Saturday, December 3, 2016
Dear Mr. Fleche, Michael, Peggy, Tim, Ellen, Peter, Anne, Betsy, and Monica,
On Saturday morning (11/19) after receiving an email from Betsy, I shared with my brothers and sisters the lovely slide show and obituary that beautifully captured Mrs. Fleche’s life. Sue wrote back immediately, sharing her sympathy and her wonderful memory of how Mrs. Fleche loved driving the van to Red Wings games. On Sunday morning I learned from Leigh Ann that she and Ted were able to extend their sympathy on Saturday evening when they sat behind Mr. Fleche, Peggy, and Monica at church. I can’t tell you how much it meant to the Plukas family when so many of your family members attended my mother’s funeral in 1995 and when Michael attended my father’s funeral in 2013—Michael sweetly told us that he was there “to represent the Fleche family.” I am so sorry that my brothers and sisters and I were not there to share our sympathy and to celebrate Mrs. Fleche’s life at her funeral Mass.
A few years ago as Betsy and I reminisced about growing up as neighbors, in good-natured humor she told me that it always was surprising to the Fleche family when I—sometimes with my little brothers in tow—would show up at the side door, knock, and come on in for a visit. Bets explained to me that somehow I was unaware of the 1960’s suburban rule that neighborhood children do not go inside the homes of neighbors. She was right. I didn’t get it. In fact, I kept returning because Mrs. Fleche always made me feel so welcome. No matter how busy she was, she took a moment to sit down in the family room with me and ask me a few questions, attentively listen to my answers, and make me feel as if what I had to say was of great interest. Those visits were far more important in my life than she knew. She filled 97 Pontiac Drive with a cultural vibrancy I was quickly attracted to: the musicals or opera playing on the record player, the smell of foods—often with unfamiliar French or German names—cooking in the kitchen, and the excited conversations among family members about books being read. I believe my interest in studying literature and love of music and theatre were born, in part, thanks to my unannounced, brazen visits to the Fleche house—a home brimming full of Mrs. Fleche’s many gifts!
May Virginia’s talents and generosity of spirit live on in her wonderful children …
Peace, Light, and Love,
Joan (Plukas) Brodie
