Paul C. Macey

With unending devotion to his family, Paul Macey lived life to the fullest while holding his loved ones near. He was a hardworking and driven man who saw some of the most amazing places, but what made these times so special was experiencing them with his family. A loving husband and devoted father, Paul was thrilled to become a grandfather later in life. He tenderly cared for his wife during her time of need, his love for her truly inspiring. Deeply loved, Paul will never be forgotten.

The year 1941 is often recalled as the year that our nation was left with no choice but to enter into WWII after the vicious attack on our naval base in Pearl Harbor on December 7th. It was just prior to this day that Thadeus Walter and Mayme E. (Smith) Macey were pleased to announce the birth of the baby boy they named Paul Clark on November 20th. The younger of two in his family, he was raised in the family home on Dunlap Street, NW, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, alongside his older sister, Marcia. His father was an salesman and insurance agent who changed the original name from Maciejewski to Macey. Paul’s mother was a homemaker and seamstress. As a family they attended Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, and he attended Fairview Elementary school and later Union High School where he played football and was a weight lifter. Paul also had a paper route for the Grand Rapids Press. After graduating from high school in 1959, Paul joined the US Navy Great Lakes Naval Training Center. He proudly served during the Cuban Missile Crisis for five years and was discharged as MAA-Master at Arms.

Paul joined the US Navy with his good buddy, Daniel Spruit, and this proved to be quite fateful. Daniel’s sister, Deanna “Dede,” was someone Paul knew during high school, but when they became acquainted while Paul was in the military things were a bit different. Smitten, they began dating and soon found themselves in love. With a desire to establish a life together, Paul and Dede were married on May 21, 1966, at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church. The newlyweds then spent their honeymoon in Jamaica. Upon their return to Grand Rapids, the couple moved into an apartment on Burke, NW. Paul worked in a tool and job shop, and this was the trade from which he later retired. After living on Burke for a time, they later moved to a home on Six Mile Road, NW, before building their home on Hampton Ct., NW. Together they were blessed with three children, Brian, Pam, and Matt.

In his time away from work, Paul enjoyed being with his family. Over the years they took vacations to places like Six Flags, Michigan’s Adventure, King’s Island, and Wisconsin Dells. Summer weekends often found them out at the cottage they shared with two other families located on Hess Lake where there was plenty of boating, fishing, and all kinds of water fun. Paul’s favorite place to be was on the swing on the back porch of his house, drinking a cold one. He loved food from his Polish heritage such as kielbasa, kapusta, and pierogis as well as baked beans, tomatoes, and plenty of garlic in everything he ate. Paul was a steak and potatoes kind of guy who liked big Sunday dinners with the family. The family attended St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church for years. He retired at 65, which meant that he and his wife had many years to have some fun. Paul and Dede traveled to many places including Las Vegas, Florida, the Bahamas and more, and they also had a timeshare in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. He loved having grandchildren and always looked forward to spending time with family. In fact, Paul always loved having visitors.

Throughout his life Paul was always busy. He and Dede enjoyed making step-stones out of glass and concrete for family and friends. An avid reader, Paul read the newspaper from cover to cover every day, and he also read some magazines including Guidepost, Kiplinger’s Report, and Readers Digest. On television he enjoyed watching the Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men, and Paul never missed his soap, Days of Our Lives. When it came to music he liked The Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, and music from the 1950s and 1960s. With deep respect for the Navy, he loved watching the Blue Angels.

Later in life Paul experienced both peaks and valleys in his journey. While Dede battled with thyroid cancer for 18 years, he was there to care for her when needed as the treatment and subsequent complications never seemed to end. On November 10, 2012, Paul was deeply saddened with Dede’s death after sharing 46 years together. In the years that followed, his son, Brian, was there to help. This was quite a commitment, too, as Paul needed to be taken to Meijer every Saturday morning precisely at seven - and it lasted three hours! There were also several doctor’s appointments that Brian drove him to. The family usually went out for dinner to Applebee’s on Sundays at 11 a.m. sharp so they could avoid the crowds. Paul had suffered a heart attack in 1986, but he recovered quite well. Nine years ago he had a pacemaker put in, and he continued to have heart issues in the years that followed.

A kind, thoughtful, and hardworking man, Paul Macey was a blessing to his family and friends. He was steadfast in the lives of his family, and his devotion to his wife was unmatched. Paul will be forever missed.

Paul C. Macey, aged 74, passed away on Saturday evening, October 29, 2016 at Metro Health Hospital, with his loving family at his side. He was preceded in death by his wife, Deanna “Dede” Macey and his sister, Marcia (Richard) Jackolat. He is survived by his children, Brian Macey and his son Nikolas; Pamela (Patrick) Masiewicz and their children, Zachary and Alyssa; Matthew (Julee) Macey and daughter, Breanna; his sisters in law and brothers in law, Marilyn (Harley) DeVries, Dan Spruit, Jeff (Diane) Spruit; many nieces, nephews and friends. Paul honorably served his country in the US Navy. He worked in Tool & Die all his life. He was a loving and dedicated husband, father grandfather, brother, who will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered. He was a member of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 2510 Richmond St. NW, where the Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday November 2 at 10:00 AM. Relatives and friends are invited to meet his family on Tuesday from 4:00 – 9:00 pm at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW, with a vigil service at 8:30 PM. Visitation at the church on Wednesday from 9:00 am until the Mass begins at 10:00 am. In lieu o f flowers please consider contributions to the American Heart Assn. To read more about Paul’s life, to sign his guest book and to leave your own memories of him, visit his web page at www.lifestorynet.com