Marlene Elaine Hall

If anyone ever cared, really cared for someone else it would have to be Marlene Elaine Hall. She was a warm hearted and well liked individual. These wonderful traits came easily to her because she was such a sociable and amiable person, someone who was always making certain that those around her had whatever they needed. Marlene was a talkative person who was tactful at all times but typically said what she meant.

She was the daughter of Myrell Fleet and Ruby (Davenport) Fleet. Marlene was raised for most of her life in the Alpine Township area in Michigan. She found it easy to show sympathy and to perform kind acts for others. These admirable qualities would become a part of Marlene's personality throughout her life.

Though Marlene was frequently the one to bring about family activities with her family, she was also quite often the family member who took the role of referee. Marlene was a peace-maker with an ability to resolve all sorts of family conflicts. Marlene was raised with six siblings. She had two sisters, Rosalie and Norma along with four brothers Norm, Bobby, Dave and Mike. Marlene and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they cared deeply for one another.

There was one thing that all of Marlene's friends knew and will always remember, and that is that she was a talker with a quick sense of humor. She could pretty much talk to anybody about anything. This quality is one of the primary reasons that Marlene was so close to many friends throughout her life. She was what some would call a "people person" as evidenced by her ability to warm up to people quickly drawing them into conversation. But Marlene was also dependable, loyal and trustworthy. Marlene was the kind of person who simply radiated good fellowship. While she maintained personal standards and her own personal values, Marlene was very accepting of others. Marlene loved to plan large family events. In fact, Marlene was fairly comfortable playing the role of "host" for many occasions. She made many friends throughout her life including those from the times spent at Scram Lake, to the neighbors from Dean St. and Stark Ave. neighborhoods, to friendships developed while employed at General Motors, to the golf days with fellow golfers from the Elk’s and Casino Clubs.

Marlene was a faithful and loving person. Some would even call her sentimental and a romantic at heart. Her kindness and consideration created a sense of warmth to those around her. Marlene cared for others deeply and carried that into her marriage. On July 21, 1971 Marlene married Robert Hall at the City Hall in Grand Rapids, Michigan witnessed by her sister and brother-in-law, Rosalie and Joe Beda. Together Marlene and Bob successfully raised all their children along with pursuing the things they loved – spending time at the cottage, traveling, and playing lots of golf.

Harmony was important to Marlene and she made every effort to maintain this with her family. She was blessed with four children including three daughters, Pam, Cheryl and Michelle and one son, Kenny. Marlene was also blessed with six grand children, Lindsay, Brad, Isaac, Mark, Melissa and Christine. In addition she had several great-grand children, Emma, Mackenzie, Evalynn, Isabella, Colton, Ruby, Merrick and Brennan. Marlene was always conscious of others’ feelings. She was reasonable and understanding. Her secret of success in this area was simple: Marlene would listen before she would act.

Taking her work seriously came naturally to Marlene; she was a good team player and cooperated well with others. Marlene was a worker bee; her primary occupation was upholstery while employed at General Motors for approximately 18 years until her early retirement due to health problems. She brought harmony to her work environment, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done, while always maintaining the respect of her colleagues.

A motivated person, Marlene enjoyed spending time working on her various hobbies and was proud of the fact that she could have something to show for her efforts. Some of her favorite pursuits were flower gardening, shopping often, and cooking for her family. In fact as a child she worked in the Victory Gardens during World War II.

Marlene was always enthusiastic and a great team player. Recreational sports included the game of golf which she enjoyed with her husband and with her "golf gals.” She enjoyed following her favorite golf pros on television and even attended several golf tournaments with her husband Bob.

Her keen interest in things that affected the lives of other people led Marlene to become actively involved in community organizations. Because she was outgoing and worked well with others, Marlene did her fair share of volunteer work. Throughout her later years, Marlene was an active member of the Elks and Casino Clubs.

Marlene was the kind of person who would readily move into action in order to help others. She was appreciated and respected. She could find value in the opinions of others and was passionate about her own values and beliefs. It’s little wonder that she was active in raising funds for the March of Dimes for many years and always contributed to St. Jude Children’s Hospital and the Humane Society. Politically, Marlene was more a Democrat then Republican but made it a point to learn the candidates’ views before casting her vote.

Traditional values learned early in life while a student at Saint Alphonsus School served Marlene well throughout her life. She was baptized at Saint Alphonsus Church as a young child. Prior to her death she celebrated in the Catholic sacrament - Anointing of the Sick - with Father John Kenny of the Cathedral of St. Andrew. Marlene passed peacefully into the arms of our Lord Jesus Christ where she will no longer suffer from the health problems that had become a part of her life for so many years.

Marlene was a lover of animals and cherished the family shelties, which for many years were active members of the Hall family. In the early years the shelties provided fun and companionship for the kids, and now in these later years the newest sheltie member, Shadow, will continue to help fill the void left by Marlene’s absence and will be a “best buddy” to her husband Bob. Don’t be surprised if you see the two of them traveling about in the car throughout the city of Grand Rapids.

Since it was easy for Marlene to meet and get to know new people, she quickly made friends, even in retirement. Once she met those new friends, she loved sharing stories and talking about the good old days and recent events as well. Her new retirement life involved relocating to Florida several months of the year as a "snowbird.” In retirement, she found new pleasure in spending more time with her family, especially with her many grandchildren.

Marlene passed away on June 20, 2010 while at home in Grand Rapids with her family. She struggled with heart disease for over 25 years and succumbed to the disease which she had learned to live with. She is survived by her children, Kenny, Cheryl (Frank), Michelle (Tim), six grand children, eight great-grand children, brothers Norman, Bob, Dave and Mike, along with her sister, Rosalie. Services were held at the Cathedral of St. Andrew. Marlene was laid to rest in Graceland Cemetery in Cascade Township, Michigan.

Marlene was a fantastic conversationalist who could engage just about anyone in a discussion. And whenever she said something, she meant it. Marlene was a down to earth person, outgoing and gregarious. She was without question the type of person who enjoyed experiencing things first hand. She was practical and sensible, but what friends and family will remember her for most is the fact that she was so understanding and kind. Everyone whose life she touched will miss Marlene Elaine Hall.