Howard was born with the last name "Page," changing it to "Paige" in 1926 because the spelling looked classier. Neither his sister Margaret Frances "Peggy" nor brother Marshal Harvey "Mutt" changed their spelling.

Howard worked at MI's Consumers Power Company from 1927 until he retired as a Power Control Dispatcher in 1972 after 45 years of service. While the Depression raged during the 1930s, there were times when Howard was the only one of all the relatives holding a steady job.

Howard received Christ in November, 1972, through the guidance and inspiration of his friend, the Reverend Bert Cole. Howard then became a minister through ordination at the Pentecostal Church in Fitchburg, MI, in April, 1984, the same year he sold the farm. He had a small church until realizing that his true calling was evangelizing on a personal basis to individuals or small groups. For several years he put on weekly sing-alongs at medical care facilities, convalescent/retirement homes, etc. During the last years he was also actively involved in preparing senior citizens' income tax and heating fuel/medical rebate forms.

Howard spent most of his life in Jackson Co., MI, except for the few years of his childhood in Mason, Ingham Co., MI, and a span of twelve years during his married life: 1937 to 1939 in Flint, MI, and 1939 to 1949 in Saginaw, MI.

Howard's last home was on Bunkerhill Rd. at Pleasant Lake, MI, which he and wife Marilee purchased in 1984. He was interred at Roseland Cemetery, Jackson, MI, near Marilee and Margaret Ann.

Howard's life is told in a compilation entitled "Glimpses into the Life of the Reverend Howard O. Paige" 1994.
-------------------------
Following is an obituary for Howard, appearing in the Jackson Citizen Patriot newspaper for May 4, 1994

Of Pleasant Lake, passed away May 1, 1994, age 84 years. He is survived by his children, R. Duane (Elaine) of Saginaw, Charlene Frances (Reverend Robert) Garrett of Blissfield, Mary Louise (Robert) West of Plymouth, Minn., Charles William of Pasadena, Calif. Preceded in death by a daughter, Margaret Ann in 1984. He is also survived by nine grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; several stepchildren and numerous step grand and great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Esther Page of Napoleon.

Mr. Paige was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Saginaw and he, along with his former wife Jennie and nine other couples helped found the Hope School in the early 1950s. He retired from Consumers Power Company in 1972, later found Christ and became a minister of God.

Services will be conducted from the funeral home Thursday, 1:00 p.m. with the Reverend Donald Whelpley officiating and assisted by the Reverend Robert P. Garrett. Interment will follow at Roseland Memorial Gardens.

The family suggests that any memorials be directed to the Jackson Interfaith Shelter. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Wednesday 6 to 8 p.m. Chas. J. Burden & Son, 1806 E. MI Ave.

During the terrible influenza epidemic in the fall of 1918, Jennie was the only member of her immediate family to catch the dread disease that would kill half a million Americans and 20 million people worldwide.

As of May, 1997-
Jennie found Christ early on and has been very active with friends, family, church and the community, while pacing herself to get the most out of life. When Howard died, though he and Jennie had been divorced since April, 1965, and he had remarried twice, Jennie was there to fulfill her place in the family as the first Mrs. Paige.

Jennie's life is told in a compilation entitled "The Life and Times of Jennie Louise Barnes Paige."

Some of Jennieís Memberships Over Her Lifetime:

