Lucille Ponton Weting, age 95, passed to her Savior’s arms on November 26, 2018. She died with her beloved husband, Lawrence at her side, as he always was, while residing at Waltonwood Main in Rochester Hills and under the care of The Care Team Hospice and Comfort Keepers.
She was born in Highland Park, MI to Charles and Beatrix (Mix) Ponton and was the second born daughter, preceded by sister Geraldine and followed by sisters Marillyn and Shirley.
Blessed to fall in love and marry “the boy next door” to the Ponton household, Lawrence Weting, they recently celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary. Her joys in life were many but her proudest accomplishment was having children, making a loving and stable family for them in which to grow up. Firstborn daughter, Claudia Jean Adams and second born son, Johnny Lawrence Weting (wife, Marny) graced Lucy and Lawrence with three grandchildren, Erika Adams Perez, Jeffrey John Weting (partner, Nicole Backus) and Paige Weting-Bennett (husband, Dr. Jeffrey Bennett). All three grandchildren have lovely memories of time spent with their “ Nana and Bompa, “who introduced them to many places during trips in the motorhome as well as their first flights in airplanes, to Disney World and Kauai. Three great-grandchildren also will always remember their special times with “Nana,” Sebastian Perez, Makena and Malia Bennett.
Lucy had many treasured titles besides wife, mom and Nana, among them, aunt, cousin, mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, and sister-in-law. She, like her husband, never met a stranger and her talent of letter writing kept strong contacts with people near and far, even people she just met! She saw the healing power of making custard and probably delivered thousands of them to anyone feeling “under the weather!” She never missed a grandchild’s birthday party and was at her finest when around her loved ones. She and Lawrence enjoyed traveling, hiking and camping especially in the beautiful Southwest and had multiple trips to Hawaii, Kauai being their special place when not at home. No need to wear black at her funeral, instead celebrate the colors of God’s world, the blues, greens and sunset and sunrise colors she loved!
Married at twenty to a husband seventeen and still in high school, they certainly beat the odds! Lucy was happy to be a wife while Lawrence finished school, then joined the Army Air Corps and she followed him when she could as he served stateside. Afterwards, she supported her husband’s dreams to start his own manufacturing company, Rochester Manufacturing Company, in which she worked as bookkeeper and secretary while beginning their family.
Lucy is survived by husband, Lawrence, daughter, Claudia, son, Johnny, grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as one sister, Shirley Wood, Her cousins and nieces and nephews were well loved by her as were their children and grandchildren and she was always happy to spread her love around, lavishing it on every child she thought needing “a spare grandma!” After her parents divorced when she was a child, she also gained a stepmother, Edith and a step brother, Richard Butrick. He also survives her. Lucy’s parents and stepmother have passed on as have two of her sisters, Geraldine Clara (husband Tony) and Marillyn Kimball (husband K.B.) and her brother- in-law, Dudley Martin. Nephew, Gerald Clara has also pre-deceased her.
Her in-laws, Howard and Hazel Weting, as well as her brother-in-laws, Ralph Weting and Ray Echtinaw pre-decease her. Lawrence’s sister, Beth Echtinaw, has been a sister to Lucy in many ways and has been a special blessing in Lucy’s last years, helping out in many ways.
After being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1992, the dreams she and Lawrence had for life during retirement changed but the strong fabric that Lucy’s life was made of, faith in God’s promises, and her enduring love of Lawrence allowed each of her family members and friends to learn a new way of compassionate communication with her and still be able to see her smile or engage a bit of humor. Each of us collected a few gems in our memories these last years! Although it seemed pretty consuming some days, Alzheimer’s did not define Lucy. Her family will be forever in awe of the loving care that Lawrence gave her. “You have been assigned this mountain to show others it can be moved.”
The Family will receive friends at Pixley Funeral Home, 322 West University Drive, Rochester, MI 48307 on Thursday, November 29, 2018 from 4:00 - 8:00 pm. A celebration of her life will take place at her church, St. Luke’s United Methodist, 3980 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills, MI 48309, on Friday, November, 30, 2018 at noon. Visitation will start at 11:00 am. Cremation will take place at a later date and when Lawrence joins her in death, they will be laid to rest together at Meade Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Leader Dog of Rochester, 1039 South Rochester Rd., Rochester Hills, MI 48307 or The Care Team Hospice Foundation, 30600 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 245, Farmington Hills, MI. 48334.
