Marilyn "Meryl" Hutching

Meryl Hutching, born Marilyn Joy Spencer of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada passed away Sunday, January 29, 2023 in Boyne Falls, Michigan. Meryl passed peacefully in the early morning hours. Her devoted husband of 25 years, Ronald Hutching, was faithfully at her side along with her beloved dog, Zoe.

Meryl was born September 17, 1944 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada to Martha Hilda Clifford Spencer and William Russell Spencer. She was the youngest of six children.

She married in 1962 and was blessed with three girls, Kimberly, Karen and Jennifer. Meryl received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Grand Valley State University and continued with her graduate studies in English at Western University.

Meryl had many loves throughout her life, including books. She was an avid reader. Even as her sight waned in her older years, she still wanted to have books by her side.

Her adventurous spirit and love of life led her to pursue many different interests from motorcycling and sailing to celestial and astrological studies to gardening and plant grafting in her later years.
Her freest memories were enjoying time outdoors at Claybanks on Lake Michigan where she enjoyed camping, swimming, sunning and making her girls’ favorite bean sandwiches over camp fires.

She especially loved her time at the Park of the Pines Family Church Camp. A campground event where she would gather with her parents and sisters. Later, it would become a multi- generational tradition still being carried on with her decedents to this day.

 Meryl is predeceased in death by her eldest sister, Helen (Donald) Shirley Spencer Perkins and her brother John Russell Spencer. She is survived by her husband Ronald Hutching, sisters Winifred Edwards and Doris Hill, Ruth Lucenti, daughters, Kimberly Lynn Hardman Trent (Captain Dave), Karen Elizabeth Hardman Schrock (Kevin), Jennifer Joy Hardman Conner; grandchildren Madeline and Josh Farley of Kalamazoo, MI, Adrienne and Thomas Brady of Ann Arbor, MI, Conner Gorden Trent of Austin, TX, Cooper Schrock of Sarasota, FL, Finnegan Conner of Grand Haven, MI, Tucker Schrock of Sarasota, FL.; great grandchildren Reid Patterson Farley, Killian Thomas Brady, Spencer Marie Farley, Blair Margaret Brady.

Throughout her many health issues she remained a fighter until the end. She will be remembered and missed every day by those who were fortunate enough to have known her.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 4th at 2pm at the Stone Funeral Home in Petoskey.  The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 1pm until the time of service.

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