--St. Stephen's Methodist Church, Chicago
--Horton Methodist Episcopal Church
--First Methodist Church, Jackson
--State Street Methodist Church, Flint
--First Methodist Church, Saginaw (taught Sunday school)
--Haven Methodist Church in Jackson
--Women's Society of Christian Service (WSCS) through the First Methodist Church in 1940 (charter member)
--United Methodist Women (UMW), which replaced the WSCS
--The Shellhouse Guild (Mrs. Anna Shellhouse was a Sunday School teacher for some years at Haven Methodist Church and was idealized by some of her girl students, including Neva Porter (later Crippen-deceased 1993), Wilma Clement (later Smith-deceased 1997), Sue Pemberton (later Allen-deceased) and Jennie Barnes (later Paige), who established a club, or guild, in her honor.)
--The Birthday Club, including Audrey Denton, Dora Rowan, Hilma Barnes (deceased), Mary Packard Waters (deceased), Helen and Clyfford Leggett (deceased), Wilma Smith (deceased), Neva Crippen (deceased) Donna Clellen (deceased), Florence "Flo" Roth (deceased)
--Phillips 66, a church-related organization
--The Eastern Star (lifetime member; through her father's Masonic membership); was active in Saginaw
--Retarded Children's Society of Jackson Inc. (co-founder with husband and nine other couples)
--The Board of Hope School
--Both the National and Michigan Association of Retarded People
--On membership committee at the Lyle Torrant Training Center
--Calvary United Methodist Church--
----Chairperson of the Circle 2 women's group for over 20 years; the group disbanded when she was no longer able to chair
----On the church membership committee since 1976, meeting Mondays
----Member of "Young at Heart" church social activities group
----Member of "Focus Group" for churchwomen without husbands
--Volunteered for projects in Jackson's chapter of RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program)
--AARP (American Association of Retired People)
--Senior Citizens
--Volunteered in Emergency at W. A. Foote Memorial Hospital in Jackson
--Besides faithfully tithing at church, Jennie contributed to a number of charities, including Disabled Veterans and Feed the Children.

A list of Jennieís Memoir Contributions to the genealogical book "The Coming Together, Volume Two: Yesterday Today and Tomorrow"
--Memories of Long Ago
--Mrs. Shellhouse
--Marriage of Howard and Jennie
--Places where the family lived, and other information
--Fences make friends

There were also many other memory/information contributions made which were used to advantage in other genealogical essays and accounts, and always heartfelt moral support given to the efforts of family history preservation. It was through Jennie and her sister Helen's persuasion that their father Will Barnes wrote down the Barnes and Hood family history, to preserve information into the future that would otherwise have been lost. Both sisters were also very helpful with obtaining data for "The Barnes and Related Families Abridged Genealogical RECORD" project: 1974-1977.

Jennie has spent most of her life in Jackson Co., MI, except for the first ten years of her childhood in Chicago and a span of twelve years during her married life: 1937 to 1939 in Flint, MI, and 1939 to 1949 in Saginaw, MI.

Jennie spent several months at the Arbor Manor Care Center in Spring Arbor, MI due to a July 12, 2000 fall in which she broke her upper left leg. She was placed in the Care Center in September after staying several weeks at W.A. Foote Memorial Hospital in Jackson, during which time she had two operations. Her sister Helen was also at Arbor Manor from 1998 until her death Wednesday, April 18, 2001.

On Thanksgiving Day, 2000, Jennie's son "Bud" and his son-in-law Dan VanSumeren began working on her house in preparation for receiving vinyl siding. Two of the windows were already replaced before the family's Thanksgiving celebration occurred at the Arbor Manor Care Center that afternoon. Bud and Dan continued working through the end of the year before the job was done. As a result, the little white house on the corner of E. North and Ellery streets became the little yellowish cream-colored house. Besides replacing several of the windows and installing siding, Bud and Dan also replaced the roof on the garage and did many things to enhance entrance to the house. This was all in preparation for the day when Jennie could once again return to her home.

Jennie did return to her house on a few occasions, thanks to her daughter and son-in-law Charlene and Bob Garrett, but they were always short stays. The longest was when she was treated to a back yard party at her house, to which friends and neighbors were invited. Over the next years, Jennie's desire to return to her house waned, to be replaced by a sense of community at the Arbor Manor Care Center. In turn, staff at the Center loved Jennie and did everything in their power to make her stay with them comfortable and fun. Her family never forgot her, either, and she received frequent visits and phone calls. She was also taken on occasional day trips, both by the Care Center and members of her family. From the beginning she had her own phone, as the family never wanted her to feel "out of the picture." Just as before the accident, Jennie once again became the family's news hub, a task that she loved and fulfilled faithfully until the end.

