Joan Bretz

Although her journey was filled with numerous things she treasured, there was nothing more near and dear to the heart of Joan Bretz than her beloved family. Joan was blessed to share the majority of her days with her true love with whom she witnessed her family tree blossom to include the children and grandchildren she adored. Those who knew her knew that Joan loved being at home more than anywhere else on earth, her home a haven filled with memories shared with those who meant the most. Life will never be the same without her here, but her memory will remain a gift to be treasured by her loved ones.

The year 1929 is often recalled as the year that the crash of the stock market sent our nation and much of the world spiraling downward into the depths of the Great Depression. The Roaring Twenties were a prosperous time with more affordable cars, new conveniences such as the washing machine and the refrigerator, and the height of American baseball. The decade that followed, however, would paint a much darker picture in American history with a high unemployment rate that left countless Americans without jobs. It was just prior to that historic crash of the stock market that a young couple from Zanesville, Ohio, James and Vera (Wharton) Hughes, were blessed with the birth of a baby girl on October 1st of that same year. Joan was the older of two children in her family, she was 17 years older than her brother, Jim. Her father worked for a local gas company while her mother focused her attention at home caring for her family. Joan was a student at local schools, graduating from Zanesville High School in 1947.

Life was forever changed for Joan when she met the man of her dreams. He was a young man who had just returned from the service named John Bretz. She couldn’t help but notice the handsome John when he was hanging out on a street corner with some buddies one evening in 1946, and when he asked for a volunteer to accompany him to the movies that Friday night Joan was quick to volunteer. Sparks flew right from the start, and a dating relationship followed that fateful night. With a desire to establish a life together, the couple became husband and wife in June of 1948, in the Trinity Methodist Church in Zanesville.

It wasn’t long before the newlyweds moved to Chicago so John could attend trade school. With his education completed, the couple returned to Ohio, where they settled in Lancaster, located to the west of Zanesville, in 1949. It was there that they welcomed three sons into their hearts and home: Doug in 1950, David in 1954, and Reed in 1964. When John’s job took him to Michigan, he went ahead and found the perfect house in Vicksburg for his family. In fact, Joan and the boys saw the house for the first time just an hour before the moving truck arrived with all of their belongings!

Living in a small town was a great fit for both Joan and John, and they quickly settled into their new surroundings. They frequently got together with neighbors as they were both very social people. Even in Michigan Joan and John still held fast to their roots, however, as they were not ashamed to cheer for their beloved Ohio State Buckeyes! They were also members of Vicksburg United Methodist Church. Joan loved living in Vicksburg, and home was her favorite place to be. She looked forward to spending the holidays with family since it was a time that they all got together. When it came to music, she preferred music from the forties and artists such as Glenn Miller, and she had a bit of a sweet tooth as chocolate and ice cream were her favorite foods.

Loving, caring, and kindhearted, Joan Bretz was a blessing in the lives of those around her. She adored her family more than anything else than in the world, and there was nothing that she wouldn’t do for others. Joan was gentle and soft spoken with just the right amount of sweetness rolled in. She will be deeply missed while her legacy is carried on by those who follow her.

Joan Bretz, of Vicksburg, died on Thursday, October 4, 2013. Joan's family includes her three sons: Doug (Sharon) Bretz of Richmond, VA; Reed (Joe Worth) Bretz of Grand Rapids; and David Bretz of Kalamazoo; two grandchildren: Andy Bretz and Ben (Katie) Bretz, of Richmond, VA; and one brother: James (Linda) Hughes, of Zanesville,OH. Joan was preceded in death by her husband, John Bretz. The family will receive friends on Tuesday from 10-11 a.m. at the Life Story Funeral Home, Vicksburg, 409 S. Main (269-649-1697). Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the same location. Please visit Joan's memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can archive a favorite memory or photo, sign her memory book online before coming to the funeral home, or make a memorial donation to SHALOM Inc. PO Box 265 Kalamazoo, MI 49004. Shalom is a Christian, non-profit organization serving developmentally disabled adults through family centered housing, social and educational activities, enriching the lives of those whose joy need not be disabled.