YMCA director Marta Rozema to retire Jan. 31

By Justin Tiemeyer - Contributing Writer

29 Jan. 2025

Marta Rozema’s story with the YMCA began in June of 1961, the year the Frank Twining King Memorial pool opened in Lowell. The pool was one of many ways that Florence King, Frank’s daughter, commemorated her father after his passing. Florence is credited as establishing the YMCA in Lowell through the creation of the King Memorial Fund. Rozema took swim lessons and learned synchronized swimming at King’s pool. “I have fond memories of being dropped off,” Rozema said, “and for 10 cents, I could spend the afternoon swimming with my friends and family.”

Nearly 65 years later, after a long career with the Litehouse Family YMCA in Lowell, Rozema is retiring as its executive director. Her last day is Friday, Jan. 31, 2025.

One reason Rozema was such an effective leader at the YMCA was because she had a visceral understanding of the important services the organization provides. The YMCA helped Rozema when she was a single mom without the financial resources to get her kids into sports. “I didn’t want my kids to suffer because of two adults who wouldn’t work things out,” Rozema said.

Rozema headed over to the YMCA office, which at the time was located at the Lowell Area Historical Museum. She remembers walking up the steps, speaking with the administrator, and telling her how important it was for her kids to have the same opportunity to play sports as other kids. Rozema was told that the YMCA’s mission is to never turn someone away due to money.

Because the YMCA supported Rozema, when she did not have any other options, all of her children had an opportunity to play sports in high school, and she even has a grandchild playing college level sports next year.

In 2001, 40 years after she first encountered the giving spirit of the YMCA, Rozema applied for a position as a part-time member service representative. She wanted to give back to the organization that had given so much to her. The YMCA had just completed a capital campaign and moved to a storefront in Lowell.

Within a few months, a full-time service desk position had opened up, and Rozema needed the benefits, but she did not have the computer skills that such a position would require. At the time, she could not afford a computer, so she went to Meijer and bought a children’s play computer. It was on this toy that she taught herself the computer skills needed for the job.

When she told Executive Director, Will Welch, her story, he chuckled and told her, “I’m not hiring you for your computer skills. I’m hiring you for who you are, your personality. The rest can be taught.”

Even when Rozema was only working a couple nights a week for two to four hours, she was asked to help with fundraising, and her involvement only ramped up over the years. Initially, she was scared to death of fundraising, but it was not long before she saw it as a place of power. One thing that helped her, was the fact that her own story was so accessible to the people she spoke with, and it testified so powerfully to the impact the YMCA can have on a struggling family. The other boost came from the fact that Lowell is such a giving and supportive community. “We have raised more money than some of our bigger branches,” Rozema said.

Before long, Rozema was executive director, and now, she is passing that torch on to her successor Lisa Lea.

When someone has given so much of themselves to the community for such a long period of time, retirement is rarely ever retirement, and Lowell has benefitted from folks who view their retirement as an opportunity to give even more of their time to the things that matter to them the most. Rozema is no exception to this rule. When she spoke to the CEO about retiring, she asked if she could work part-time for the YMCA, even after she stepped down as executive director. His recommendation was to take some time off.

“I’m going to listen to my CEO on that one,” Rozema said. “I’m going to take a little time off, but I don’t see myself taking too much time off. I’ll be back.”

At the beginning of the next chapter of her life, Rozema hopes to spend more time with family and friends, travel, garden, and work out.…and volunteer for the Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, the Litehouse Family YMCA, and anything else that supports the community of Lowell. Eventually, at least.

“I want to thank the Lowell community for their support of the Litehouse Family YMCA throughout so many years,” Rozema said. “Without all of your support, the Y would not be what it is today. I also want to thank the amazing staff and members at the YMCA. I will forever cherish the many friendships that I have made. I am excited to see what the future holds for the Litehouse Family YMCA.”

The Litehouse Family YMCA is holding a retirement celebration for Marta Rozema on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and all are welcome to see Rozema off as she embarks on her next adventure.