Margaret Elizabeth Rettinger Gravel

Margaret Elizabeth Rettinger Gravel died Thursday, April 28, 2011, at the Groves Center in Lake Wales, Florida. She was 97.

She was born in Glenvar, Virginia, November 30, 1913 to the late Elijah David Rettinger and Frances Lillian Draper.

On May 19, 1939, she married Victor Carlton Gravel at Catholic Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables, Florida; and they moved to Lake Wales immediately following the ceremony.

Margaret was a loving homemaker, a retired employee of Long's Dry Cleaners, and a member of First Baptist Church of Lake Wales for over seventy-one years. She was a fourth grade Sunday School teacher, sang in the church choir for many years, and was a member of the Lottie Moon Circle and the Snappy Seniors.

She enjoyed putting together 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzles with her grandchildren, and watching the birds gather in and around her bird feeders.

Mrs. Gravel was preceded in death by her husband, Victor, in 1987; two brothers, John and Jesse Rettinger; and two sisters, Ethel Rettinger Smith and Pauline Rettinger Coston.

Survivors include a daughter, Joyce Gravel Pettus of Lake Wales; two sons, David C. Gravel and John M. Gravel, both of Lake Wales; sister-in-law, May Belle Rettinger of Salem, Virginia; two daughters-in-law, Heidi H. Gravel and Mildred B. Gravel, both of Lake Wales; one son-in-law, Philip A. Pettus of Lake Wales; eight grandchildren, Buster, Beau, Blake, Brendan, and Derek Gravel, all of Lake Wales, Patrick Pettus (Joanna) of Gainesville, Mary Pettus of West Virginia, and Christine Hontz (Mark) of Minnesota; five great-grandchildren, Abigail, Ensley and Ambrey Pettus, and Dylan and Sabryna Hontz; nine nieces; eight nephews; three honorary family members, and her dear friend for thirty years and in recent years caregiver, Beth M. Bryant.

A receiving of friends will be held from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday, May 1, 2011 at the Marion Nelson Funeral Home, with a Rosary Service at 4:30 p.m. led by Msgr. Leo Dobo. The funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, May 2, 2011 at the First Baptist Church of Lake Wales with the Rev. Scott Markley officiating. Interment will be made in the family plot at the Lake Wales Cemetery immediately following the funeral.

Click the link below to view the webcast of her service:
http://webcasts.lifetributes.com/216412

Click the link below to view the tribute video:
http://videos.lifetributes.com/215989