Hope Pitsch

With a life that spanned nearly a century, Hope Pitsch was known for her quiet strength and resilient spirit that provide an inspiration to all who knew her. She liked to do things her own way and lived to serve others, especially the family she treasured. Being a mother seemed to be a role that was tailor made for Hope, yet she just may have argued that becoming a grandmother was her greatest reward. She was passionate about the things she enjoyed and whether she was creating a beautiful display of rose bushes or preparing a mouth watering table spread, Hope easily made those around her smile. The brilliant mosaic of memories she leaves behind will be a lasting treasure for generations to come.

The year 1918 found America deeply entrenched in the throes of WWI overseas. Countless young servicemen were honorably fighting for the preservation of the freedoms we still enjoy today while those who remained stateside held on to hope for their loved one’s safe return. This year brought great anticipation to one young couple from Grand Rapids, Michigan, as they were eagerly awaiting the birth of their first child. Their wait was over on May 13th of that year when baby Hope was welcomed into the world by her parents, Peter and Cornelia (Hundersmark) Viergever. Her father worked at Consumers Power while her mother worked at Buttercup Bakery. When she was two years old, Hope was joined in her family by her younger sister. The two girls were raised in the family home at First Street and Pine NW where Hope attended local schools. Tragedy struck in the Viergever family with the death of Hope’s sister as a result of an aneurysm when she was just 17 years old.

Hope’s high school years found her at Union High School, which provided the backdrop for her introduction to the man with whom she would establish the family she cherished. His name was Robert C. Pitsch and he was a bit older than Hope was. The couple began dating and Hope went on the graduate from high school in 1936. Deeply in love with her high school sweetheart, Hope became Mrs. Robert Pitsch on August 1, 1937.

It wasn’t long before the young couple was blessed with their first of five children, Carol, in 1939. They were thrilled to welcome four more children into their hearts and home during the 12 years that followed including Joan, David, Fran, and Lynn. Since her husband’s work with the railroad often took him away from home for long stretches at a time, Hope kept busy by being an active part of her children’s lives. She saw to it that her children had chores to do every Saturday, yet she also made time to have fun alongside her children such as the many times she went fishing with David. Everything that came out of Hope’s kitchen was fantastic throughout her entire life. She was especially famous for her roasts and pies. Hope was also a talented seamstress who regularly took apart old clothes to make something new.

There were so many things Hope enjoyed that that kept her busy. She liked to read the newspaper from cover to cover, and she was always aware of the weather and like mothers tend to do, Hope worried about her children when there was a storm. Once her children left home, she went to cosmetology school since Robert was away from home as a lobbyist for the railroad even more than he had been before. Excited to fill her time learning something new, Hope earned her cosmetology certificate. She was known for her extensive rose garden that she started with just a few rose buds. Hope cloned them into bushes and they grew into a beautiful display of 71 bushes at one time! In the late seventies, she and Robert moved to a trailer on a lake in Howard City, and they eventually found a home on Winfield Lake. This was a great place for their children and grandchildren to come enjoy the lake in a variety of ways including on their pontoon boat and fishing, too. When she was choosing music to listen to, Hope always chose classical, and she had quite the sweet tooth, especially for spice drops and donut holes. She always seemed to have her visitor’s favorite candy in the house for whenever they might drop by.

During her sunset years Hope was a bit of a homebody, but she kept very active at her home. She never wanted to move to any type of facility as she proclaimed “that was for old people!” Hope never considered herself old and never seemed to slow down or age either. When she was 72 she was still pulling out stumps with her tractor and just last week she was installing patio blocks around her rose bushes. For the last 13 years of his life, Robert suffered with Alzheimer’s disease, and Hope tenderly cared for him as long as she could including for seven years at their home. After he moved into a nursing home, she regularly visited him there. Hope was deeply saddened with his death in 1992.

In order to tap into a network of support, Hope regularly attended Alzheimer’s Association meetings. It was there that she met a man named Francis Figley whose wife also suffered with the disease. They became good friends and after both of their spouses died, they began spending time together and later began dating. Hope and Francis were great companions who liked to travel including to Alaska and out West. They remained close friends until his death ten years later.

Known for her independent spirit, Hope Pitsch was a strong woman who lived to love those around her. She considered it both her highest calling and her greatest blessing to care for the children she viewed as a priceless gift. Hope continued to do things on her own and serve her children until the day she drew her last breath. She will be deeply missed and warmly remembered.

Hope Pitsch of Howard City died on September 23, 2011. Hope is survived by her children, Carol Bunn; Joan (Tom) Titley, David (Mary) Pitsch, Fran (Larry) Hills, and Lynn (Gary) Richardson; 16 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandchild; and special cousin, James Taylor. Hope was preceded in death by her husband, Robert C. Pitsch and later by her special friend, Francis Figley. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 1, 2011, at Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes, 851 Leonard NW Grand Rapids, MI. Friends may visit with the family for one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Memorial contributions to Helping Hands would be appreciated. Please visit the online obituary of Hope Pitsch at www.lsfhs.com/nfLggs to read Hope's Life Story, archive a memory, photo, or sign the guestbook online. You may also visit www.lifestorynet.com.