Jennie's obituary:

"PAIGE, JENNIE B. Aged 95, of Jackson, went to be with her Lord, August 19, 2003, at Arbor Manor Care Center. She was a member of Calvary United Methodist Church and the Eastern Star. With her husband, she helped found the Retarded Children's Society of Jackson (Hope School). She was a member of the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program R.S.V.P. She was a tour guide with Michigan's Artrain during America's bicentennial celebration. She is survived by her children, Royce Duane (Elaine) Paige, Charlene (Reverend Robert) Paige Garrett, Mary Louise (Robert) West and Charles William Paige; sister-in-law, Hilma (Mrs. Thomas) Barnes; grandchildren, Lynn Paige (Dan) VanSumeren, Steven (Kim) Paige, Karen Paige and friend Greg, Robert (Paula) Garrett Jr., Sue Garrett (David) Johnston, Connie Garrett (Ken) Smeader, Laura Garrett (Dennis) Hill, Angela West (Ken) Borash, and Betsy West (Mark) Sherman; 18 great- grandchildren; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Margaret Ann Paige; former husband, Howard Oswald Paige; brothers, Thomas and Charles (Esther) Barnes; and sister, Helen (Clyfford) Leggett. She was a most caring individual and she will be greatly missed by her family and friends. The family would like to offer special thanks to the staff at Arbor Manor for their loving care. Jennie has donated her body to University of Michigan Medical Research. A memorial service will be held Saturday, at 10:00 a.m. at the Calvary United Methodist Church, 925 Backus, Jackson. For those wishing, contributions may be made to Calvary United Methodist Church. www.MLive.com/obits Chas. J. Burden & Son 1806 E. Michigan Ave. Published in the Jackson Citizen Patriot on 8/21/2003."

Though Jennie gave her body to University of Michigan Medical Research, she has a headstone at the Horton Cemetery on Tripp Road between those of her parents.

Howard and Jennie met in Latin class at Jackson High School in Jackson, MI. Their big "things" were roller-skating and eating pineapple sundaes. The Paige family lived in a number of different houses and cities during their marriage, including the following:
1927-28 at Howard's mother's/grandmother's house on S. Jackson St.,
alternately at Jennie's parents' house on E. Ganson St.
in Jackson, MI.
1928 on Franklin St., Steward Ave., then Lansing Ave., in Jackson, MI.
1929 to 1937 on Lincoln St., Lansing Ave., then S. Jackson St. (next
door to Howard's mother and grandmother), Jackson, MI.
1937 to 1939 on Decker St., then Marengo St., Flint, MI.
1939 to 1941 on Hancock St., Saginaw, MI.
1941 to 1949 on Bay St., Saginaw, MI.
1949 to 1960 on Leroy St., Jackson, MI
Mid-1950s bought the cottage on Highland Lake at Hell, MI,
as recreational home
1960 to 1965 on Wooster Rd, Jackson Co., MI (which Howard kept
until 1984)
When they moved back to Jackson from Saginaw in 1949, Howard and Jennie helped to found Hope School for mentally retarded children. One of their daughters, Margaret Ann, had been born with Down's Syndrome, and they found that Jackson had no place willing to give her an education of any type. Howard was president of the Retarded Children's Society of Jackson Inc., creators and sponsors of the Hope School Project, from 1951 through 1957. During that time Jennie was also a very active participant in the drama that helped inform and open an entire community to the needs of the mentally handicapped.

The following article appeared in the Jackson Citizen newspaper around 1951:

"Jacksonia.

"For years handicapped children in this community have been provided with special educational facilities to meet their particular needs so that they would not be deprived of advantages available to normal youngsters. Now provision also has been made to educate cerebral palsy children, the parents of 10 such youngsters having established regular classes in the Kerr school. It is a commendable project."

Howard and Jennie bought a cottage on Highland Lake at Hell, MI in the mid-1950s, which was sold when Howard bought his "bachelor pad" on Cardinal Crest St. during a trial separation. Howard and Jennie then bought a 100-acre farm in late 1960, which they put into full production while Howard continued working three alternating shifts at the power company.

Jennie and Howard were divorced in 1965, at which time Jennie moved into the house at 1100 E. North St. in Jackson, where she would live for more than thirty-five years.

As of May, 2003-
Bud worked at Michigan Bell Telephone for 39 years (retired). He is a skillful electrician and carpenter, enjoys playing the stock market, is an avid fisherman and an accomplished amateur golfer. He built the house on McEwan in Saginaw in the mid-1950s, learning how by reading his dad's set of building books and watching what the other carpenters did as neighboring houses went up. Since then he has helped each of his children extensively with various projects regarding their homes and yards. He and son-in-law Dan VanSumeren have replaced his mother Jennie's roof on her house and garage, have replaced several of her windows, and have covered Jennie's house and garage with siding. Since 2001 Bud also has taken on the responsibility of maintaining his mother's yard while she has been in a care center.

