Muriel Anne Roeske

Muriel Anne Roeske finished her journey here on June 5, 2023, at Parkridge Specialty Care in Pleasant Hill, Iowa. Muriel was born on November 19, 1928, at the Sault Ste Marie, Michigan hospital after a harrying trip through a northern Michigan blizzard. She was the second of eight children born to George and Anne MacDonald and the only one to be born in a hospital. Her father was a lumberjack and her momma had taught in a one room schoolhouse before marriage. Muriel was raised in the Northwoods of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan attending grade school in a one room schoolhouse known as Maple Leaf School. She began school, unofficially, at age 4 with the permission of her teacher because she so wanted to go with her sister. She remembers riding around the classroom on her teacher’s back. Her dad was the “bus” or horse and wagon driver (horse and sleigh in winter). Muriel was given the duty of caring for younger siblings and became like a second mom to the youngest ones. She graduated from Cedarville High School as valedictorian of her class and attended Bay City Business School in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, finding a job in Rogers City, Michigan as secretary and bookkeeper for Rogers City Power Company. She married Clyde J. Roeske of Rogers City in 1951 when he returned from his service in the U. S. Army. They built their home and raised 4 children on 39 acres of mostly woodland near the shores of northern Lake Huron. In their later years, they moved to Iowa with their daughter due to health concerns.

Muriel was a storyteller. She could tell spellbinding tales for the children in her family, sang to them and created poems. A favorite for a sleepless night was “Bimbo”. Later she studied to learn to write stories. She was an awesome wife, mom, daughter, sister, grandma, great-grandma and friend. She was known as Grammy, Faske, and Gamma. Her “adopted” grandkids were children she babysat for and children or grandchildren of friends and neighbors. Her church was her second “mission”, and she taught Sunday School with so much love and wonder that she inspired her students to love Jesus with all their hearts. She was also the church secretary/bookkeeper, pianist at times, and even filled the pulpit. Gardening was her inspiration. She loved flowers, trees, colored leaves, and strawberries. Ice cream and strawberry waffles always brought a big smile and a twinkle to her eye!

Muriel’s children all moved away from home, but she treasured each visit and gave the best hugs and kisses and little howdy gifts when they came. A well-organized calendar of birthday cards for all were at her fingertips, she loved to knit and crochet gorgeous and fun surprises, Christmas was her favorite holiday, and prayers were always on her lips. She was still saying her prayers and singing hymns in bed in her nursing home. After moving to Iowa, Muriel met new friends and was outgoing and loving to everyone, even when she found it difficult to think of the words and her memory began to fade. She was much loved by many up to her last days. Parkridge Specialty Care became her home after surviving COVID-19. Her body was weakened and her memory declining, but she could still read her Birds & Blooms magazines and crawl out of her bed or wheelchair on occasion.

Muriel is survived by her 4 children: Mary Lynn (Mickey) Carvour of Altoona, Connie Cook of Little Rock, AR, Dave (Patty) Roeske of Kendallville, IN, and Tim (Susan) Roeske of Ypsilanti, MI. She has 7 precious grandchildren, an ex-granddaughter-in-law in England who was very close, a special roommate who was like another daughter, and a growing number of great grandchildren. Six of her siblings survive her: Kenneth MacDonald in NH, Norma Nye in MI, Margaret Hawkins in AR, Katie Rabe in NY, Judy Old in MI, and Paul (Ginny) MacDonald in PA. Multiple nieces and nephews and their spouses and families were always in her prayers.

She is preceded in death by her husband Clyde, her sister Eileen, her parents George and Anne, a nephew Roy, and several of her in-laws and dear friends who were all in her heart. A miscarriage, many years ago, means she has another daughter waiting for her in Heaven. She was looking forward to seeing them all in Glory. Only weeks before she passed, Muriel was telling her friends that she had talked to a very nice man who asked if she would like to go with Him. She was looking forward to taking His hand and walking, free of pain/age/illness, to Heaven. Seeing Jesus is her greatest joy!

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