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Pesek, Michelle B.

Pesek, Michelle B. image
Parent Issue
Ann Arbor News, April 24, 2004
Day
24
Month
April
Year
2004
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Copyright Protected
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
Obituary
OCR Text

Pesek, Michelle B.
Ann Arbor, MI
Age 81, passed away peacefully Wednesday, April 21, 2004. She was born December 5, 1922 in Taylorville, IL. Michelle was a trailblazer in early childhood education. In 1963, she opened Gay-Jay Nursery School which later became one of Ann Arbor's first Montessori schools (Michelle Norris Montessori School). Michelle's legacy will be the hundreds of children whose lives were forever changed by the greatest gift of all - a superior education. Illness forced Michelle to close her school in 1995 but her many years as an outstanding educator were recognized by President and Hillary Clinton and honored by the City of Ann Arbor on "Michelle Norris Montessori Day". Michelle also taught in the Ypsilanti Public Schools and worked at Michigan Bell Telephone Company where she met her husband of 53 years Charles, who preceded her in death in 1999. She is also preceded in death by her parents Gus and Vallie Norris and two brothers Gale and Melvin. She is survived by her sister Loretta Buckles (Richard) of Owaneco, IL, sister-in-law Billie Smith of Port Charlotte, FL., daughters Gayle Pesek of Ann Arbor, Jayne Bower (Jeffrey) of Ann Arbor, Patty Jensen (David) of Long Beach, CA, son-in-law Dan Wesolowski of Jackson, MI, grandchildren Heather and Travis Wesolowski, Benjamin and Jonathan Bower and Jakob Jensen. Michelle will live on through all of them and through the many students whose lives she touched. Visitation will be held Sun., April 25, 2004 from 4-7 p.m. at Muehlig Funeral Chapel, 403 S. Fourth Ave in Ann Arbor. A Funeral Mass will be said on Mon, April 26, 2004 at 10 a.m. at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Ann Arbor. A Scripture Service will be at 7:00 p.m. Sunday. The family requests in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association, or St. Joe Mercy Hospice.