For many years after Bud's retirement, he and Elaine divided their time between their home in Saginaw, MI, Cadillac Lake, MI (where they parked their recreational trailer during the summer) and Silver Springs, FL (where they parked the trailer during the winter).

In 1997, Bud and Elaine sold the house that Bud had built to buy their retirement home on Cloverway North on the outskirts of Saginaw. The house sits on a small golf course, allowing Bud and other members of the family easy access to the course whenever the impulse moves them.

The Paiges celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1999. The following article appeared in the local newspaper:

"DUANE AND ELAINE PAIGE

"R. Duane and Elaine Paige of Saginaw recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at the Freeland Convention Center. The former Elaine Shaw and R. Duane Paige were married June 25, 1949, in Saginaw.

"Their children and their spouses are Lynn and Dan VanSumeren, Steve and Kim Paige and Karen Paige, all of Saginaw. They also have seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. R. Duane retired in 1986 from Michigan Bell Telephone Co. after 39 years of service."

In May, 1948 Charlene "Char" (pro. Shar) was inducted into the National Honor Society, Saginaw, MI branch. The ceremony took place at Arthur Hill High School. Fourteen years later her sister Mary would also be inducted. A little more than fifty years and five months later Charleneís granddaughter Kelli Garrett would be similarly honored in 1998, followed by grandchildren Jason Hill and Mallory Garrett in AD 2000.

As of May, 2003-
Char worked at MI Bell Telephone for several years as an operator in the 1940s and 50s, and for a while when her family lived in Dixboro, Michigan. During her married life she also sold Avon products, which helped furnish their house with sales contest winnings. She published her first book of poems in 1992, titled "My Footprints." The book includes poetry from when she first started writing, at age ten, until 1990. Char's sister Mary and daughter Connie greatly assisted in the publication project's early stages.

------------------------------

The following is an article by Debbie Oglenski, Tribune Staff Writer, that appeared in the Huron Daily Tribune, published in Bad Axe, Michigan, July 2, 1992:

"FOOTPRINTS IN POETRY

"Book conveys a lifetime of memories

"PORT AUSTIN -- Charlene Paige Garrett began writing poetry as a child. 'I started writing poems when I was 10 years old. I wrote them on paper that divided hosiery,' Garrett said. Those papers, sent to Garrett by a relative, quickly were put to use. Fifty-two years later, Garrett's work is printed and bound under the title 'My Footprints.'

"The Blissfield resident is back in Port Austin -- a town she and her husband the Rev. Bob Garrett called home for over 20 years -- promoting her book. Garrett will be at the arts and crafts sale at the Port Austin Civic Center Friday from 2-7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. selling and autographing her book.

"The 127-page book contains 119 poems written by Garrett from her childhood until December 1990. 'There are a lot of Port Austin poems because we were there 21 years,' Garrett said. While living in Port Austin, Garrett belonged to a poetry club that met weekly at the United Protestant Church. Poet Dorothy Peterson led the group.

"Throughout her life, Garrett has used poetry to vent her feelings. 'When I was upset by social issues I definitely wrote a poem about them,' Garrett said. One is about a rat-infested tenement in Detroit, told through the eyes of a little boy in prayer. Another deals with Thanksgiving during World War II, when a radio announcer provoked her anger by declaring the holiday that year should be declared 'Blamesgiving Day.'

"The everyday conflicts and struggles of daily living and raising teenagers in the Port Austin area also are the basis of some of her poems. In contrast to the poems that helped Garrett constructively express her anger and frustrations are poems that profile the warm moments with family and a community like Port Austin.

"'Farewell and Thank You' sums up the sights, sounds and feelings of attachment that accumulated in living in one place for an extended period of time. The couple raised four children while in the area, and their ties to it remain strong. Two of the children live in the Thumb area -- Connie Smeader and Robert Garrett. Daughter Laura Hill married a man she met at the Port Austin Air Force Radar Station and now lives in Rome, N.Y., and another daughter, Sue Johnston, lives in Ridgefield, Conn. The couple have 12 grandchildren, and all of them have found a place in the book under the section entitled 'Snow Prints,' a series of Christmas poems that highlight the events of a year.

