Saturday, February 4, 2017
My condolences to Marie's family. She was an amazing woman. Thinking of her always makes me smile. I knew Marie over many years when we both volunteered or worked for the Red Cross in Bay City. Marie loved to chat and always had a story to tell. We all loved to listen to her memories and adventures. My favorite, of course, was the story of her apartment in the old Wenonah Hotel. She was living on the top floor when the fire started. She escaped down the stairs, leading a number of her neighbors out with her. When they left the building, Marie realized she was going to need some new clothing, so she went shopping. She was listed by the fire department as "missing" for most of the day until she finally checked in with her parents and was told to immediately call the fire department. Her telling of the story took much longer than this, of course, and we laughed until we cried as she told us. What a wonderful lady. A spitfire, afraid of nothing, always up for something new and exciting. I will miss her, but I know she will be having some fun in heaven with the Lord and all those who have gone before us.
--Gena Gates, Bay City
