Gretchen Menard

1944 - 2012

Menard, Gretchen Weber

This world lost one of its truly good people on October 15, 2012, with the passing of Gretchen Weber Menard, age 68. Gretchen succumbed to lung cancer after a brief battle that began in January 2012.

She was born on August 30, 1944, in Sheboygan, WI, to Herbert H. Weber and Marion H. Weber. After attending local schools in Sheboygan, she graduated from Lawrence University, Appleton, WI in 1966, with a bachelors degree in anthropology. She then embarked on a career in school teaching in Elgin, IL. In 1972, she was hired by the Department of Defense (DOD) to teach U.S. military dependents overseas. She was assigned to Hahn Air Base, Germany, as a second grade teacher. While at Hahn she met and married Dennis Menard, an Air Force lieutenant.

Leaving Germany after three years, Gretchen and Dennis proceeded to live in several places while he pursued his career, eventually settling in Longwood, FL in 1986.

Her life was marked by her curiosity and love of variety. She was constantly looking for new hobbies, interests and ways to help people. Her favorite pastime was cooking and baking, and she excelled at it. She loved nothing more than to host dinner parties, always keeping track of what she prepared for each guest to make sure that she didn't serve them the same thing twice. During the holidays she prepared huge quantities of sugared pecans and passed out gift boxes of them to everyone she knew.

Gretchen also loved gardening, needlework, reading and exploring Central Florida for new things to do. In recent years she became active with Greyhound Pets of America after adopting three greyhounds. She frequently brought her current dog, Tanner, to a local Alzheimer's facility to cheer up patients. Fairly late in life she developed a fondness for exercise and began attending numerous classes at a local health club. Her rule was one hour of gossiping with friends in the parking lot for every hour of working out.

Gretchen is survived by her husband, Dennis A. Menard of Longwood, FL; her brothers, Herbert G. Weber (Joan) of San Diego, CA; and Thomas R. Weber (Linda) of Sheboygan. She is also survived by sisters-in-law, Patricia Lanza (Tom) of Oxford, CT; Barbara Cohen (Steve) of Clarksville MD; and a brother-in-law, Christopher Menard (Tony) of Boston, MA. Several nieces and nephews also survive, as well as her beloved dog, Tanner. She was predeceased by her parents.

In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to the Hospice of the Comforter (Altamonte Springs, Florida) or Greyhound Pets of America (Orlando Florida branch).

A visitation and memorial service will be held at Grace Episcopal Church in Sheboygan on November 10, 2012, starting at 10 a.m. Gretchen asked that everybody wear bright colored clothing for this event. Her ashes will be interred at Wildwood Cemetery in Sheboygan, WI, and a reception will follow at Pine Hills Country Club.