Jean Peoples

Jean Geraldine Peoples nee Hoeker, was born Sept 8, 1925 to Gerrit & Jennie Hoeker in Muskegon MI. She was the youngest of seven children: Henrietta, Grace, Burt, Elise, Dolly, and Alex. As a teenager she spent time with her best friend Nell and quit high school in the ninth grade to go to work at Montgomery Ward.

She met the love of her life, Clark Peoples, when she was sixteen on a double date with another man. Although they began the date with other people, fate found them together by the end of the night. They reunited eight years later after Clark returned home from his time spent in service to his country and they were married in June of 1949. Their first son Wayne was born the following year. Lee joined the family about a year and a half later and the family was complete with the addition of the three beloved daughters Janet, Norma and Ruth.

A loving stay at home mother, Jean could often be seen at a card table in the living room with an adding machine helping her husband with his accounting duties in his position of city assessor. She also spent many years selling Avon. Her hobbies included bowling, needle point and crocheting. Her joy of cards and board games was infectious and it was common for nights to be spent with friends and family at a card table doing just that. She was a avid reader and a passionate fan of the Detroit Tigers ( Tagers as she would have called them.) Jean also enjoyed travel and the family spent several weeks every summer piled into a station wagon traveling from one United States coast to the other.

When her son Lee got sick with encephalitis, Jean spent every day in the hospital caring for him. A mother’s worst fear was realized when she lost him in April of 1970. After she lost her husband to cancer in 1987, Jean sold the family home and moved into Pine Grove apartments where she found comfort in the relationships of her sisters and good friends who lived both in her building and right next door. They filled their days together with laughter over lunches, crafts, field trips, and cards at night.

Her loving spirit and generous nature created a foundation of love which her children passed on to her grandchildren. Jean was blessed with six grandchildren: Amy, Candy, Adam, Nicole, Melissa, and Krystal. She has ten great-grandchildren who are currently being raised with the same spirit of family that she began so many years ago. You did not leave Jean’s side without being told “I love you”. She was a shining example of what it means to be a good mother, wife, friend, sister and human being. And although she will be greatly missed, her legacy of love lives on in the hearts of the family she created and the many lives she’s touched.

A limb has fallen from the family tree. I keep hearing a voice that says, “Grieve not for me. Remember the best times, the laughter, the song. The good life I lived while I was strong. Continue my heritage, I’m counting on you. Keep smiling and surely the sun will shine through. My mind is at ease, my soul is at rest. Remembering all, how I truly was blessed. Continue traditions, no matter how small. Go on with life, don’t worry about falls. I miss you all dearly, so keep up your chin. Until the day comes we’re together again.”

Jean G. Peoples, age 87, passed away Sunday, May 19, 2013. She is survived by her son, Wayne (Elizabeth) Peoples of Rochester Hills; daughters, Janet Broadbent of Montague, Norma (John) Reinhardt of Twin Lake, Ruth (Dale) Grasmeyer of Twin Lake; 6 grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; 1 great great grandchild; brother, Alex (Arloa) Hoeker of Muskegon.

Services for Jean will be on Saturday, May 25, 2013, 1:00 PM at the Clock Chapel - Muskegon with Mr. Eugene Alcott officiating. Interment at Sunrise Memorial Gardens. Visitation will take place on Friday, 6-8 PM at Clock Funeral Home - Muskegon.