Guenter Weess

Guenter Weess was born in Neckarsulm, Germany on July 17th, 1935, to Hermann and Hedwig Weess. Guenter passed away peacefully on June 26th, 2025, at the age of 89.
Beloved husband of 37 years to Maria. Loving father of Hans (Ursula) Weess, Michaela Dean, Doris (James) Ward, Ronald (Tracy) Tuerk, and Christine (Stephen) Martin. Cherished Opa, known as "Opi", of Christopher, Leah, Gillian, Alexander, Joshua (Elizabeth), Jacob, Joseph (Jocelynn), Mary (Joshua), and Emma. Proud great-grandfather of Sophia, Isabella, Andi, and Olivia. Dearest brother of the late Karl-Heinz Weess and uncle to Hans-Guenter Weess.
Guenter built a long and respected career at General Motors, serving as a skilled tradesman for 42 years.
Beyond his career, Guenter's greatest passion was soccer. The soccer world lost an 'all-star.' He played soccer in Germany during his youth before immigrating to the United States in 1956. He was influential in sharing his love of the game with many children in the Metro Detroit area. Guenter was a founding member of the Shelby Utica Soccer Association (SUSA), a group which brought passion for the sport to Macomb County. He was known and respected by many other influential members of the Detroit-area soccer clubs and teams. Guenter often refereed matches across the tri-county area. He also brought his knowledge of the game to The Special Olympics of Michigan where he served athletes as a referee for over 25 years.
Guenter's enthusiasm for life extended from the soccer pitch to his garden. He had a remarkable green thumb. Guenter was drawn to every greenhouse or nursery he passed, unable to resist adding to his flourishing collection. Though he would tell Maria the flowers and plants were for her, it was Guenter who spent countless hours planting, watering, and lovingly caring for each one.
His love for nature went beyond his garden. He was also a devoted caretaker to the neighborhood animals. Guenter enjoyed watching and feeding the variety of birds that visited his backyard. He had a loyal flock of ducks that would waddle after him as he worked outside.
Guenter was an avid golfer who never missed a day – rain or shine. He loved listening to classical music, especially Beethoven and Mozart.
A celebration of Guenter's life will be held on Saturday, August 16th at 11:00 AM. Please contact the family for details and location. Donations may be made in Guenter's memory to The Special Olympics of Michigan.