Doris M. Weick

Doris Weick was an incredibly generous woman who changed people's lives for the better. By expressing her love through her actions, her words and her faith, she allowed herself to be a good friend to everyone she met. Doris worked her entire life and always found the reward for her dedication in the warm company of her family, friends and community.

The year was 1915 and the United States was in a time of transition. Black skies thundered over Europe as soldiers dug into the trenches for battle. The American way was changing from a farming society of small towns to the industrial boom of the big cities. For Luell and Lolo (Speiglemoyer) Eldred, longtime residents of Vicksburg, Michigan, none of these events were as important as the birth of their daughter, Doris, on February 20, 1915. As her parents, Doris too would live in Vicksburg all her life. It was the place she called home, and the place where she created a lifetime full of memories with her family and friends.

Along with her brother Norman, Doris spent her growing up years living at 506 Draper Street and attended the Vicksburg Public Schools. At the age of 9, she became a lifelong member of the Vicksburg United Methodist Church. It was obvious from a young age that Doris was musically inclined and quickly learned to play the piano. As a young person, she put this talent to good use playing in a quartet, which traveled throughout the area and Chicago performing together. After graduating high school, Doris took an office job at Master Craft for the next six years.

During this time, Doris and her high school sweetheart, Leland "Lee" Weick, were fostering a relationship, which blossomed into love. On October 1, 1939, they were happily married. In their first years of marriage, Lee owned an A&W Food Market on Portage Street, but in 1944, the couple decided to open a shop in downtown Vicksburg called Doris-Lee's Sweet Shop. Equipped with a soda fountain (with fabulous homemade ice cream), gift shop and jukebox, this quickly became the local hang out among the teenagers. They would stop in on their lunch hour to eat and dance before returning to school. The Shop was also a drop off site for the Kalamazoo Gazette and Doris took time out of her busy schedule every day to help organize the paperboys, making deliveries run more smoothly.

Doris and Lee contributed to their community as business owners as well as generously donating money to community projects and events. Doris was a firm believer in education and for many years she happily gave toward college scholarships for children in the church. The Vicksburg Historical Museum was also something Doris believed in and her charitable contributions helped sponsor many functions by the Historical Society. Because of the couple's great generosity through the years, the Society set up an award funded through them and named in honor of Doris and Lee to be given to someone who selflessly gave back to the community.

On December 27, 1990, Doris lost her beloved husband Lee after 51 years of marriage. She continued to stay busy in the Sweet Shop for a few years, but after 48 years in business, Doris sold the shop and entered retirement. Most people think of retirement as slowing down and taking things easy, but not for Doris. She saw her newfound freedom as an opportunity to do some traveling and socializing with people outside of Doris-Lee's. Doris enjoyed joining her dear friend, Bella, to attend her grandchildren's sporting events, especially baseball and rocket football. She even began attending high school sports and musical events but had to stop when she couldn't navigate the bleachers any longer.

Doris's life was marked with love and compassion for her family, friends and community. They were the people who she cared for, the people who she learned from, and above all else, the people who brought her life immeasurable joy. Doris's greatest happiness in life was sharing herself with them, offering them the most precious thing she possessed - her time. It is a gift none of them will ever forget.

Doris Weick, age 90 of Vicksburg, MI, died on Tuesday, August 30, 2005. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leland "Lee" Weick. Members of Doris's family include her dear friends, Bella Dekker and her family, and Barbara Holzgen and her family. Learn more about Doris, view her Life Story film, and visit with her family and friends on Friday, September 2, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at the RDMG Life Story Funeral Home, Vicksburg location. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 3, at the same location. Please visit Doris 's memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may archive a favorite memory, order flowers or make a memorial contribution to Rose Arbor Hospice.