"Garrett hopes the legacy of family will continue to motivate her writing. She is planning a second book entitled 'Grandma's Footprints.' She said the reaction of her children and grandchildren on seeing 'My Footprints' in print has been a touching experience. One grandson tucked a copy of his book into his backpack and read it to his mom and younger siblings on the way to day care every morning. It was that child's mother -- Connie Smeader -- who was responsible for Garrett's compiled collection of poetry ultimately being printed.

"When Garrett celebrated her 61st birthday in April 1991, Smeader told her mother she wanted to put the poems in book form as a gift. Smeader took the poems, which her aunt [Mary (Paige) West] had spent a couple of years gradually inputting on a computer disk, and made three copies 8 1/2 -by- 11 inches. One was sold at the annual Youth for Christ Auction. After seeing her work bound, Garrett decided she wanted to give the books for gifts, so she ran off 30 copies at the church office. But it wasn't quite the same.

"Garrett's husband knew a friend who had been published by Brentwood, so he contacted the company and 385 copies were published and delivered in late May. Over half have been sold.

"A minister's wife for 41 years, Garrett said she has often been told people are using them for a devotion or reflective time with church groups. 'In Christian circles I would say that whenever I had a problem, the Lord gave me the answer to my problem through writing a poem,' Garrett said.

"For those who can't attend the arts and crafts show, the book also is on sale for $10 at Kasper's of Port Austin, the Pigeon Community Book Store, and through the Methodist Cokesbury Book Store. Copies also can be obtained by sending cost of the book and $2 for postage and handling to Charlene Garrett, P.O. Box 33, Blissfield, MI 49228.

------------------------------

Charlene plays the piano and enjoys singing in the church choir. She is an outstanding organizer, exceptional cook, has been a great asset to Bob's ministry over the years, and her ice cream cakes are in much demand at social gatherings. She is also a loving and thoughtful daughter, who, with husband Bob, has taken care of her mother numerous times over the years, when Jennie has been sick, had strokes, fallen, etc. She and Bob also took care of her father Howard during some of his last months, which was not an easy task. However, Charlene did benefit by achieving some closure with her father.

Places where the Charlene and Bob Garrett, Sr. family have lived include Lexington, KY, and Hillman, Saugatuck (twice), Saginaw (twice), Dixboro, Port Austin, Blissfield and Cass City, MI. They have moved about a dozen times.

In the 1980s the Garretts bought their first home, near Port Austin, in the Thumb area of Michigan, which they figured ultimately would be their retirement home. From that time on they maintained two separate homes, their own as well as the parsonage in each town where Bob was assigned as Methodist minister. During several of those years Bob and Charlene rented their own house to friend Gary Sterns. It wasn't until about 2001 that the Garretts only had one residence, at which time their friends and family profited by all the extra furniture they had to unload.

Bob and Charlene's 50th wedding anniversary celebration took place on Saturday June 9, 2001 at the Cass City Methodist church. They had been married Saturday June 9, 1951. Among the many attendees, all of Charlene and Bobís children and most of their grandchildren were there as well as relatives from both sides of the family; there also were people from several of the congregations Bob and Charlene had served since 1951. Charleneís brother Charlie was in Michigan on vacation, so he brought his and Charleneís mother Jennie to the anniversary gala, assisted by Regina from the Arbor Manor Care Center. Also folded into the occasion was the celebration of Bobís 50th anniversary as Methodist minister. Besides a wide assortment of food, drink, and treats, there were display tables presenting pictures and other memorabilia from Bobís 50 years as minister and Bob and Charleneís half-century together. Charleneís wedding dress was hung on a wall behind the marriage tables, and a picture of the wedding couple depicting Charlene wearing the dress was affixed to a large mat board for signing as people entered. Part way through the event, the Garrett children (now grown, with children of their own) acted up, sung special songs, played the piano, and told tales about their parents. Also, Charlene and Bob each did a presentation to the other, including gifts and telling anecdotes from their life together. Throughout much of the time, a storm raged outdoors and family movies on VHS tapes played indoors.

