GERMAINE “GERRY” McGLADDERY THOMPSON,
passed away peacefully in the home of her son, Guy and daughter-in-law, Dawn McGladdery Thursday, December 7, 2017, in Big Bay. She was born April 15, 1927 as a French citizen in Oran, Algeria, North Africa to Francois and Francisca (nee Sanchez) Manzanera and had a remarkable life. Trained as a teen to be a tailor, she was hired by the US Army after World War II as a telephone operator. Germaine and other Algerian girls were flown from Oran to Marseilles, France for training, then on to Paris to work at US Army headquarters. She met Carl McGladdery while he was serving there. They were married in Wiesbaden, Germany September 26, 1946.
Germaine crossed the Atlantic by military ship transport with the other US War Brides arriving in New York on December 6, 1946. She became a US citizen in 1962. They had two children, Michelle and Guy. Carl and Germaine made their home in the Detroit area for many years. She worked for J.L. Hudson’s Department Store as a tailor and was proud to participate in one of Hudson’s Thanksgiving Day parades.
After marriage to her second husband, William Thompson, in May 1958, they had one son, Craig. Bill and Germaine lived and farmed for many years in the Minden City area. Bill died in December 1998. Gerry worked for many years at Deckerville Die Form, retiring in 1991. She loved to play bingo and go on casino trips with her dear friends. Gerry loved playing poker with all four generations of her family. She enjoyed painting in oil and watercolor and left many paintings to her children and grandchildren. Recently she enjoyed listening to the trees sing to her in Big Bay. Germaine was a long-time member of Minden City United Methodist Church in Minden City and a member of the Order of Eastern Star.
She is survived by her children, Michelle Zdrojewski-Leeson of Cass City, Guy and Dawn (Karas) McGladdery of Big Bay; Craig and Donna (Fuller) Thompson of Columbus, OH; sister-in-law, Jeannette Manzanera of Pau, France and many nieces and nephews there; brother-in-law, Darwin McGladdery; sisters-in-law: Betty Tulley and Vivian Finch. Meme’s grandchildren: John and Deidra Zdrojewski of Cass City, Dana and Marty Cooley of Roseville, Douglas and Shannon Zdrojewski of Muskegon, Kara and Steven Hildinger of Hancock, Benjamin Thompson of Columbus, OH, Emily Thompson (fiancé, Jeff Gibbons) of TN, Joe and Jill Leeson of Cass City; and extended family, William A., II and Marsha Karas of Flushing. Meme’s great grandchildren: Brandon, Lauren, Erin, Samantha, Beth, Dylan, Rachel, Jocelyn, Alexandra, Ethan, Marcus, Stephanie and Fredrick. She is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents; brothers: Francois, Andre and Fernand all of France; both husbands; sons-in-law: Kenneth Zdrojewski and Fredrick Leeson, Sr. and many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
Memorial service held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 11, 2018 in Kranz Funeral Home, Cass City with Debra L. Kranz, Funeral Service Celebrant, officiating. Interment is in Elkland Township Cemetery.
Arrangements by
Kranz Funeral Home, Cass City, Michigan
Debra L. Kranz, 989-872-2195
passed away peacefully in the home of her son, Guy and daughter-in-law, Dawn McGladdery Thursday, December 7, 2017, in Big Bay. She was born April 15, 1927 as a French citizen in Oran, Algeria, North Africa to Francois and Francisca (nee Sanchez) Manzanera and had a remarkable life. Trained as a teen to be a tailor, she was hired by the US Army after World War II as a telephone operator. Germaine and other Algerian girls were flown from Oran to Marseilles, France for training, then on to Paris to work at US Army headquarters. She met Carl McGladdery while he was serving there. They were married in Wiesbaden, Germany September 26, 1946.
Germaine crossed the Atlantic by military ship transport with the other US War Brides arriving in New York on December 6, 1946. She became a US citizen in 1962. They had two children, Michelle and Guy. Carl and Germaine made their home in the Detroit area for many years. She worked for J.L. Hudson’s Department Store as a tailor and was proud to participate in one of Hudson’s Thanksgiving Day parades.
After marriage to her second husband, William Thompson, in May 1958, they had one son, Craig. Bill and Germaine lived and farmed for many years in the Minden City area. Bill died in December 1998. Gerry worked for many years at Deckerville Die Form, retiring in 1991. She loved to play bingo and go on casino trips with her dear friends. Gerry loved playing poker with all four generations of her family. She enjoyed painting in oil and watercolor and left many paintings to her children and grandchildren. Recently she enjoyed listening to the trees sing to her in Big Bay. Germaine was a long-time member of Minden City United Methodist Church in Minden City and a member of the Order of Eastern Star.
She is survived by her children, Michelle Zdrojewski-Leeson of Cass City, Guy and Dawn (Karas) McGladdery of Big Bay; Craig and Donna (Fuller) Thompson of Columbus, OH; sister-in-law, Jeannette Manzanera of Pau, France and many nieces and nephews there; brother-in-law, Darwin McGladdery; sisters-in-law: Betty Tulley and Vivian Finch. Meme’s grandchildren: John and Deidra Zdrojewski of Cass City, Dana and Marty Cooley of Roseville, Douglas and Shannon Zdrojewski of Muskegon, Kara and Steven Hildinger of Hancock, Benjamin Thompson of Columbus, OH, Emily Thompson (fiancé, Jeff Gibbons) of TN, Joe and Jill Leeson of Cass City; and extended family, William A., II and Marsha Karas of Flushing. Meme’s great grandchildren: Brandon, Lauren, Erin, Samantha, Beth, Dylan, Rachel, Jocelyn, Alexandra, Ethan, Marcus, Stephanie and Fredrick. She is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents; brothers: Francois, Andre and Fernand all of France; both husbands; sons-in-law: Kenneth Zdrojewski and Fredrick Leeson, Sr. and many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
Memorial service held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 11, 2018 in Kranz Funeral Home, Cass City with Debra L. Kranz, Funeral Service Celebrant, officiating. Interment is in Elkland Township Cemetery.
Arrangements by
Kranz Funeral Home, Cass City, Michigan
Debra L. Kranz, 989-872-2195
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