Catherine Fishbeck

TRAVERSE CITY — Catherine Fishbeck, of Traverse City and formerly of the Detroit area, succumbed to pneumonia Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010, at Munson Medical Center, just 17 days shy of her 100th birthday.Catherine was born Nov. 20, 1910, in Hancock, to John and Annabelle (Campbell) McLean, Scottish immigrants. From birth, she was a strong-willed and irrepressible little lady.At age four, she began her education by sitting on the school steps and demanding that she be allowed to start a year early — which she eventually did. Catherine grew up on a farm in Grass Lake, where she and her older sister often rode two-up on the family horse to school. She went on to pursue a degree in nursing and graduated from Foote Memorial Hospital Nursing School in 1932. As a nurse at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, she met and in 1938 married Dean Fishbeck, a Ford Hospital pharmacist. Together they enjoyed 55 years of marriage and raised three sons. She was a lady slightly ahead of her times. Once the kids were raised, Catherine, over the initial resistance of her husband, returned to her nursing career at Ford Hospital, ending her career as the nursing school's Student Health Nurse. She very much enjoyed the interaction with the next generation of ambitious young ladies.In her spare time, Catherine and Dean enjoyed playing Contract Bridge and traveling. Upon moving to Traverse City she lived in "independent living" at the Village at Bay Ridge, where she received comfortable and caring assistance. Almost to the end she enjoyed watching "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy", and conquering the daily crossword puzzle. Her final few years were spent in "assisted living" at the French Manor in Traverse City. She and the Fishbeck family are hugely thankful for the loving and caring attention she received from the management and staff at the French Manor. Catherine is survived by her three sons, Winton (Lorrie) Fishbeck, of Alpena, Richard Fishbeck, of Traverse City, and Bruce Fishbeck, of Minneapolis; grandchildren, Matthew Fishbeck, Cara Haack and Alec (Jill) Fishbeck, and their daughter, Megan.She was preceded in death by her husband, Dean in 1993; brothers, George and Alec; sister, Isabelle; and grandson, Stephen McLean Fishbeck.A memorial service celebrating Catherine's long, fruitful and exemplary life will be held on Nov. 20, 2010, at 2 p.m., at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home, 305 Sixth Street, Traverse City, MI.Please share thoughts and memories with the family at Catherine's online guestbook at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com.

Catherine Fishbeck

November 3, 2010