Mr. Harry L. “Skip” Wetzel,
age 80 of Morley, passed away on Friday, March 23, 2007,
and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
While in high school, Skip was a member of F.F.A. He was
taught the value of hard work on the farm. On December
2, 1944, Skip and Lois were married and tended the
family farm in Chase, MI. In 1951 they moved to Grand
Rapids where he went into business with his father,
owning Acme Tire on Ottawa Street, and later at Four
Mile and Plainfield (a total of 25 years). Moving to
Morley, Skip continued to sell race tires and was known
as the “Hoosier Tire Man” at many local race tracks. He
never lost his love for farming. Skip trusted everybody,
and it was important for him to be honest and a person
of integrity. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. For
over 40 years Skip enjoyed an annual trip to Wyoming
with family and friends to hunt. Grandpa Wetzel always
had time to teach his grandchildren how to fish in his
ponds and was a #1 fan at their sports events. He
cherished every moment he had with his grandchildren.
Skip is survived by his wife, the former Lois Hunt whom
he married more than 62 years ago; children, Judy Houdek
of Grand Rapids, Clifford and Judy Wetzel of Rockford,
Wendy and Frank Savickas of Rockford, Sandra Soares of
Grand Rapids, and Tammy Brew of Constantine; 13
grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren; his sisters
and their husbands, Betty and Don Morgan of Rockford;
Joyce and Neil Houk of Durham, NC; and Barbara and Jim
Kurtz of Rockford; and many nieces and nephews. .
