Helen Buyce

Throughout her rich and rewarding life, Helen Buyce spread her warmth to so many others within her reach. She was gracious and kindhearted, gentle and patient with those around her. Helen was a devoted wife and mother whose greatest joy was found in watching her family tree blossom to include numerous branches of loved ones who were her greatest source of pride and joy. Although she will be deeply missed, Helen’s timeless legacy that is deeply rooted in unconditional love will be carried on by those who follow her.

More than a century has passed since our nation witnessed the trials and triumphs of the early 20th century. There were unsafe working conditions, which attributed to a middle class that was growing increasingly more discontent, yet with Henry Ford’s determination to make the automobile more affordable great strides were mere moments away from transforming the fabric of our nation forever. Jazz music, silent films, and the latest Broadway production entertained Americans everywhere while women wore tea gowns, and men were commonly found wearing longer suits and twill jackets. It was amidst this time of great promise that a young couple from Columbus Junction, Iowa, were celebrating a joyous occasion in their own lives with the birth of their healthy baby girl on October 18, 1911. Baby Helen was one of 12 children born to her parents, Wilbur and Nancy Orris, and was raised in the family home in Columbus Junction, which is located about 25 miles west of the Mississippi River.

In many ways Helen experienced an upbringing that was typical for the youth of her generation. Her parents were farmers who later moved with their bustling family to Detroit, Michigan, to find jobs in the expanding automobile in 1926. This was a time when our nation’s youth were more commonly found in the workforce than they were in school, and Helen was 16 years old when she found a job inspecting and packing chrome plated parts at Motor Products Company to help bring added money into the family.

Life was forever changed for Helen when her family moved to a farm near Otsego in the early thirties. The harsh realities of the Great Depression had set in, and her family felt the effects through a slowdown and layoffs in their job, which prompted their move. In January of 1933 Helen took a job doing housework for the R.A. Buyce family outside of Bangor, which is how she met the young man who stole her heart. His name was Earl Buyce, and with a desire to establish a life together they were married on December 10th of that same year. Together they welcomed three sons into their hearts and home: Dwight, Harold, and Dale. Helen and Earl raised their boys in a loving environment on a dairy farm near Bangor. Helen not only cared for the needs of her family and home, but she also took a job as an office manager at the South Haven Hospital to help support the family.

An efficient and hardworking woman, Helen was always one to be busy. When the weather was conducive she was often out walking, golfing, or bicycling. On rainy days and in the evenings Helen passed the time working with her crafts, reading, and quilting. She made not only her three sons quilts, but she also made them for all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well. Through the years she made numerous gifts for her family and friends that will be forever cherished. Helen also liked bowling for many years.

After Helen and Earl both retired they fully embraced having more free time. Helen pursued her interests, some of which she shared with her husband, but together they also loved doing things like traveling. Winters found them in Florida while their summer months were spent back in Michigan.

Shortly after Earl’s death in 2002 Helen moved to Hendersonville, North Carolina, to be closer to her son, Dwight, and his wife, Peggy. Although she was deeply saddened with her husband’s death, the love of her family carried her through the days, weeks, and months that followed. Helen continued to keep busy with her quilting for two more years, and she also enjoyed the lifestyle of Lake Pointe Landing.

With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, Helen Buyce created a brilliant tapestry of memories that will be forever treasured by the loved ones she leaves behind. She was a soft-spoken and humble woman who never had an unkind word to say about anyone. Helen wasn’t one to worry about building wealth or accumulating possessions, rather, she set her sights on making the most of the days she was given while deeply loving those around her. She will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered.

Helen Buyce died on November 8, 2012, in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Helen’s family includes her son, Dwight (Peggy) of Saluda, NC; daughters-in-law, Rose Buyce of Portage, MI and Beth Buyce of West Olive, MI; six grandchildren, D. David Buyce, of Wilmington, NC, Tracy Heemstra, of Grand Rapids, MI, Brenda Buyce, of Kalamazoo, MI, Douglas (Charen) Buyce, of Ada, MI, Robert Buyce, of Portage, MI, and Troy (Trish) Buyce, of Snowmass Village, CO; three great-grandchildren; sister, Pearl Shook of Plainwell, MI; sisters-in-law, Betty and Pauline Orris; brother-in-law, Don Elferink; and several nieces and nephews. Helen was preceded in death by her two sons, Harold and Dale Buyce; brothers, David (Rachel), Vern, Herb (Mary), Warren (Marion), Ralph (Nita), Robert; sisters, Lucille (Robert) Porter, Mary (Jack) Shattuck, Dorothy (Dale) Williams; Jean Elferink; and brother-in-law, Melville Shook. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a memory and sign the online guestbook.