Marilee Fonner Barrett Harper

HARPER, Marilee Fonner Barrett
Kalamazoo, MI
Age 82 Passed away peacefully in the tender mercy of her God and surrounded by her family on March 12, 2012. Known to many as just "Mom", Marilee was born on April 27, 1929, in Kalamazoo, the daughter of Mary Frances Raymond and Ramsey Joel Fonner. She lived her entire life in Kalamazoo, graduating from Western State High School in 1947. On April 3, 1948, she married Donald Barrett, with whom she raised her family of ten children. On her birthday in 1988, she married the second love of her life, Russell Harper, and was proud to call his children part of her family. She worked as a telephone operator as a young woman, and enjoyed many years with the Kalamazoo Choral Society. She also was a past member of the IOOF Rainbow Girls. As a single mom, she worked at Wayside West, and Jewel Foods; she also spent several years at Target as a cashier, retiring in 2004. She enjoyed her family and friends, often traveling to far places in the United States, and overseas, to spend time with them. She was preceded in death by her husband, Russ Harper; her parents, her brother Robert, sister Anna and brother-in-law Henry "Tommy" Thompson, and daughters-in-law Vanessa Craft Barrett and Laurel Hendrickson Barrett; niece Janet Peavey and nephew Samuel Thompson; and special friends Maxine Stohrer and Mickey DeWaters. She is survived by her children: Barbara Rick Szopinski of MN; Ellen Jack DeVries of Kalamazoo; Robert Sherry Barrett of Kalamazoo; Patricia Tim Mehl of Galesburg; Mary Kellis of AZ; Margaret Michael Glenn of Kalamazoo; John Julie Barrett of OH; Gerald Barbara Barrett of Kalamazoo; Peter Joy Barrett of MN; Carol Wayne Shepardson of SC; 33 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren; 1 step-daughter, Kay Paul Triezenburg of Schoolcraft; niece Karen Cutler, a grand-niece and 2 grand-nephews; and many friends, particularly those of Royal Estates and Park Place. Cremation has taken place and burial will be private. A Celebration of Marilee's Life will take place on Saturday, March 17, at 3 p.m., with fellowship following until 7 p.m., at the Holiday Inn West, 2747 S. 11 St., Kalamazoo. The family invites all who knew this extraordinary, ordinary woman to share in life memories. The family has requested no flowers; memorial gifts can be given to: Southern Care Hospice, 4341 S. Westnedge, Suite 2100, Kalamazoo, MI 49008 or Park Place Assisted Living, 4222 S. Westnedge, Kalamazoo, MI 49008.