Louis "Louie" Lietaert

Louis “Louie” Lietaert was a man of integrity with a strong work ethic and a passion for cars of all kinds. Louie fostered an easy-going spirit and understood the value in embracing both the easy and hard times, as life has a way of handing out both. He was truly a rare gem and could brighten up a room with his infectious laughter and great sense of humor. Louie was grateful to be blessed with a loving and fulfilling marriage for forty years with a wife that he truly adored.

During the 1920s, the automobile became a vital part in the lives of many Americans as mass production made them available for around $290.00. It was also during this time that families gathered around the radio for entertainment and news much like they do with the television today and buying on credit became a trend that would only continue to grow throughout history. This was also a significant time for Gustave and Maria (St. Onge) Lietaert of Detroit, Michigan, as they were preparing for the birth of their first child at any time. They were indeed blessed on August 31, 1926, with the healthy birth of their son, Louis. As the oldest of three children in his family, Louis grew up on the family farm in Onaway, located in the northeast corner of the state.

By the end of the twenties, our nation had fallen victim to the Great Depression which was acutely felt in Michigan. One of the industries that were hit the hardest was the farming industry; many families with farms struggled to make ends meet and the Lietaert family was no exception. Louie, as he came to be called, spent many hours working as so many other young people of this generation did, helping in any way he could. In fact, the young people of this era were more commonly found working than in school as evidenced by only ten percent of the nation’s youth actually graduating from high school. Louie himself traded in his school books to put in more hours working, building a strong work ethic within Louie that would follow him throughout his entire lifetime.

As he came of the appropriate age, Louie answered the call to defend our country as he served in the United States Army. He valiantly served for a total of five years, with two of those years being in active duty, and it is because of selfless soldiers like Louie that we still enjoy the freedoms they fought to preserve.

Upon his return to civilian life, Louie began working at Sutherland Paper Mill where he was a machinist and a mechanic. He spent his entire career at Sutherland, which later became James River Paper, before he retired in 1986, after 34 years of dedicated service. While he was busy building a career, Louie was introduced to a delightful young woman named Beatrice Leversee, with whom he fell deeply in love. They were united in marriage on June 30, 1956, at St. Augustine Church with the reception following at the family farm in Kendall. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in a love story which would span 40 years. Louie continued his job at the mill and Bea worked too, at Shakespeare for 43 years.

Although Louie and Bea never had any children, they genuinely enjoyed watching their many nieces and nephews grow up. They enjoyed traveling and their adventures took them to a variety of destinations including Hawaii, out west, and on numerous cruises. Louie and Bea enjoyed eating out. Fletcher’s Pub, Texas Corners and LaRue’s, Oshtemo were Louie’s favorite spots. Louie enjoyed pizza with black olives and pepperoni accompanied by a cold bottle of beer.

Louie was truly one-of-a-kind with attributes and passions that were a unique blend that made Louie the man that his family and friends treasured. He always carried himself with integrity and took things as they came, never allowing his feather to get ruffled. Louie never argued or swore and was blessed with a great sense of humor that he often shared with others. He was passionate about cars and every Sunday after church was spent driving through car lots admiring the new models. Louie loved all makes and models, or so it seemed, and he took great care of his own cars. He loved listening to Tigers baseball games on the radio and caught them as often as he could.

Unfortunately, Louie was deeply saddened with the death of his beloved Bea about twelve years ago after she suffered a stroke and was unable to recover. She had been the planner and organizer in their relationship and her absence left Louie to travel through uncharted waters as he now needed to take care of these “details” for himself. Although not easy, Louis continued on, making the most of his remaining days.

Throughout his life, Louie Lietaert lived his life with honor and integrity, always sensitive to the needs of those around him. He was able to overcome adversity with finesse, embracing both the peaks and valleys throughout life’s journey. It was obvious to all around him that he adored his wife of forty years and that time spent with her, brought him the greatest moments of joy each day. Louie was a beloved son, brother, husband, and uncle, who will be dearly missed.

Louis “Louie” Lietaert, died May 29, 2009 at Rose Arbor. Louie’s family includes a sister, Rita (Joe) Vargason; two sisters-in-law; June Hustafa and Joyce Pomeroy and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and a younger brother. Visit with Louie’s family and friends on Sunday from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes - Kalamazoo, MI, 6080 Stadium Drive, 375-2900. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Monday 10:30 a.m. at St. Augustine Cathedral. Burial at Kendall Cemetery will be followed by a luncheon at the Kendall United Methodist Church. Please visit Louie’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can archive a memory or photo, sign his memory book before coming to the funeral home, or make a memorial contribution to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan.