Floy B. Detweiler

Detweiler, Floy age 93, April 27,2013 of Trenton. Retired teacher of 30 years from Wyandotte Schools. She will be greatly missed by her cat, Cindito, and many cousins and close friends. Donations in memory of Floy may be made to the donor's charity of choice. Floy's Memoir written in 1999: My 1st 9 years were spent in Gladwin, Mich. area. Most of that time my parents lived in town. Mother teaching school there and attending Central Michigan summers to keep up her teaching certificate and Dad working at the Post Office and doing bookkeeping for 'Ford Motor Co.' as the dealership was called in those days. Much of those years - before school age and summers were spend with my Grandparents on their farm 7 mi. out of town. It was a good life. My Methodist parents and grandparents and my Menonite grandmother who came from Ontario ea. year were all good Christian people and brought me up with their beliefs and standards. When I was about 5 yrs old, I caught Scarlet Fever and was in a coma for 6 weeks. The house was quarantined and Dr. Grover told the men at the barber shop that only a miracle would save me. My grandfather Eaton with his very strong faith decided it was time to ask for one. He called all the people in area to come to the little white steepled church that he and friends had built across fields from farm and they had special prayer meeting to pray for me. I recovered. Lost all my hair but was able to start 1st grade that fall wearing a bonnet. My grandmother told me that sometimes hair came in a different color after a fever and every night I prayed for dark red hair. The color Molly - grandpa's good old horse. It came in dark brown as before but in a way my prayers were answered. A kind uncle found a red haired doll for me and received the following Christmas - hard to find one with red hair now & must have been even more difficult then. "Mary Peaches" with her red hair still lives and sits in sm. rocking chair in my room. When I was 9 we moved to Oakland County - near Pontiac and became Presbyterians. Dad was Elder in the church there and in church here most of those years. We remained Presbyterians for rest of our lives. I attend N. Lakeland Presbyterian Church regularly while I in in Fla. and tho am not a member feel it is 'my church.' 6 of us live on same street and attend together. I graduated Salutatorian from Drayton Plains 10th grade and then went to Pontiac for last two years and then on to Eastern for two years and a "state limited certificate' to teach. Those were not easy years to find employment but I managed to get job teaching K, 1 & 2 at "Webster School' on Pontiac Lake. I weighed in at birth over 3 lbs but not quite 4 lbs and for my 1st job stood almost 4' 9" and weighted 78 lbs. Not very impressive looking I suspect. Had 50 children in my classroom that year and they all learned to read in the 3 years I was there. If the parents had doubts when I started, they vanished. I worked hard to make my students the best and they liked me. This too was a good time - followed with 1 year at Hudson Covert School - near home and then 4 years at Lake Orion. during this time I took Sat. classes, night classes and summer school at Eastern to get my B.A. diploma. I moved to Wyandotte and completed 29 years there at Garfield, Madison & Jefferson Schools. 37 years teaching in all. My parents and I bought a home in Trenton and there we stayed (44 years). I attended Columbia University in New York and received my masters degree there. I enjoyed teaching and always believed "my children" were the best looking and best behaved children just like mothers do I suspect. My mother and father were my family and we lived happily together. Mother and I took care of Dad the last 5 years when his health failed. I took care of mother and when knew she could no longer be alone, I retired. (My eyes had always been a weak and about them I had trouble reading) so it was a good time to decide to retire. Mother & Dad were both in hospital many times and was told by Drs. several times that they must go to a nursing home - but 'we' and later I decided against it and we made out. Tho I missed them both terribly "they were my all." I was always glad that I refused their hospital & Drs. advice and thankful that was able to care for them until God took them. I've tried to stay independent and take care of myself and hope to as long as here. My neighbors on Ct. where I live are great and have good one near me where stay in Fla. Through the years have had some very good friends which am most thankful for too. I've always been fond of animals and over my life. 1 dog and 4 cats adopted me. My most recent "Cindy" 5 1/2 lbs travels to and from Fla. with me. When we had a directory with pictures made for my community there - she is in the picture with me and by far the best looking. Everyone in area knows her and the saying "happiness is being owned by a cat" is true for me. There are many old hymns I like. Esp. like the blessing ones. "Make me a Blessing" & my grandmother's favorite when working in the kitchen "There shall be showers of Blessings." Probably the most suitable would be "Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine." I hope the music Floy (organ music) can be played during 1st part of service. It is titled "Floy" and Eric Norris wrote it for me. He was a good friend and the organist for Old Mariner Church at the foot of Woodward Ave. Also concert organist for Grinnell Brothers Music store in Detroit. It was one of the nicest gifts I ever received and I treasure it. I've always liked "Just a closer Walk with Thee." Have been to many band concerts in S. where it was played. Be nice to have it played on organ at end of service - not slow & mournful but joyous at the end. I also like John 8:12. My life has been an ordinary one. I tried never to hurt anyone and did my best to instill good in my students - over 1,500 of them, and loved and cared for my parents and others when they needed me. Through the years many loved me and I appreciated it.