May Krager

May Marlene Krager (Van Sickel)

May Marlene Krager (Van Sickel) passed away peacefully at home on June 16 with her family by her bedside after a courageous four-year battle with pancreatic cancer.  May was especially proud of her perfect pitch and had a distinguished career as an instrumental music teacher in the elementary schools after graduation from Eastern High School and Michigan State University.  

May served as pianist/accompanist for the Grosse Pointe Senior Men's Club.  May had the special gift of being able to compose original melodies and songs at a moment's notice.  On one occasion when she was requested to compose the music for her friend Ernie Harwell's poem about the closing of the old Tiger Stadium, she readily agreed and completed the melody and harmony the same afternoon.

May was the first New Year's Day baby born in Lansing on January 1, 1932 to her parents, Charles and Virginia Van Sickel, now deceased.  She was also pre-deceased by her brother Douglas Van Sickel and her son-in-law Gary Driscoll.  May is survived by Frank Krager, her son, Franz Krager and his wife Deborah, her two daughters, Krista Driscoll (Krager) and Karla Krager Derkacz and her husband, James Derkacz, her two granddaughters Alix Rourke (Driscoll) and her husband, Michael Rourke and Anie Driscoll, her sisters, June Mills and Dottie Dyer, sister-in-law Susan Van Sickel, and Nieces and Nephews.

Visitation will be held at A. H. Peters Funeral Home on Tuesday, June 21, from 4:00 to 6:00 to be followed by a funeral service from 6:00 to 7:00.  A Life Celebration for May Krager will be scheduled in August, and the A. H. Peters website (ahpeters.com) may be accessed to learn the date.  In lieu of flowers, donations in May Krager's name may be made to the music program in The Grosse Pointe Public School System, 389 St. Clair Ave., Grosse Pointe, MI 48230, or to the Grosse Pointe Senior Men's Club, 32 Lake Shore Dr., Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236.