Joyce Elaine (LaForest) Hahnenberg, 85, of Traverse City, formerly of Kalkaska, passed away Saturday, April 27, 2019.
Joyce was born October 12, 1933 in Traverse City. She was the daughter of Leo Edward and Beatrice May (Carlisle) LaForest. She graduated from St. Francis High School and continued her education at Central Michigan University, where she earned her Associates Degree. During her time at CMU, she became a proud member of their Cheer-leading Squad, but most importantly, this is where she met her future husband, Robert Joseph Hahnenberg. They married in Traverse City at St. Francis Church on August 29th, 1953.
Joyce and Bob resided in Kalkaska where they raised their three sons. In the early years they owned rental cabins where Joyce worked very hard to ensure everything was pristine. They built their retirement home in the later years, which Joyce designed herself, down to the last detail.
Joyce was retired from the State of Michigan, Kalkaska Secretary of State Office where she had served as the Branch Manager.
Joyce was an active, spunky woman who loved golf, bowling, playing bridge, and entertaining her many friends and family members. She certainly knew how to throw a great party! She loved to tell her family stories of her past, including how she sold greeting cards as a young girl, riding her bicycle to her customer's home. She was also very proud to remind us that she was the best Cheerleader St. Francis H.S. ever had.
Joyce was a long-time member of St. Mary's of the Woods Catholic Church in Kalkaska, and then St. Francis Catho-lic Church after moving to Traverse City. Her faith was very important to her.
Joyce spent many years as a caregiver to her parents, her husband Bob and her son Kevin, never uttering a word of complaint. She will be remembered for her positive attitude, her very social and loving nature, her regard for all people, her beaming beautiful smile, her very kind and gentle heart, and especially for being a wonderful loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother and aunt. She will be greatly missed.
Joyce is survived by her sons, Robert J. "Bob" Hahnenberg, Jr. and Michael L. "Mike" (Cammy) Hahnenberg, both of Traverse City; her grandchildren, Krissy Krimmel, Ryan (Tina Witt) Croy, Rob (Amber) Hahnenberg, Heather Hahnen-berg, Terra Hahnenberg, Cassie Hahnenberg, Candace (Chad) Musselman, and Tyler Stephens; several great grand-children, her brother Ron (Connie) LaForest, many nieces, nephews and their families, as well as several great niec-es and nephews, all of whom were very important to her. Joyce was preceded in death by her parents Bea and Leo, her husband Bob, and sons Ronald and Kevin.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday, May 17 at St. Francis Catholic Church with The Rev. Father Benjamin Rexroat and The Rev. Father Ken Stachnik officiating. Visitation will begin at the church one hour prior to the mass. Interment will be in Grand Traverse Memorial Gardens.
For a lasting memorial, the family would ask that memorial contributions in Joyce's name be directed to St. Francis Catholic Church, 1025 S. Union, Traverse City, 49684, St. Mary's of the Woods Catholic Church, 438 County Road 612, NE, Kalkaska, 49646, or Munson Hospice House, c/o Munson Regional Healthcare Foundation, 1500 Medical Campus Drive, Traverse City, 49684.
Please share your memories of Joyce with her family by visiting her online tribute page at
www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com
. The family is being cared for by Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services.