Agnes Louise was born August 31, 1924 to parents Lawrence & Edna (Witmar) Van Nocker in Lansing, MI, the eldest of four children.
Her childhood was happy with school work, being in nature, singing in the church choir, and, certainly, enjoying the company of other children. Agnes graduated from Eaton Rapids High School in 1942 as the class salutatorian and with a great desire to attend Michigan State College to study art. A wartime marriage to her high school sweetheart, her husband's death in Europe during the war, and a new baby all shaped her single parentage into a job and home life instead.
Agnes met Frederick "Bud" Arner a couple of years later, on a blind date, and after their wedding, was found forming a new life in a new home in Jackson, MI. Along came two more children, and she deepened her focus in family life, embellished by her creativity and searching mind. She developed many homemaking and creative skills to make the house a home and the entire family well cared for.
As the nest emptied, though, her thoughts returned to her formal education. Family and friends were all so proud of her professional aspirations as Agnes graduated from MSU with a teaching degree and taught early primary students for Jackson Public Schools for 28 years. Her personal enrichment came, in later years, through many international adventures with Bud and many trips to visit her children and grandchildren in Michigan, Arizona and Oregon.
Bud and Agnes manifested a dream in purchasing a sailboat in 1980 which became the center of many family outings and celebrations. She retired at 74, after the school district made her an offer she couldn't refuse thus finally allowing the "R" word to become part of her vocabulary. At her retirement, her colleagues all knew what she would love most, spending time with her grandchildren and sailing on "Fantasy One".
She continued serving the school district as a mentor, happily teaching reading skills to children one-on-one, until she was 88. Her service to the community was always a constant, as Boy Scout den mother, Brownie troop leader, member (and often officer of) PTA, Debonaire Dinner/Dance club, Women's Golf League, Delta Kappa Gamma (teaching sorority), PEO (philanthropic sorority),and deacon of First Presbyterian Church.
Agnes passed peacefully away Saturday, November 7 from dementia and Alzheimer's disease surrounded by family and nurtured by both the staff at Vista Grande Villa and Hospice. The family would like to extend deep gratitude to both organizations for their kind service and loving care.
Agnes was pre-deceased by her parents, first husband Robert S. Higgins of Eaton Rapids, MI, second husband Frederick M. Arner of Jackson, MI, sister Verna Fuller of Hollywood, Florida, brother Bruce Van Nocker of Lansing, MI. She was survived by: sister Nina (Chuck) Gulliver of Eaton Rapids, MI; sister-in-law Ruth Stoner of The Woodlands, TX, children Tom (Sandra) Arner, Nancy (Gary) Arner Hulett, Jackie (Tim) Hall; grandchildren Brianna (Michael) Haddad, Stephanie Hall, Brendan Hall, Adam Arner, Alaina Hall; great- grandchildren Grace, Charlotte, & Harper Haddad.
Her childhood was happy with school work, being in nature, singing in the church choir, and, certainly, enjoying the company of other children. Agnes graduated from Eaton Rapids High School in 1942 as the class salutatorian and with a great desire to attend Michigan State College to study art. A wartime marriage to her high school sweetheart, her husband's death in Europe during the war, and a new baby all shaped her single parentage into a job and home life instead.
Agnes met Frederick "Bud" Arner a couple of years later, on a blind date, and after their wedding, was found forming a new life in a new home in Jackson, MI. Along came two more children, and she deepened her focus in family life, embellished by her creativity and searching mind. She developed many homemaking and creative skills to make the house a home and the entire family well cared for.
As the nest emptied, though, her thoughts returned to her formal education. Family and friends were all so proud of her professional aspirations as Agnes graduated from MSU with a teaching degree and taught early primary students for Jackson Public Schools for 28 years. Her personal enrichment came, in later years, through many international adventures with Bud and many trips to visit her children and grandchildren in Michigan, Arizona and Oregon.
Bud and Agnes manifested a dream in purchasing a sailboat in 1980 which became the center of many family outings and celebrations. She retired at 74, after the school district made her an offer she couldn't refuse thus finally allowing the "R" word to become part of her vocabulary. At her retirement, her colleagues all knew what she would love most, spending time with her grandchildren and sailing on "Fantasy One".
She continued serving the school district as a mentor, happily teaching reading skills to children one-on-one, until she was 88. Her service to the community was always a constant, as Boy Scout den mother, Brownie troop leader, member (and often officer of) PTA, Debonaire Dinner/Dance club, Women's Golf League, Delta Kappa Gamma (teaching sorority), PEO (philanthropic sorority),and deacon of First Presbyterian Church.
Agnes passed peacefully away Saturday, November 7 from dementia and Alzheimer's disease surrounded by family and nurtured by both the staff at Vista Grande Villa and Hospice. The family would like to extend deep gratitude to both organizations for their kind service and loving care.
Agnes was pre-deceased by her parents, first husband Robert S. Higgins of Eaton Rapids, MI, second husband Frederick M. Arner of Jackson, MI, sister Verna Fuller of Hollywood, Florida, brother Bruce Van Nocker of Lansing, MI. She was survived by: sister Nina (Chuck) Gulliver of Eaton Rapids, MI; sister-in-law Ruth Stoner of The Woodlands, TX, children Tom (Sandra) Arner, Nancy (Gary) Arner Hulett, Jackie (Tim) Hall; grandchildren Brianna (Michael) Haddad, Stephanie Hall, Brendan Hall, Adam Arner, Alaina Hall; great- grandchildren Grace, Charlotte, & Harper Haddad.
