Amy was born March 15, 1953, the second child of Frank and Patricia Huxtable. She went on to become one of the first women to graduate with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Michigan State University. As a small business owner, she owned two business in Michigan, and one in Florida, all of which she ultimately sold.
She loved to learn and excelled in school early on. When the cost of attending university became prohibitive, she made it work by finding summer employment. As the computing revolution was unfolding, she learnt how to process punch cards. After just over a year at Michigan Tech she transferred to Michigan State. That is where she met my dad David Kremer.
After graduation she managed a veterinary practice in Lansing. Ultimately this was not enough. Work took our young family from Michigan to Milwaukee and ultimately California in a few short years. The Reagan recession was not friendly to a recent pair of college graduates. The pendulum shifted again and we found ourselves in Michigan a few years later, this time in Hunters Ridge apartments and later a house at 22761 Ashley St in Farmington Hills. At first she managed the Fuller Veterinary Clinic in Detroit. Later she opened her own practice – the Kremer Cat Clinic – in Farmington Hills.
We were fortunate to have my mom’s parents active in our life. They retired to northern Michigan shortly after I was born. The family cottage on Torch Lake was a frequent gathering place. So many memories were tied to the chilly waters and beautiful setting there. Hand churning ice cream, playing Scrabble, watching fireworks, hitting golf balls off the dock into the lake, and going fishing were a few of the highlights. My grandparents retirement was a gift they shared with their kids and grandkids.
She supported me through scouting. Having multiple Eagle scouts in the family helped including my grandfather Frank and my Uncle Bill.
The divorce of my parents while we were living on Ashley Street was a defining moment in my life. While my dad remained active, it placed a greater burden on my mom’s shoulders to care for me and my brother. We moved to 59325 Nine Mile Rd in South Lyon midway through the sixth grade. I felt a strong need to be independent, self reliant, and believed that my accomplishments would need to come from my personal effort. Now I can clearly see these are all qualities that my mom exemplified and were passed on to me.
My mom encouraged me in my love for music and theater. She supported me going to Interlochen Arts Camp in the summer of 1993 for the full eight week session. When I racked up a sizable bill for concerts and shows I attended every evening, she had to reign me in a bit. I responded by going to every free concert and show after that. This ended up being one of the most sublime summers of my life, filled with music and beauty. The next two summers I attended the two week session at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. In 1996 I traveled with the International Choral Ensemble to Europe, again with her support.
After graduating from South Lyon High School I moved out and we grew apart. She helped pay for my undergraduate education at Albion College. Though I followed her example by working to pay part of my way. When I ran into some trouble with the administration she came to my defense, making it possible for me to graduate. At the time I was upset with the interference though later realized without her help I might not have completed college.
Her personal life took a turn for the better when she met Peter “Pete” Cousino. They married July 20, 2002. For over twenty years they had so many adventures together. After getting married they sailed along the Erie Canal, Hudson River and Intercoastal all the way to Florida. They had extended stays near Charleston, St. Augustine, and Tampa. Equally comfortable with the road as they were water, they traveled by camper throughout the US as far as Maine and California.
When I had a chance to attend Cornell University for graduate study in historic preservation, she encouraged me. Cornell was one of the schools she considered to study veterinary science. As an aside, would she have realized that dream, I would most likely not exist. To graduate from Cornell was the realization of a dream for both of us.
In 2008 I met Chrissy whom I would marry a year later. Her strength and intelligence reminded me of my mom. Chrissy and I are fortunate to have had two kids together. That also brought my mom more actively into the life of our family. Despite the fact we moved from Long Island, to Texas, to Kentucky, and ultimately New Jersey, she made a point of keeping connected.
After moving about, Amy and Pete settled down near Sebastian, Florida. There she opened and later sold her final business – The Cat’s Meow. Helping her in this venture was Pete who remained by her side until the end. She was the most trustworthy person that Pete ever met, and she was a caring yet also challenging presence. They made a perfect pair. His care as her health declined was heartfelt and selfless.
When she was diagnosed with cancer on January 2, 2024, it was a blow to me and our entire family. We felt cheated of years of retirement and enjoyment of time with family. Later this turned into acceptance. Looking back at her entire life those many summers and trips to Torch Lake were like an early retirement with three generations of our family spending time together. Recreating that magic was hard given all of our moving about. We did manage to make home wherever we ended up.
We made the most of the last few years keeping in touch far more often. Christmas of 2022 she spent with our family in New Jersey. Her last visit in August 2025 was particularly memorable. We had a happy time with the entire family, enjoying golfing, cooking, and she and I even caught a Broadway show together.
The last conversation we had was on Thanksgiving day. I could tell that she was already low on energy and the call was brief. We ended by sharing an “I love you” with one another – our final words.
When things got really bad just before Christmas 2025, I rerouted my travel plans from New Jersey to Florida. In her final hours we were together. She let me hold her hand. And while she was no longer able to have a conversation, words were not needed after a lifetime together. When she looked at me I know that she could tell I was there and that is all that mattered. She passed away quietly in her sleep without any pain on December 21, 2025.
In final analysis everything I have accomplished in life is thanks to the model my mom set for me and the loving kindness she shared throughout my life. Her example of prioritizing education even at great personal sacrifice, contributing to the world at a meaningful level through practicing a profession, valuing music as an essential part of life, and prioritizing spending time with family has left a lasting imprint. I am better for knowing her and full of gratitude and love for her and the life she gave me. The best tribute I can give her is the love and time I share with my family. That is the greatest lesson that I learnt from my mom.