Mrs. Catherine Plettl

Mrs. Catherine Plettl, age 77 a resident of Roseville, Michigan, passed away September 22, 2010. She was born July 15, 1933 in Detroit, Michigan. She is survived by her husband Robert; children, Diana (Carmelo) Russo, Donna (Lawrence) Russo, Teresa (Rick) Myrand, Mary (Donald) Borza, and Tina (Mark) Moore; 15 grandchildren; 2 great grandchildren;siblings, Leo Maranzano, Lucille (Richard) Trandell, and Sam Maranzano. Visitation Friday, 2-9:00PM and Saturday 10:00AM until time of service, 11:00AM at Resurrection Funeral Home, 40800 Hayes Road, Clinton Township. Burial Resurrection Cemetery.

To Mrs. Catherine Plettl, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Catherine, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Catherine really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Her parents were Ana and Frank Maranzano. Catherine was raised in Detroit, Michigan. Even as a child, Catherine had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Catherine was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Catherine managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Catherine was raised with six siblings. She had three sisters, Mary, Rosie, Lucy, and three brothers, Leo, Mike, and Sam.

Since experience was Catherine's best teacher. She enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Catherine did not graduate from high school so she could help take care of her sick mother. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers.

Catherine never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Catherine to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Catherine delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she viewed them all as potential spectators for her performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Catherine was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Catherine utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of her best friends were Zena and Mary. Later in life, she stayed friends with Zena and Mary. Catherine loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Catherine very easy to approach. On April 7, 1956 Catherine exchanged wedding vows with Robert Nicholas Plettl at Patronage of St. Joseph of Detroit, Michigan. She tried hard not to impose on her spouse. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Catherine related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Catherine was blessed with five children, five girls, Teresa, Tina, Donna, Dianna, and Mary. They were also blessed with 15 grandchildren, Carmelo, Jenna, Nicholas, Maria, Nina, Lauren, Lorenzo, Paige, Victoria, Michael, Kara, Mathew, Marina, Kevin, Landen, and her two grandchildren, Ava and Emilio. Catherine had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Catherine's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Catherine had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Catherine was a real “people person. ” she had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Catherine liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Catherine was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Catherine's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Catherine as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was a housewife. She was employed for 30 years in home day care.

Catherine enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were bowling, bingo, casinos, and playing cards. Catherine was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Catherine recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member Sacred Heart Church for over 50 years.

Living life in the fast lane suited Catherine just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included cruises, anywhere with family.

Catherine believed that you had to experience life, she enjoyed babysitting children. When her retirement finally arrived in 2006, Catherine took it in stride as one more way to have fun. Her new life involved staying in Roseville, Michigan. With her boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Catherine remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, she found new pleasure in traveling. Even in retirement, Catherine continued to stay in touch with her old friends and, since she'd never met a stranger, she made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Catherine passed away on September 22, 2010 at Henry Ford Continuing Care Facility in Roseville, Michigan. Catherine fought a long battle with dementia. She is survived by her husband Robert; children, Diana (Carmelo) Russo, Donna (Lawrence) Russo, Teresa (Rick) Myrand, Mary (Donald) Borza, and Tina (Mark) Moore, her grandchildren, Carmelo, Jenna, Nicholas, Maria, Nina, Lauren, Lorenzo, Paige, Victoria, Michael, Kara, Mathew, Marina, Kevin, Landen, and her two grandchildren, Ava and Emilio. Visitation will be Friday, September 24, 2010, 2-9:00PM and Saturday, September 25, 2010, 10:00AM until time of service, 11:00AM. Catherine be laid to rest in Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton Township, Michigan.

Catherine brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Mrs. Catherine Plettl lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.