Agnes Louise was born August 31, 1924 to parents Lawrence & Edna (Witmar) Van Nocker in Lansing, MI, the eldest of four children.
Her childhood was happy with school work, being in nature, singing in the church choir, and, certainly, enjoying the company of other children. Agnes graduated from Eaton Rapids High School in 1942 as the class salutatorian and with a great desire to attend Michigan State College to study art. A wartime marriage to her high school sweetheart, her husband's death in Europe during the war, and a new baby all shaped her single parentage into a job and home life instead.
Agnes met Frederick "Bud" Arner a couple of years later, on a blind date, and after their wedding, was found forming a new life in a new home in Jackson, MI. Along came two more children, and she deepened her focus in family life, embellished by her creativity and searching mind. She developed many homemaking and creative skills to make the house a home and the entire family well cared for.
As the nest emptied, though, her thoughts returned to her formal education. Family and friends were all so proud of her professional aspirations as Agnes graduated from MSU with a teaching degree and taught early primary students for Jackson Public Schools for 28 years. Her personal enrichment came, in later years, through many international adventures with Bud and many trips to visit her children and grandchildren in Michigan, Arizona and Oregon.
Bud and Agnes manifested a dream in purchasing a sailboat in 1980 which became the center of many family outings and celebrations. She retired at 74, after the school district made her an offer she couldn't refuse thus finally allowing the "R" word to become part of her vocabulary. At her retirement, her colleagues all knew what she would love most, spending time with her grandchildren and sailing on "Fantasy One".
She continued serving the school district as a mentor, happily teaching reading skills to children one-on-one, until she was 88. Her service to the community was always a constant, as Boy Scout den mother, Brownie troop leader, member (and often officer of) PTA, Debonaire Dinner/Dance club, Women's Golf League, Delta Kappa Gamma (teaching sorority), PEO (philanthropic sorority),and deacon of First Presbyterian Church.
Agnes passed peacefully away Saturday, November 7 from dementia and Alzheimer's disease surrounded by family and nurtured by both the staff at Vista Grande Villa and Hospice. The family would like to extend deep gratitude to both organizations for their kind service and loving care.
Agnes was pre-deceased by her parents, first husband Robert S. Higgins of Eaton Rapids, MI, second husband Frederick M. Arner of Jackson, MI, sister Verna Fuller of Hollywood, Florida, brother Bruce Van Nocker of Lansing, MI. She was survived by: sister Nina (Chuck) Gulliver of Eaton Rapids, MI; sister-in-law Ruth Stoner of The Woodlands, TX, children Tom (Sandra) Arner, Nancy (Gary) Arner Hulett, Jackie (Tim) Hall; grandchildren Brianna (Michael) Haddad, Stephanie Hall, Brendan Hall, Adam Arner, Alaina Hall; great- grandchildren Grace, Charlotte, & Harper Haddad.
Her childhood was happy with school work, being in nature, singing in the church choir, and, certainly, enjoying the company of other children. Agnes graduated from Eaton Rapids High School in 1942 as the class salutatorian and with a great desire to attend Michigan State College to study art. A wartime marriage to her high school sweetheart, her husband's death in Europe during the war, and a new baby all shaped her single parentage into a job and home life instead.
Agnes met Frederick "Bud" Arner a couple of years later, on a blind date, and after their wedding, was found forming a new life in a new home in Jackson, MI. Along came two more children, and she deepened her focus in family life, embellished by her creativity and searching mind. She developed many homemaking and creative skills to make the house a home and the entire family well cared for.
As the nest emptied, though, her thoughts returned to her formal education. Family and friends were all so proud of her professional aspirations as Agnes graduated from MSU with a teaching degree and taught early primary students for Jackson Public Schools for 28 years. Her personal enrichment came, in later years, through many international adventures with Bud and many trips to visit her children and grandchildren in Michigan, Arizona and Oregon.
Bud and Agnes manifested a dream in purchasing a sailboat in 1980 which became the center of many family outings and celebrations. She retired at 74, after the school district made her an offer she couldn't refuse thus finally allowing the "R" word to become part of her vocabulary. At her retirement, her colleagues all knew what she would love most, spending time with her grandchildren and sailing on "Fantasy One".
She continued serving the school district as a mentor, happily teaching reading skills to children one-on-one, until she was 88. Her service to the community was always a constant, as Boy Scout den mother, Brownie troop leader, member (and often officer of) PTA, Debonaire Dinner/Dance club, Women's Golf League, Delta Kappa Gamma (teaching sorority), PEO (philanthropic sorority),and deacon of First Presbyterian Church.
Agnes passed peacefully away Saturday, November 7 from dementia and Alzheimer's disease surrounded by family and nurtured by both the staff at Vista Grande Villa and Hospice. The family would like to extend deep gratitude to both organizations for their kind service and loving care.
Agnes was pre-deceased by her parents, first husband Robert S. Higgins of Eaton Rapids, MI, second husband Frederick M. Arner of Jackson, MI, sister Verna Fuller of Hollywood, Florida, brother Bruce Van Nocker of Lansing, MI. She was survived by: sister Nina (Chuck) Gulliver of Eaton Rapids, MI; sister-in-law Ruth Stoner of The Woodlands, TX, children Tom (Sandra) Arner, Nancy (Gary) Arner Hulett, Jackie (Tim) Hall; grandchildren Brianna (Michael) Haddad, Stephanie Hall, Brendan Hall, Adam Arner, Alaina Hall; great- grandchildren Grace, Charlotte, & Harper Haddad.
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