Left to cherish her memory are her husband Gary; her three children, Brittany Reilly and her husband Matt, Brandon and his wife Kristen, and Justin; her three grandchildren, Bennett and Murphy Garmyn, and Calvin Reilly; her parents, Tom and Ruth (Brown) Bouman; her three sisters and their spouses, Kim and Jim Merkle, Heather and David Burns, and Carey and Patrick McCanna; and many nieces and nephews.
Gretchen was born on June 9, 1960 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but grew up in Lansing, where she attended Lansing Catholic Central High School (‘78). After graduation, she attended Western Michigan University, where she served as captain of the women's swim team. She graduated college with a degree in education and later received her master’s degree from Michigan State University.
Gretchen started dating Gary Garmyn in college, they wed in Lansing in 1984, and were married for 37 years.
“Mrs. Garmyn” spent 32 years impacting the lives of countless students and coworkers as a special education teacher at Henry H. North Elementary School. Gretchen dedicated her free time to organizing Special Olympics events, and she will always be remembered as someone who spoke her mind and advocated passionately for her students.
Gretchen was proud of and loved her family. She was always hosting family celebrations, cheering for her children from the sidelines, or planning the family’s next summer vacation. She also cherished spending time with her friends, especially her annual “girls trip” each summer to Lake Michigan. Gretchen raised a beautiful family, has many close-knit friends, and will be missed by all who loved her.
The family would like to thank Hospice of Lansing, especially Kristen, Linda, and Margie for their kindness and support over the last few months. A special thank you to Cindy as well, for taking care of Gretchen for the past several years.
Memorial Visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm and a rosary service will begin at 7:30 pm at Tiffany Funeral Home, 3232 West Saginaw Street, Lansing, MI. Memorial Visitation will also be held on Wednesday, July 7, 2021 at 9:30 am at St. Gerard Parish, 4437 West Willow Highway, Lansing, MI. A Memorial Mass will follow at 10:30 am on July 7, 2021 at St. Gerard Parish.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Alzheimer's Association (alz.org) or the Special Olympics (support.specialolympics.org).
Memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.tiffanyfuneralhome.com for the Garmyn family.
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