Abbie Onlee Monteith

Abbie Onlee (Shumaker) Monteith, RDH, MS Grand Rapids (MI) resident Abbie Onlee Monteith, RDH, MS, 88, died Thursday, December 31, 2020 at Hospice House in Traverse City, Michigan, surrounded by her children, Dr Scott Monteith and his wife, Kathy, of Traverse City, MI, and her daughter, Sharon Monteith of Bethel, CT. Abbie was born July 9, 1932, in Fremont, MI to Dr Jay and Katherine Shumaker. She earned her dental hygiene degree from the University of Michigan Dental School (Class of 1952), her Bachelor’s degree (BS) from the University of Detroit Dental School, and her Master’s in Higher Education Administration from Central Michigan University. Abbie cared for the dental health of countless school children through 20 years of work with the Macomb County Health Department. She was legendary, often running into grateful former students decades later. Her next career step was in academia, serving as a professor in Ferris State University’s Dental Hygiene program where she was responsible for the development and implementation of Dental Public Health and Community Dentistry. Her third career chapter was with the State of Michigan in a variety of dental hygiene and public health roles. Abbie was an avid and acknowledged ‘master’ baker and cook - her pies and chip dip are legend - and she enjoyed experimenting with recipes until the end. As a connoisseur of good food, she frequently enjoyed visiting restaurants throughout Michigan, new and old, and was a trusted source of “good places to eat.” Her incredible intelligence and sense of humor were always appreciated. Abbie’s most cherished role was “Mom.” She delighted in frequent visits with her extended family, and reveled in the wonders of Michigan, especially the Lake Michigan shoreline and northwest communities of Traverse City, Glen Arbor, Northport, and Mackinac Island. She is survived by her daughter, Sharon; son, Scott, and daughter-in-law, Kathy; granddaughter, Courtney Doan Rodriguez, and her husband, Carlos; grandsons Justin and Andrew; great-grandchildren, Cate, Finn and Jack Rodriguez; and sister-in-law, Beth Monteith and her husband Gary. She is predeceased by her brother, Dr Donald B. Shumaker, of Grosse Pointe Farms, MI, and her nephew, Dr Daniel B. Shumaker of Grand Rapids; and survived also by her brother’s children, nephew, John Shumaker, his wife, Mary Jane; niece, Susan (Shumaker) Latronico and her late husband, Kenneth; Dan Shumaker’s wife, Debbie; and many much-loved grand-nieces and grand-nephews. Please consider memorial contributions in Abbie's honor to the Cherryland Humane Society, Traverse City, MI. Abbie and her family have been cared for by Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home.

Abbie Onlee Monteith

July 9, 1932 - December 31, 2020