Marvel Bessmer
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Life Story for Marvel Jean Bessmer (Scheidt)

Marvel Jean Bessmer
Marvel left her life with us on February 10, 2015 to once again be with her beloved Herman, this time together forever in Heaven.
Marvel was born December 1, 1919 in Lansing, Michigan as the second oldest child of Bernice and Bernard Scheidt's 11 children. She was interred at Riverside Cemetery on February 11th in the presence of her family with a private graveside service conducted by Gene Haas. A memorial mass to celebrate Marvel's life will take place at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Hastings on Saturday, May 16, 2015 at 11:00am with a luncheon following.
Herman and Marvel's life-long commitment to one another began January 21, 1946 in Hastings, starting a shared journey of many years together that included raising four exceptionally caring daughters. They made their first home at 736 East Madison Street in a close-knit neighborhood where Marvel watched over neighborhood children and summer days would draw their girls and childhood friends outside from dawn to dusk. The family moved to the countryside in 1962 where Herm built a new home on 80 acres of land purchased by his father during the early 1900's, near the intersection of Cedar Creek and Shultz Roads. After Herm passed in 1983, Marvel continued to live there alone for a short time before moving back to Hastings to be close to friends and her church.
Marvel had an incredibly strong relationship with God- one on one and intensely personal. She was a life-long member of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, attending every Saturday evening service for decades. She was the first to arrive and usually claimed her spot in the back row pew. She enjoyed antique auctions, family gatherings, July Fourth Fireworks at Gretchen's and Charles' (her sister and brother-in-law's) farm, car rides in the country, making family meals on Sunday and holidays, participating in prayer group and playing cards with friends and family. Marvel loved her animals-Muggins, Bootsie, Lady I, Lady II, Winnie and the horses, Cocoa and Lightening. She and Herm maintained a large vegetable garden every summer, and although she always voiced her displeasure of gardening Marvel secretly took pleasure in her success--how else could someone put up 101 jars of dill pickles one fall! We miss those pickles. We miss her jars of homemade chili sauce and pickled beets, too.
As she and her friends aged and loneliness took hold, Marvel started the Hastings Widows Club and served as unofficial chauffer (sitting on a pillow helped Marvel see over the dashboard of her big Chevy Impala) in bringing ladies together for card games, church, lunch or just to visit. During this time in her life, Marvel baked and quietly delivered over 700 loaves of her homemade bread to friends and shut-ins. She spent hundreds of hours back and forth between home and Thornapple Manor to visit with former friends, neighbors or acquaintances. She felt a gentle pat on the hand, a look into the eyes to share her smile and a friendly "hello in there" made a difference, and it did. Then, over the last thirteen years Marvel began leaving us, little by little until she was gone and on her way to Heaven.
Marvel left a lot of her with us. She knew the value of a dollar and gave high importance to saving, but was not motivated by wealth. What drove her was to be rich in things that truly matter in life, especially family. Marvel always shared all she had to give, and knew how to make do with what she had. She was strong-willed without ever being pretentious, and a firm believer in knowing the difference between right and wrong. She had unyielding compassion for those least capable of helping themselves. Marvel taught her daughters all the important things she believed in; honesty, humility, service, compassion and tolerance. She did it as if it was her sole mission in life and she did it like the world depended on it. She gave much the same of herself to her grandchildren.
Of the many things she shared with us and the one most cherished is her love of music. She had an innate ability to play piano by ear. Stardust was a favorite song but Marvel could quickly interpret melodies and play them well. Marvel also enjoyed singing and whistling. Those Bessmer household moments are part of us forever and they bring warmth to our souls. Even as sounds of her voice and piano fade over time, the sheer joy of Marvel in full song is too deeply embedded in the hearts of her children and grandchildren to be forgotten.
Marvel is survived by sisters, Ardene Lackey and Peggy (Jim) Rider, her brother Roger (Beverly) Scheidt, brother-in-law Charles Farrell and sister-in-law Esther Scheidt. She is also survived by her four daughters-Carol (Jim) Waltz, Colleen (Kent) Anderson, Christine (Ted) Fitzgerald and Corinne (Michael) O'Heran; and grandchildren Erik (Kara) Anderson, Kelly (Jason) Francisco, Casey (Kevin) Boyer, David Anderson, Katelin (Brent) Reynhout, Anne (Ben) Van Spronsen and Zachary O'Heran. Her surviving great-grandchildren are Caleb and Collins Francisco, and Evan and Tyler Anderson.
She was preceded in death by her husband Herman, siblings Donna Besko, Barbara Bush, Marion McVay, Phyllis Lackey, Gretchen Farrell , Richard Scheidt and Donald Scheidt; and son-in-law Roger Cook.
Those wishing to make a memorial donation in Marvel's name are encouraged to direct it to the charity of their choice, St. Rose of Lima Church or the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute.


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