Bob and Charlene have been highly active throughout their married lives and have not slowed down noticeably since retirement. Because of Charlene's mother's need to stay at a care center beginning in 2000, the Garretts have made numerous trips to Jackson for visits and to handle Jennie's business, e.g. pay her bills and be with her during out-of-Center doctor visits. They also do much to cheer Jennie and remind her that she is not forgotten and is still a much beloved member of the family.

As of May, 2003-
Margaret was diagnosed as having Down's Syndrome early in her life, yet she brought a special something into the family that couldn't have come from anywhere or anyone else.

When Margaret's family, moved to Jackson from Saginaw in 1949, they found that Jackson had no place willing to give Margaret, and children like her, an education of any type. Consequently, they helped to found Hope School for mentally retarded children. Howard was president of the Retarded Children's Society of Jackson Inc., creators and sponsors of the Hope School Project, from 1951 through 1957. During that time Jennie was also a very active participant in the drama that helped inform and open an entire community to the needs of the mentally handicapped. Many people from Jackson and surrounding communities got in on the action, providing skilled labor to help accomplish Hope School's construction and other needs.

Margaret was not institutionalized until around 1964. At that time her parents were in the process of getting a divorce, and it was thought that it was best for Margaret to place her somewhere that could properly cared for her. She was first sent to the Fort Custer State Home at Battle Creek, Michigan. Several years later she was transferred to the Coldwater State Institution at Coldwater, MI. After a few years she was released to a halfway house on Carr Street in Jackson, where she and the family had better access to each other. Also living in that halfway house was Linda Janes, daughter of Marilee (Lawrence) and Fay Janes, two of the people that helped found Hope School and the Retarded Children's Society Inc. of Jackson.

Linda was four years younger than Margaret but had a significantly higher intelligence level. Linda had been born a Cretan whereas Margaret had been born with Down's Syndrome. Linda took Margaret under her wing and was completely at Margaret's bidding, until it was decided that Margaret was not being allowed to think for herself anymore. At that time the decision was made to separate the two. Linda ended up at Abbott Manor in Reading, Michigan, (where she has since passed away) and Margaret was moved to another halfway house, from where she was hospitalized during her final stages of Down's Syndrome.

Margaret's standard order at any restaurant was "Hamburger, French fries, Coke." It never varied. For a snack she would be thrilled if given a malted milk shake. She always carried a large stack of playing cards with her and would thumb through them whenever bored. She loved looking at pictures, especially those in magazines or occasion-card-laden scrapbooks, and carried a Bible with her much of the time.

Margaret was interred at Roseland Memorial Cemetery, Jackson, MI, with her Bible.
------------------
The following is Margaret's obituary, appearing in the Jackson Citizen Patriot newspaper:

Margaret Ann Paige-

Passed away at the Medical Care Facility Friday, June 15, 1984, aged 43. Surviving are her mother, Jennie B. Paige of Jackson; father and step-mother Reverend Howard and Marilee Paige of Pleasant Lake; two brothers, R.D. (Bud) Paige of Saginaw, Charles Paige of CA; two sisters, Mrs. Robert (Charlene) Garrett of Port Austin and Mrs. Robert (Mary) West of IL; several nieces and nephews. She was one of the ten charter students of the former Hope School for Handicapped Children. Miss Paige is at the Chas. J. Burden and Son Funeral Home, 1806 E. MI Ave., where services will be held Monday, 11:00 a.m. Interment Roseland Cemetery. The Reverend Maurice Harlow officiating. The family will receive friends Sun., 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
--------------------
Following is a letter to Santa written by one of Margaret's sisters and distributed in December 1984:

Dear Santa,
This Christmas letter is not to ask for anything for Christmas, it's to say "Thank You."

A few years ago you came to Port Austin by helicopter and landed on the baseball-football field at Gallup Park. At the fence watching eagerly your arrival was a ninety-one-year-old man and a little retarded girl.

When you descended from your copter, instead of walking over to the expectant crowd of parents and children, you took time to come first to the fence and shake hands with the little old man and greet the little retarded girl.

As long as I live I shall never forget that moment and the happiness I saw on each of their faces as Santa came to see them.

That was Clarence's last Christmas on Earth--Rev. Garrett's Mom's little boy friend.

And the little girl? My sister Margaret Ann joined Clarence and is spending her first Christmas with the "Grown Up Christ Child" and Clarence.

