Feisty.
Hard working.
Those are a couple of words folks use to describe lifelong Ortonville-area resident and businesswoman, Beatrice Solley. But, the best words to describe Mrs. Solley are loving mother.
‘Her family was the most important thing to her,? son Alan Solley said.
Mrs. Solley passed away on November 10, 2005 at the age of 83, after about five years of poor health.
‘She still remembered everything,? Alan said.
Family and friends fondly remembered Mrs. Solley at a luncheon at the Ortonville Order of the Eastern Star, after her funeral, November 14.
‘She was the person who always planned and hosted all the family gatherings — the holidays, wedding showers, birthdays, ‘Alan recalled. ‘And, when giving gifts, she always wanted to give just the right thing. She took a lot of care when shopping. It would always take a long time to go Christmas shopping with her.?
For special gifts, she also made ceramics to match the hobbies or likes of those she was giving.
‘We always thought it was just for us kids — her kids,? Alan said, ‘But, we found out she did it for her nieces and nephews, our cousins, too. I don’t know how she found the time.?
Mrs. Solley was born in Ortonville on Feb. 8, 1922, to John and Irene Westerby. In 1938 she married the love of her life, Ortonville resident Alan F. Solley.
‘She left school to marry Dad when she was 16,? Alan said. ‘But, she went back to school and then graduated the same year I did, 1975. She was fiesty.
The Solleys opened the store which still bares the family name in 1948. The couple grew Solley’s Refrigeration to Selley’s Appliance & Fire place Center. ‘The store was located in the out building in back of their house,? Alan said.
His parents home is the home located just south of today’s store locatoin on M-15. ‘She helped Dad build the house. She helped mix cement and pour the walls. She was very hard-working. When she saw something needed to be done, she chipped in and made sure it got done.?
She routinely worked 12-hour days at the store. ‘When Dad was out on service calls she ran the shop.?
Raising a family and growing a business wasn’t all Mrs. Solley was involved with — she also found time to volunteer and be a part of her community. She was a past president of the Ortonville PTA, a member of the Ortonvelle Order of the Easter Star and the Ortonville Baptist Church.
‘She was always doing stuff,? Alan said.
Mr Solley passed away in 1987.
She is survived by her children, Allyn and Tom Thurlby of Ortonville, Judith and Charles Heichel of Oxford, Hazel and Lee Kellogg of Palm City, FL, Errol Solley of Clarkston and Alan D. and Melissa Solley of Clarkston; 15 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren; sisters Lucille Saunders and Dorothy Feenstra and plenty of neices and nephews.
‘She’s related to a lot of people in town,? Alan said.
Rev. Jay Cummings officatied funeral services at Sherman Wilk Funeral Home in downtown Ortonville. Interment was in Ortonville Cemetery. The family requests memorial donations be given to the Genesys Hospice, envelopes available at the funeral home.