Joyce A. (LaForge) Petrimoulx

Joyce Ann Petrimoulx (nee LaForge) passed away Wednesday, September 2, 2015 in Bay City, Michigan and has gone to her Lord and Savior, and the arms and heart of her sweet husband, the late Dennis E. Petrimoulx, and dearest friend, Sharon Tanner Piotrowski. Joyce was born August 17, 1944, in Bay City to Roy and Anna (Fiebke) LaForge. She was a member of St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church. She was a 1962 graduate of Notre Dame de la Visitation High School where she excelled in typing and shorthand. In 1994, she obtained her BSW from Saginaw Valley State University after ten years of night school while being employed full-time. Joyce was raised with a strong work ethic and began working as a babysitter in her Gary Street neighborhood and as a retail clerk in the former Wise Shop and Ribeaud's Variety Store. Wanting to apply her secretarial skills, she moved to Ann Arbor where she worked for a stockbroker followed by the University of Michigan Graduate School. The strong bonds of family and f friends found her back in Bay City where she worked for several years as a medical assistant. In 1967, she joined Eaton Corporation where she remained until 2003. She advanced through several positions (Engineering Clerk Steno, Secretary to the Plant Manager, retiring as Shipping Supervisor). She then worked part-time as a para pro for the Bay County ISD, and then held several positions through ITH Temporary Services, ending at Family & Children's Services in Midland. Joyce thoroughly enjoyed working with all the dear people who touched her life and became her friends as they shared knowledge and support. Joyce was predeceased by her beloved husband, Dennis. They were married July 11, 1992, on Mackinaw Island, on a rainy weekend where the sun broke out for 15 minutes during their wedding ceremony in the garden of the Windemere Hotel. Before Dennis became ill, they enjoyed antiquing, estate sales, garage sales, fall canning, holiday bazaars, fishing, bicycling, swimming at the Y, driving all over Michigan and just bee-bopping together. She was also predeceased by her father, Roy E. LaForge, paternal and maternal grandparents, nephew Kurt Allen Schaffer, and lifelong friends, Sharon Tanner Piotrowski and Larry Piotrowski. She is survived by her delightful daughter, Stephanie (Schmit) Kammerud, son-in-law, Brian, and step-granddaughter, Alisen all of Centuria, Wisconsin. The love flowed between them via email, phone calls, snail mail, and precious visits. Stephanie was a loving daughter and never failed to express her feelings at precisely the needed moment. They shared a very special love and affection. Joyce is also survived by her mother of 99 years, Anna M. (Fiebke) LaForge who stoically lived her life and taught her girls the meaning of life, survival, and caring for a family. Going forward to cherish her memory are five sisters and their spouses: Joanne (Nick) Kaczmarek of Auburn, Judy (Greg) Marks of Ann Arbor, Jackie (George) Whiteman of Birch Run, Janice (Dale) Bargeron of Clarkston, and Jerrilyn (Roy) Heiter of Whitmore Lake. Each year, the "Six J's" enjoyed a weekend away with their mother in Northern Michigan, where fun and laughter abounded. She leaves her nieces and nephews: Kimberly (Scott) Germain, Nicholas (Linda) Kaczmarek, Kellie (Tom) Deming, Chris (Teresa) Kaczmarek, J. (Amy) Schaffer, Laura (Mark) Spears, Cindy (Drew) Chittick, Marcus LaForge, Stacey Houlihan, Jamie (Jason) Renaud, Jodie Bargeron, Alex (Heather) Heiter, Craig Heiter and Evan Heiter, as well as many great and great-great nieces and nephews. Dearest friends remain: Mary Ellen & Ken Miller of Munger, Anita Frost of Saginaw, Dan Barker of Mio, and many other girlfriends she counted as sisters: Carol, Marilyn, Sandy, Lil, Janet, Sue, Kathy, the Visitation Girls, and certainly Sylvia Schmit, Osceola, Wisconsin, who put light back into Joyce's life. Joyce was affiliated with many organizations as member/volunteer throughout her life: St. Jude Thaddeus where she served as Lector and on Pastoral Council, Good Samaritan Rescue Mission, Ancient Order of Hibernians St Brigid O'The Bay Division, Professional Secretaries International Saginaw Valley Chapter, DOT Caring Center, Big Sisters of Saginaw, the Saginaw Underground Railroad. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated Thursday, September 10, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Jude Thaddeus Parish - St. John's Church 614 N. Pine St. Essexville, MI. Celebrant will be Rev. Fr. Dale A. Orlik with private Inurnment in Calvary Cemetery in Kawkawlin. At the request of Joyce cremation has taken place. The family will be present at the Gephart Funeral Home and Cremation Services to receive visitors on Wednesday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. and at the Church on Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service. The Vigil for the Deceased will take place Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider a memorial to The Good Samaritan Rescue Mission.