God Bless You, Santa! God Bless You.
A Very Grateful, Charlene Garrett

As of May, 2003-
In 1962, while living on a farm ten miles away from Jackson, Michigan, yet maintaining a job and attending high school in town, Mary was inducted into the Jackson's chapter of the National Honor Society. The ceremony was conducted at Jackson High School's Withington Stadium. [Fourteen years before, her sister Charlene had been inducted in Saginaw, MI. Thirty-six years later, in 1998, her grandniece Kelli Garrett would be inducted in Caro, MI, followed by grandniece Mallory Garrett and grandnephew Jason Hill in AD 2000.]

Mary was elected Jackson High School student body vice president during her 1962/63 senior year. Her future husband Robert Alvar West was elected president of the senior class.

Mary is an avid reader, an inspired organizer, and also enjoys playing the piano. Additionally, Mary is custodian for the bulk of old Paige family photographs and 8mm home movies.

Mary worked in the new Gilmore Advertising branch, where Rob was a vice president, for some years after the family moved to Rockford, Illinois from Kalamazoo, Michigan. By the fall of 1982 she was working as a temporary employee through the Manpower temp. agency. After an eight-week assignment starting in March 1983, the SwedishAmerican Hospital in Rockford hired her full time in their Community Relations/Development Office. However, by 1985 she was occasionally working freelance for Robís agency.

Mary's most recent line of work has been printing and promotional products, working for PAR Consulting Inc. of Edina, Minnesota. Every year for the ten years she worked at PAR, she walked in the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Challenge Walk as a member of the PAR Plus Team, sometimes joined by her daughter Angie. When it came time for Mary to move on, the following appeared in PAR's newsletter PAR+TICULARS of June 2003:

"GOODBYE MARY WEST

"When you work with people you like, the days go fast (as well as the years). Mary West started working at PAR over 10 years ago. We have celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, births, deaths, successes, losses, walks, books, stories, family frustrations, and lots of fun on the job.

"Mary (and her husband Rob) are pulling up stakes and moving. They have sold their home in Minnetonka, and are moving to Duluth. Rob is working with H. T. Klatzky & Associates, Inc., a leading advertising agency in Duluth as Senior Account Executive. Though we tried to talk Mary into staying at PAR, she decided she needed to be with Rob near their "getaway cabin" north of Duluth.

"Mary has worked with clients and vendors like you, bringing a high level of care and concern for your projects. Even when the unforeseen occurs (errors, omissions, and stupid things), Mary always handles the details with common sense and a willing "can do" attitude.

"In addition to selling a home, moving into a new one, Mary and Rob's daughter, Angie, is getting married in May. Once the move, wedding, and settling is complete, Mary says she will look for a job in Duluth, hoping to find one as fun as working at PAR."

Mary and Rob were married by brother-in-law Rev. Robert Page Garrett, Sr.

As of May, 2003-
Mary and Rob have lived in three states: Michigan (Kalamazoo: in apartments when first married, then three different houses), Illinois (Rockford: two locations), and Minnesota (Plymouth, Excelsior a.k.a. Shorewood (on Silver Lake), Minnetonka, and Duluth). While in Kalamazoo, they built their third house, an A-frame, with some family help from Mary's father Howard and nephew Bob Garrett, Jr., who was attending Western Michigan University and boarding with them, and also from Rob's father Alvar and brother John.

In latter February 1976, Wests moved from their newly built A-frame house in Kalamazoo Co., Michigan to a new house at Currytail Close in Rockford, Illinois, where Rob had been sent to open a branch for Gilmore Advertising. In December 1979 Wests moved up to a house on White Oak. This was shortly after Rob and others had purchased the Gilmore Advertising branch.

In mid-August 1985 the Wests moved from Rockford to the Minneapolis, Minnesota suburb of Plymouth. They moved to an area called Shorewood (Excelsior) in the mid-1990s. They bought a cabin on Barr Lake north of Duluth in latter 1999, and spent many hours over the next few years practically rebuilding it. Later they moved from Shorewood to a Cape Cod-style house in Minnetonka, which they kept from mid-2002 to mid-2003.

Their next move was to Duluth, where they are only a short drive from their cabin, and only a five-minute drive from where their daughter Betsy and her husband Mark live.