Loretta Ann Thacker

Loretta was born February 1, 1932 at home in Marengo Ohio, the 2nd daughter of Herman and Alice (Goodman) Weiss. Around the age of two the family moved to Bay City, Michigan, and she grew up as the second of 6 girls on the family farm in the community of Amelith. Perhaps that was how she developed her spunky, determined spirit. An exceptional student, she attended Lutheran parochial school through 8th grade, and graduated from Bay City’s Handy High School at the age of 17. Soon after she moved to Ohio with her aunt and uncle, where jobs were more prevalent, and she entered the working world. While living with her aunt and uncle in the small town of Fulton, Ohio she met William Buell, and they were married in January 1950. They had 3 daughters, Jan, Ann, and Susan. The marriage ended in 1963. In 1964 as a single mother and secretary working at Marion Power Shovel, she moved her family to Marion, Ohio. She married Michael Chamberlain in 1968. It was during that period in her life when she developed a passion for the game of golf. They were divorced in 1978. In 1982 Loretta married Lowell Thacker, and in 1988 they both retired from Marion Power Shovel and moved to The Villages in Lady Lake, Florida, where they lived on a golf course, and enjoyed golf (with Lowell enjoying his passion of softball, and starting The Villages softball league) and socializing with the fellow retirees who lived in the community. Every summer the two of them would take a roadtrip north to visit all their relatives and attend family reunions, meandering back through the mountains and the south visiting their siblings and children. After a brief illness in 2004, Lowell passed away, and soon after Loretta moved to Tallahassee, Florida to be closer to family. She led an active and athletic lifestyle throughout her adult life, continuing to enjoy golfing and bowling in league play up until the age of 80. Surviving are daughters Jan (Gary) Scheff, Susan Buell, son-in-law Gary Spires (daughter Ann Spires passed in 2014), step children Roxanna (Harry) Fry, Richard (Bev) Thacker, Douglas (Ruth) Thacker, grandchildren and their spouses, as well as great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Also surviving are sisters Lucille (Don) Schmidt and Florence (Leo) Hale. Loretta passed peacefully on July 21, 2017. She was predeceased by her husband Lowell Thacker, her parents, her daughter Ann, and sisters Norma (Ken) Lake, Colleen (Ed) Kish, and Verna Walter. A celebration of Loretta’s life will be held at a later date. Todd Wahlquist with Bevis Funeral Home (850-385-2193, www.bevisfh.com) is assisting the Thacker family with their arrangements. ***** Remember her beauty, her intelligence, her curiosity, her drive, her solidness and her independence. Remember the times that we had, the little things….the energy, the sense of right from wrong, the can’t stay in one place too long, the get it done. These things together made up the foundation for how she lived, and how she loved us. We were all a part of her, and she will always be a part of us.

Tributes

Loretta Ann Thacker

February 1, 1932 - July 21, 2017