Elsie May Wells, 74, of Fife Lake, passed away peacefully Friday, December 11, 2015 at the Grand Traverse Pavilions. She was born on January 2, 1941 in Springfield Township to the late Vern and Matilda (Fritz) Vanderbrook. Elsie married Orie Wells Jr. on January 5, 1957 in Fife Lake. Together they raised four daughters and shared over 56 years before his passing in 2013. Elsie began working at Shakespeare making fly rods, she also worked for Harrison Packing Co. packing pickles; once they moved back to Fife Lake they opened the Teen Center. Elsie and Orie loved to travel and spent time all over the country managing motels for Shilo Inn. She also enjoyed going to garage sales, quilting, sewing, crocheting, cooking, and reading. Elsie was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and sister who will be greatly missed by her daughters: Cindy (Jeff) Gerring of Fife Lake, Jeannie Zing of Traverse City, Amy (Jeff) Delaney of Phoenix, AZ, grandchildren: Erica, Nicholas, Justine, Michael, Kali, Brandon, and Zachary; great grandchildren: Rylee, Jackson, Landen; sisters, Lucy, Reva, Mary (Claude), and Bonnie (Greg); along with many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Orie, an infant daughter, daughter, Lorrie Wells, and great grandson, Ezra Zingg. Final visitation will be from 12pm-1pm on Wednesday, December 16, 2015 in the Chapel of Kalkaska Funeral Home. The funeral service will follow beginning at 1:00 pm. Burial will take place at Clark Cemetery in Fife Lake. Memorial contributions may be made in Elsie’s honor to the family. Arrangements have been entrusted to Kalkaska Funeral Home and Cremation Services.
