. When he was younger, the farm had all different sorts of animals, including chickens, cows and sheep. Louie held a love for these animals which would span his entire life. Always an all around athlete, Louie was an excellent basketball player, and also enjoyed playing football. He became close with his father, especially after his father became ill.

Growing up, Louie was a normal, if not somewhat mischievous, young man. In school, Louie and his cousin, Billy Ernst, managed to make some gun powder. Fortunately, they never blew it up, and never got caught either. Louie was very close to his Uncle Charlie, who taught Louie how to hunt, fish, and inspired a life long love for the outdoors in him. As with all individuals from this era, the Great Depression served as a major influence in his life. These troubled times contributed to Louie’s excellent work ethic.

In 1938, Louie happily graduated from Fowler High School. As the nation entered into WWII, Louie wanted to serve his country in the military. However, due to high blood pressure, Louie was not accepted. While he was in high school, Louie had met a young lady named Mary. While Mary’s family lived in the country, she stayed in town with her grandmother to go to school . Louie soon recognized that Mary was someone special. How did he woo her? According to Mary, “Louie payed attention to me.” The two got along very well, as both individuals have very laid back attitudes. Some of their favorite dates included watching Saturday night free movies in Fowler while sitting on the bumper of Louie’s car. On May 14, 1941, Mary and Louie said their vows and were happily married.

Louie continued to work on the family farm for many years. In 1944, Mary and Louie experienced the birth of their first child, Clare. In 1949 they happily had another child, Nancy. Tragically, Nancy died when she was only nine months old. That event would be a defining time in their lives. However, in the next years, Louie joyfully watched his family grow with the births of David, Kathy, and Ann.

Throughout his life, Louie knew what was important to him. He took great pride in providing for his family, and devoted a lot of his time to his work and church. In 1968, Louie made the difficult decision to leave the family farm and take a job with the United States Department of Agriculture Avian Research Laboratory where he worked for eighteen years until his retirement in 1986. Louie had a great love for a family dog, a boxer named King. At one point, Louie also had 50 cats on the farm that hung around while the cows were being milked. After his retirement, Louie enjoyed taking family trips learning about history and collecting rocks.

Louie’s faith was an extremely important part of his life. Louie was very devoted to his church--St. Paul Lutheran Church. After a devastating fire in 1945, Louie helped to rebuild the church. Throughout his life, Louie served as president and an elder, and held several other offices as well. One of Louie’s greatest joys was seeing his grandson attend the seminary. Louie was extremely proud of his grandson, as he always wished he could go to college himself when he was younger.

Louie was an individual with a truly generous spirit. He showed great devotion to his wife, family, and church. An extremely generous individual who was always willing to lend a helping hand, Louie could talk to anyone. With a strong work ethic, a love for the outdoors, and a friendly smile, Louie was truly a blessing. He will be greatly missed by those whose lives he touched.

Louis Moritz died April 2, 2009 at the age of 88. He is survived by his wife, Mary (Damon), two sons, Clare Edward (Ann) Moritz of Grand Ledge, David Charles (Susan) of Elsie, two daughters, Kathy (David) Mensing of Tucson, AZ, Ann (Alan) Becker of Potterville, four grandchildren, five step grandchildren, and five step great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, and daughter, Nancy Lou in 1950. Funeral services will be held 11 A.M. Wednesday, April 8, 2009, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Fowler, burial at Mt. Rest Cemetery, St. Johns with Pastor Paul Clark officiating. The family will receive friends Monday from 6-8 P.M. and Tuesday from 2-4 and 6-8 P.M. followed by a prayer service at 8 P.M.at the Goerge Chapel of the Osgood Funeral Homes in Fowler. Memorials may be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church Building Fund in Fowler. Learn more about Louie, view his Life Story film and visit his personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can archive a memory or photo.