Grace Joppich

TRAVERSE CITY - On the evening of August 21st, 2014, while surrounded by family and friends, Grace Strohmer Joppich, 87, of Traverse City peacefully left for Heaven. Born Grace Patricia, second of six children, to Richard H. Jr. and Hazel Bella (Van Norman) Strohmer on January 11, 1927, in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. The young child, Gracie, enjoyed tagging along with her father, a high school athletic director, to many sporting events, especially liking baseball. As a spirited child, she contracted polio on September 1st, 1939, an occasion Grace celebrated every year. She was told she would never walk again, though her parents knew better. She became a survivor who thrived on the challenge and graduated St. Mary of Redford High School in 1944, received a Diploma of Nursing from Mt. Carmel Mercy Hospital, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Mercy College of Detroit (now University of Detroit Mercy) in 1949.

Grace married her neighbor Raymond Leo Joppich at Detroit St. Mary of Redford Catholic Church, July 8th, 1950. While honeymooning in the west the couple decided to stay and made their home in Hungry Horse, Montana and later Orange County, California. Returning to Detroit in 1954, they decided Traverse City would be a good place to raise a family, and in 1955, did just that, moving to Traverse City.

Grace worked tirelessly as an at home mom until 1963, then as a relief nurse at Munson Medical Center and later at Solem and Birchwood Nursing Homes. She retired from University of Michigan School of Nursing in 1998 after 16 years as the site representative for the U of M BSN Completion Program in Traverse City at Northwestern Michigan College. Only one experience was more enriching than raising her five children and that was as the volunteer sacristan (1974-1983) at All Faiths Chapel under the direction of Fr. Fred. There she was known as "Gracie" and "received more from my people than I gave - in gifts of priceless value".

Grace was a friend to all, peace activist, and believed in kindness and care for all of humanity. She enjoyed traveling the country to visit family. A regular provider of Texas Sheet Cake for funeral luncheons, she enjoyed cooking and baking as well as genealogy, sewing and mending, reading and helping others. But her true passion was, as she said "being in the garden, our wild backyard and outdoors". She was "sort of an outdoor nut with deep concern for our environment, which hopefully passed on to the rest of the family".

Grace is survived by her children, Marc J. (Wendy Hunt) Joppich of Burton, MI, Kristen M. Joppich (Manual P. Gualco) of Traverse City, Catherine J. (Bruce K.) Keiser of Roanoke, VA, M. Bernadette (Gary W.) Bowker of Edmond, OK, and Matthew R. (Mindy I. Hawley) Joppich of Maple City, MI. She is also survived by grandchildren Kristina (Eric) Mattis of Green Bay, WI, Justin Hunt of New York City, Jeromy Hunt of Brooklyn, NY, Brenton (Rachael) Bowker of Oklahoma City, OK, Raymond and Nathan Bowker of Edmond, OK, Craig Gieber of Sacramento, CA, Alicia (Allie) Gualco of Traverse City, Emily Grace Keiser of Roanoke, VA, and Peace and Odin Hawley Joppich of Maple City, MI and great grandchildren, Sicily Mattis of Green Bay, WI and Morgan Grace Bowker of Oklahoma City, OK. Also surviving are sister Constance VN (John) Jordan, brother James VN (Ruth) Strohmer, Lenore R. Strohmer, Sandra F. Good, Kathleen K. Strohmer, Esther T. Strohmer, and numerous attentive nieces and nephews and their families.

Grace was predeceased by her husband of 55 years in 2005, her parents, brothers Richard H. Strohmer III, William E. Strohmer, and infant John T. Strohmer, sister-in-law Cynthia Strohmer, and nephew Stewart Strohmer.

Visitation for Grace will be held Friday, Sept. 5, 2014 from 4 until 8 p.m. at the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home. The Funeral Mass will begin at 9:30 AM Saturday, Sept. 6 at St. Francis Catholic Church, with visitation at 9 AM. In lieu of flowers, Grace had asked that memorial contributions be directed to the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, 3860 N. Long Lake Rd., Traverse City, MI 49684 ( www.gtrlc.org ) or the Grass River Natural Area, P. O. Box 231, Bellaire, MI 49615 ( www.grassriver.org )