Vesta B. Knuth

Vesta Vera (Bachman) Knuth, age 96, of DeTour Village, Michigan, died July 10, 2014 in Petoskey, Michigan. She was born November 10, 1917 in Stevensville, Michigan, the youngest of six children born to Robert Gottlieb Bachman and Olga (Ramenstein) Bachman. Vesta grew up in St. Joseph, Michigan. After high school, she attended County Normal Teaching School and began her teaching career in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Vesta married Leroy Albert Knuth on March 4, 1943 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in St. Joseph. While teaching in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Vesta earned her Bachelor degree at Western Michigan University. She and Leroy then moved to the Dearborn, Michigan area where Vesta earned her Master’s degree and taught fifth and sixth grades for most of her teaching career. When planning for retirement, Vesta and Leroy purchased property on Lake Huron in DeTour. After Leroy's death in 1971, Vesta lived in Traverse City for a few years and then, in the late 1970’s, she had a home built on the property she owned in DeTour. During her years in DeTour, she was very active in the St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and she volunteered at the DeTour Passage Historical Museum. Vesta, along with her dear friend, Fredric Massena, enjoyed attending many local activities including, plays, high school sporting events, and community dinners. They also enjoyed ballroom dancing and traveling in Fred’s airplane. Vesta loved caring for animals both domestic and wild. Her daily activities included feeding the birds and caring for her cats. She also enjoyed traveling and early in her retirement, she traveled to Russia and China as well as many other places. Vesta is survived by her dear friend, Fred; nephew, John Bachman; nieces, Barbara (Ed) Guerrant of Greenville, South Carolina, Phyllis (Don) Brummitt of Ft. Madison, Iowa, Alice (Gerald) Sheldon of Erie, Pennsylvania, Madelyn (L. Rodger) Huelsberg of Benton Harbor, and Myrth Kremers of Benton Harbor; and many loving great nieces and nephews. Vesta was preceded in death by her husband, Leroy; brothers, Robert, Eugene, and Fordson Bachman; and sisters, Thais Bachman and Carolyn Eber. Services will be held Thursday, July 17, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 124 Ontario Street in DeTour Village, Michigan. A gathering time will begin at 1:00 P.M. with a Memorial Service to follow at 2:00 P.M. Interment will be in Riverview Cemetery in St. Joseph, Michigan. Memorial contributions may be made to Cedar Cove Assisted Living Community, P.O. Box 580, Cedarville, MI 49719.

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Vesta B. Knuth

January 10, 1917 - July 10, 2014