Elma M. Fretter

Elma M. Fretter obituary, Berkley, MI

Elma M. Fretter

Elma Fretter Obituary

Visit the A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Directors - Crooks Road website to view the full obituary.
Elma Marie Fretter, a beloved matriarch and lifelong educator, passed away peacefully on September 14, 2025, just months shy of her 101st birthday. Born on Christmas Day, 1924, in Detroit, Michigan, to the late Barbara and Jon Schonmeier, Elma was a woman of grace, creativity, and unwavering devotion to her family.

Elma began her career as a dedicated third-grade teacher, sharing her passion for learning with countless young minds. A gifted artist and musician, she found great joy in painting landscapes from her home on Island Lake in Bloomfield Hills.

On April 17, 1949, she married the love of her life, Oliver "Ollie" Fretter, and together they built a life filled with love and laughter. They raised their two children in Birmingham, Michigan, and shared a beautiful marriage for over 65 years until Ollie's passing.

Elma had a deep affection for Naples, Florida, where she cherished taking her grandchildren to lunch at the Port Royal Club and spending quiet afternoons relaxing on the beach. Her legacy of love and creativity lives on through her family.

She is survived by her loving children, Laura Elma Fretter and Howard Oliver Fretter (Dawn); her devoted grandchildren, Alexandra (Evan Mirbach), Andrew (Andrea Blake), and Catherine (MacGregor Olson); and her two cherished great-grandchildren, Austin Oliver Fretter and Lily Christine Olson.

A private service was held for the family. She was laid to rest beside her beloved husband at Roseland Park Cemetery, Berkley, MI.
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