Born Frances Marie Glenn on March 11, 1929. Marie longed for a different life than the farming of her ancestors, so when Wilbur “Whip” Lute rolled through, she hopped in his Buick and was off to see the country. After a stint on the pipe line, traversing the country, they settled in Florida. Marie was a good looking red head, and soon attracted the attention of Sheila Wassey, a fashion coordinator, who recruited her to become a fashion model in the late 1950’s.
It didn’t take long for Marie to become a hit in the community fashion scene. Besides her flaming hair and beautiful face and figure, Marie was known for her bubbly and outgoing personality. With Marie, there were no strangers, and before long she knew everyone in town. She would stop and talk to everyone; outrageous and with a wonderful sense of humor, Marie could say and do things that the average person couldn’t get away with, often with bawdy language. She was fabulous; a one of a kind person, and people loved her.
Marie married Jim Lynch and helped build his Cadillac business in St. Louis for a few years, but her heart remained in Clearwater, and when they split, she returned. But while there, she became the number one Cadillac salesman in the state.
Marie was many things during her lifetime; a model, a real estate agent, a clothing store owner, a Checkers Food store owner, a car salesman, and always the greatest mother in the world. (And later the best Grandma!)
When she met Dr. George Kotsch, he had just lost his wife. They became friends but it wasn’t too long before love bloomed, and they married on New Years’ Eve, 1983. They remained married until George passed away in January 2013. Shortly after George’s death, Marie experienced a stroke and the last five years of her life, Marie was in care of personal aides and resided at Cypress Palms Assisted Living. But during their 30 year marriage, they traveled the world, often with their good friends Dr. Bob and Anne Lewis. They went to Tibet and Borneo, China and Jamaica. Marie was bitten on the butt by a one-armed orangutan in Borneo and we always teased her that he had been flirting with another red head! They had many friends and were an active part of the local community, and stayed active in George’s medical community centered on Suncoast Internal Medicine, a practice George had helped create. Marie was always at the center, attracting people to her causes.
Marie will be sorely missed by all who knew her. She is survived by her two daughters, Dawn Douglas and Denise Ehrlich (Carl); Dawn’s children, Daphne Chandler (Jaime) and Beau Rightmyer (Marcella); and by the babies who brought her light at the end of her life, Beau’s three children and Marie’s great grandchildren, Gabriella, Lillianna, and Fritz. Her funeral will be in her hometown of Stockbridge, Michigan where her remains will be placed in the family plot. In attendance will be her surviving siblings, sister Mavis and brother Duane. In Florida, as per Marie’s wishes, we will be having a cocktail party in Celebration of Marie’s Life, in the community room of her condominium, 1200 Country Club Drive, date still to be determined, please let us know if you would like to attend. All are welcome to share stories and memories of Marie, in lieu of flowers please donate to the veterans’ fund Abilities.
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