With profound sadness we share that Mary Louella Webb of Holland, Michigan died on November 11, 2023, days before her 94th birthday.
She was born at the start of the great depression in Flint, Michigan, on November 27, 1929, to George and Louella (Humphreys) Kachmer. As children we heard the stories of how lucky she was; that her father managed to keep a job throughout the depression, how she carried baked potatoes in her pockets to keep her hands warm while walking to school in the cold Michigan winters, how she loved to tap dance and how she saved her money from a bakery job in high school to buy her own beautiful clothing. Most importantly, she was surrounded by dozens of aunts, uncles and cousins who she enjoyed visiting on weekends. She was so grateful for her large extended family. She graduated from Flint Northern High School with high honors and was, naturally, elected Best Dressed of her class.
She was trained on a comptometer which led to a job at Chevrolet working in payroll. This afforded her the pleasure of traveling around the country and across Europe in 1953 with her cousins. In 1954 she met her future husband, Raymond John Webb, at a Halloween party for Young Professionals. They married in May 1955. Job opportunities took them from Flint, Michigan to Baltimore, Maryland and back to Michigan, where they finally settled in Holland in 1965.
Her years in Holland were filled with raising her ten children, and volunteering at Holland Hospital and her parish church, St. Francis de Sales. She enjoyed friendships with neighbors, church and school families and her husband’s business associates. There was a group of neighborhood women with whom she met weekly for decades. It was affectionately called the coffee group. Alas was the lone survivor. She was a member of The Women’s Literary Club, was involved with Hope Academy of Senior Professionals (HASP), the Hospital Guild and the BASF Lunch Bunch. After retirement they spent their winters in Stuart, Florida, returning in time for the annual Tulip Festival. She agonized each year that the tulips wouldn’t be blooming in time for the weeklong event. As a couple they enjoyed cooking, entertaining, visiting friends across the country and overseas travel. Their parties were legendary. Their home was open to all and an extra seat at the dining room table was always available. They lived a rich, interesting, fantastically fun, full life. She was intelligent, well read, graceful and funny. She managed to make each of her children feel as if they were her favorite. Her most remarkable quality was her gratefulness, telling us up until the end how lucky she was. How precious she was to all of us, the truly lucky ones. We will see you again, joyfully, on the other side.
She is survived by her children; Raymond Webb III of Jackson, Michigan, Katie Farro (Gerald) of Stamford, Connecticut, Martha Osment (Michael) of Farmington Hills, Michigan, Susan McLelland (Jay Dunn) of Rockford, Michigan, Thomas Webb of Holland, Michigan, Elizabeth Knop (David) of Libertyville, Illinois, Jean Hyland (Michael) of La Grange, Illinois, David Webb (Santhana) of El Portal, California, Emily Sharot (Robert) of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, Nancy Danenberg (Benjamin) of White Bear Lake, Minnesota. In addition, she has twenty grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Forrest Hooper, a beloved cousin, also survives her.
She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, Raymond John Webb, her only sister, Elizabeth Ann Parrish, a grandson, Luke Raymond Glupker, and her son-in-law John McLelland, whom she adored.
A memorial mass will take place on Thursday, November 30 at 2:00pm with a one-hour visitation prior to the service starting at 1:00pm at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church,171 W 13th St, in Holland.
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