Loretta M. Thelen

There was never a need known to Loretta Thelen that she didn’t strive to fulfill whether she provided a warm meal, a helping hand, or a heartfelt prayer. She was a woman with a spirit as compassionate as they come that was as limitless as the ocean is blue. Loretta worked hard throughout her life both in her home and in the workplace, and she considered it all pure joy since her heart beat to serve others. She truly exemplified what it means to be a mother as she offered her children both the unconditional love they savored and the freedom to become their own people. A woman of solid faith, Loretta lifted her heart in prayer whenever she needed and it was her enduring faith that guided her throughout the journey of her life.

The dawn of the 1920s was a time of great promise in America with innovation and new developments fueling the winds of change that brought exciting opportunities around nearly every corner. Advancements in production made things like radios and automobiles more affordable while Broadway shows, movies, and baseball games provided an evening out for countless Americans. It was during this prosperous time that Leo and Antoinette (Fedewa) Smith were pleased to announce the birth of their daughter, Loretta, on October 29th. Loretta was born on the family farm in Westphalia, Michigan, as the second of nine children in her family. Her father was a full-time farmer who also worked at the local sawmill while her mother was a homemaker who tended to her very active family. Loretta attended school through the eighth grade at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Westphalia. As was so common for the youth of this generation, Loretta then entered the workforce as these were the years of the Great Depression. She served as a caregiver for newborn babies and their mothers, which was a good fit for Loretta since she spent a lot of time helping with her younger siblings as well. Loretta also worked at a factory in Ionia for a time.

Life would never be the same for Loretta after she met the young man with whom she would share an abiding love. His name was Alvin Thelen and they soon began dating. The young couple loved to go fishing together and over time, their love blossomed. Loretta became Mrs. Alvin Thelen on August 20, 1941. Because of the number of Thelens in the area, she always said that she was a Smith who married a Thelen and subsequently lost her own identity. Alvin worked as a mason, laying bricks to support their family that grew to include nine children. When most of her children were born, Loretta went to work as both a cook and a waitress at the Fowler Hotel, frequently baking bread for the hotel. She also worked as a waitress at other local restaurants from time to time. Her time in the workplace later brought her to Becker’s Bridal where she remained for many years. Finally, Loretta worked as a cook at Waldron Elementary School in Fowler, and she also worked as an Avon sales representative for years.

Although her work took her away from home, you would never know it as she made working outside the home seem effortless with maintaining her responsibilities on the home front. She kept an immaculate house and canned hundreds of jars of tomato juice, fruits, beans, and other vegetables as well. Her children knew they were always unconditionally loved. Loretta was an active member of the Christian Mothers for many years. When her boys were fighting, Loretta told them to go outside under the tree and continue their fighting there. Then, she would pull the shade so that she didn’t have to listen to them! Loretta made sure their family attended masses every Christmas, and she regularly prayed the Rosary – sometimes multiple times a day. Somehow, Loretta also found time to help bale hay for family members, and she was known to make breakfast for stranded motorists a time or two. When Loretta was around, no one ever went hungry or cold.

When she had a few minutes to herself, Loretta enjoyed pursuing some of her interests. She loved to watch I Love Lucy, the Carol Burnett Show, and the Lawrence Welk Show. Loretta also enjoyed having fun with others and being social. She belonged to a few different card groups and loved to play setback and play Bingo every chance she had. Loretta was a faithful member of Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church.

There were so many attributes that made Loretta such a remarkable woman. When she was no longer able to drive, her children frequently took her out for dinner, often for Chinese food. Loretta was so gracious that it was ages before she let them know that she didn’t really care for Chinese food! She did, however, love eating at the Wheel Inn in St. Johns.

Loretta was deeply saddened with the death of her husband in 1982, but she continued on with her life while gaining strength from her family. It was the hardships in her own life that perhaps gave her such a tender heart for the trials of others, always available with a listening ear.

Those who knew Loretta Thelen will miss her fun-loving spirit, her kind gestures, and her tender heart. She never stopped thinking of others and spent her days brightening the lives of so many within her reach. Loretta had a deep love for children and considered it a blessing to care for her husband and children each and every day. She leaves behind lessons in hard work, compassion, and faith that will live on in the hearts and lives of those who follow in her footsteps. Loretta will be dearly missed and warmly remembered.

Loretta M. Thelen died May 27, 2010. Loretta’s family includes her children, daughters, Mary Ann (Mike) Schneider, Linda L. (Bob) Hoppes, Sharon L. Droste, sons, Alan L. (Sandra), Kenneth C. (Barb), Charles D., Leon R. (Grace), Dale L. (Barb), and Daniel J. Thelen, sisters, Mary Catherine (Marvin) Schafer, Lucille ( Gerald) Fedewa, brothers, Delbert, James (Marilyn), and Jerome (Carlene) Smith, 38 grandchildren, 64 great- grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews. Loretta was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Alvin, sisters, Joan Simon-Thelen, Viola Fedewa, and brother, Carl Smith, grandson, David J. Schneider, great-grandchildren, Samantha Wohlfert, Carly Miller and Jacklynn Miller. Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m., on Tuesday, June 1, 2010, at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Fowler with Fr. Dennis Howard presiding. Burial will follow at Most Holy Trinity Cemetery. The family will receive friends, 2-4 and 7-9 p.m., Sunday and Monday, with rosaries prayed at 3 and 8 p.m., both days at the Goerge Chapel of Osgood Funeral Homes, 11112 W. Ionia St., Fowler. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or photo, sign the online guestbook, or make a memorial contribution to Hazel I. Findlay Country Manor or Hospice Advantage, 801 S. Waverly Rd. Suite 304, Lansing, MI, 48917.