Robert "Bobby" Mistretta's Obituary
On April 14, 1964 Bobby Mistretta, son of Ronald and Barbara (Fulkerson) Mistretta was born with Downs’ Syndrome and began a challenging but fulfilling journey on earth. Physically and mentally impaired he made the most of his abilities. On Christmas Day the angels who entrusted his parents with his care on earth, called Bobby to his heavenly home.
Bobby’s early years were fraught with frequent trips to the doctor and emergency room at Grand Haven Hospital. He amazed the doctors at how quickly he could recover from a serious infection to sitting up in his hospital crib with a silly smile on his face.
In 1969 a pilot program for retarded children was started at a small country school (Robard) in West Ottawa. Bobby who was then five years old was the youngest of the children selected to participate in this venture. Later when special education facilities were created he attended Dick and Jane school in Grand Haven, and when the Ottawa Area Center opened in Zeeland he was one of the original children enrolled.
Upon his graduation at age twenty-six he was able to avail himself of various community programs that provided learning skills as well as social activities.
In the early nineties Bobby worked part-time at a small local shop where his dad was also employed. He took tremendous pride at being able to run two machines and also to package a product sold at retail outlets. His fellow employees would good-naturedly tease him by moving boxes that he had aligned in a perfectly straight line, but they all looked out for his safety, comfort and kept him in supplies to perform his tasks.
Bobby won three ribbons over a period of a few years, competing in Special Olympics at Grand Valley College.
In his late teens he received great enjoyment riding his large tricycle around the block, engaging any neighbor he spotted with a few brief words (few of which were understood). Undaunted he would continue on his merry way. The neighbors frequently reported to his parents, “saw Bobby today, wasn’t sure what he said, but he sure was happy”.
Boating, camping, traveling, staying at motels, watching the Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy and playing UNO with his uncle Jimmy were the things he liked most. He had fun bowling and in frequenting most of the eating establishments in the Tri-Cities.
1993 brought a new adventure in Bobby’s life. Departing the Wharf Marina in Grand Haven he embarked on a three-month voyage with his parents to Ft. Myers, Florida. The route took him across the Great Lakes, the Erie Canal, down the Hudson River to New York City, continuing along the coast of New Jersey, Delaware and Chesapeake Bay to Norfolk, Virginia. Departing Norfolk a series of rivers and bays that constitute the Intra-Coastal Waterway brought him to Ft. Myers. Most every night was a new port and frequently the day ended dining at a restaurant.
Once Ft. Myers became the homeport, Bobby enrolled in “Special Populations” a three-day-a-week program sponsored by the City of Cape Coral. One day a week was devoted to field trips, bowling, concerts, tour boat rides and even a six-week course in specially developed horseback riding. The other two days were crafts, music and outdoor fun.
When the boat trip ended in 1995, Bobby’s health was declining which made boating no longer feasible. His love for the outdoors however was not to be deterred and he quickly found a new hobby, helping his dad with yard work. With his dog by his side he would spend endless hours in his wheelchair, shoveling landscape mulch into a wheelbarrow. When he thought the load was adequate, he would holler out to his dad to move and dump it. Naturally he would be laughing or grinning, giving orders as if he were in charge. The reward he wanted for working was a trip to McDonalds, followed by a little afternoon “snooze”.
When Bobby was no longer able to participate in a physical activity or game, he was just as happy watching, cheering and clapping for other people’s accomplishments. Bobby’s health started to seriously deteriorate over the past year. In April he moved to the Allendale Nursing Home where he was able to receive the twenty-four hour nursing care he required. He touched all of his caregivers’ hearts just as he touched the hearts of everyone who knew him. His very last days were spent at North Ottawa Community Hospital.
He is survived by his parents, brother Peter (Kirston Fortune) Mistretta of Chicago; nephews Julian and Vincent Mistretta of Chicago, aunts Nancy Zarndt of Garden Grove, Calif., Mary Mistretta and Norma Patton of Grand Haven, Patsy Tippie and Georgia Urbanczyk (Uncle James Urbanczyk) of Port St. Lucie, Fla., Uncle Hideo and Aunt Dorothy Wako of New York City and several cousins.
A funeral service will be held Wednesday 11:00 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Grand Haven with Rev. Deiter Haupt officiating. Friends may meet the family at church one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Lake Forest Cemetery. Memorials to hospice of North Ottawa or St. John’s Lutheran Stained Glass Window fund are appreciated. Share memories with the family at their online guest book at www.vbkfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are being handled by VanZantwick Bartels Kammeraad Funeral Home of Grand Haven.
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