1928
Joni
2012
Joni "Babe" Lillis
November 18, 1928 — January 24, 2012
Eben
Joni "Babe" M. Lillis, age 83, of Eben Junction, died on Tuesday morning, January 24, 2012 at the Tendercare Health Center in Munising. Babe was born November 18, 1928 in Detroit, MI to Charles and Mary (Tomasco) Lowman. She graduated from St. Phillip Neri in Detroit and went on to work several different jobs. One of her favorite was being a professional singer on WXYZ Radio. Babe was working at Shawi Olsen and Dimmer C.P.A. firm when she met the love of her life Dale. She always said that when he said "Hello" the first time she knew he was the one. They married on June 27, 1953 and live in St. Clair Shores, MI and started raising their family. In 1965, she moved with her husband and five children to Boyne City, MI where she had one more daughter. She was fortunate to be a stay at home mom and taught her children the skills they would use to keep house and be on their own. Babe remained in Boy City until just after she lost Dale. In 1991, she moved down to Coldwater, MI near her oldest son, Chuck. Babe started a whole new chapter of her life and was there for seventeen years. She was involved in church functions and was an inspiration to people when she became an amputee in 2002 and still had such a positive outlook. That positive outlook would be tested again in 2007 when she became a double amputee. Rather than throw in the towel, Babe took up roots and replanted them in the U.P. with daughter Heidi and her husband Tim and family for the remainder of her life. Mobility was hampered, but she still made new friends and inspired more people as they experienced her positive attitude and sheer strong will taking care of herself while being totally wheelchair bound. Babe loved the casino and she became very adept at computers and enjoyed the world that the internet opened for her being a homebound person. Facebook opened up a whole new horizon for her. Those that knew Baby well, also knew she loved to tell how Mickey Mouse was her long lost twin as they shared the same exact date of birth. Her sense of humor was part of her charisma that will live on. Babe had a strong devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for her entire life and she was a member of St. Rita in Trenary.
Babe was preceded in death by her husband Dale; sons Michael Patrick Lillis and Lawrence Michael Lillis; her parents Charles and Mary Lowman; a sister Claire; her parents-in-law Charles and Eva Lillis; and brothers-in-law Douglas Lillis and Douglas Hovingh. Babe is survived by children - Charles (Jayne) Lillis of Coldwater, MI, David (Marcia) Lillis of Lake Orion, MI, Sue (Mike) Wassenberg of Berkley, MI, and Heidi (Tim "T.I.M") Swajanen of Eben Junction; grandchildren - Bethany Lillis, Jessie Lillis, James Johnson, Brian Johnson, Brandon Lillis, Matthew Lillis, Ryan Wassenberg, Lisa Wassenberg, Kylie Wassenberg, Betty Jo Swajanen, and Breanna Swajanen; siblings - Robert (Char) Lowman, Patricia (Rupert) Cooke, Eileen Jameison, and Geraldine Lowman; sisters-in-law - Arlene Lillis and Audrey Hovingh; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated by Father Jacek Wytklo on Saturday February 18, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Rita's Catholic Church in Trenary. A Memorial will also be at St. Charles Church in Coldwater, MI on June 9, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Maple Lawn Cemetery in Boyne City sometime in the spring.
Joni "Babe" M. Lillis, age 83, of Eben Junction, died on Tuesday morning, January 24, 2012 at the Tendercare Health Center in Munising. Babe was born November 18, 1928 in Detroit, MI to Charles and Mary (Tomasco) Lowman. She graduated from St. Phillip Neri in Detroit and went on to work several different jobs. One of her favorite was being a professional singer on WXYZ Radio. Babe was working at Shawi Olsen and Dimmer C.P.A. firm when she met the love of her life Dale. She always said that when he said "Hello" the first time she knew he was the one. They married on June 27, 1953 and live in St. Clair Shores, MI and started raising their family. In 1965, she moved with her husband and five children to Boyne City, MI where she had one more daughter. She was fortunate to be a stay at home mom and taught her children the skills they would use to keep house and be on their own. Babe remained in Boy City until just after she lost Dale. In 1991, she moved down to Coldwater, MI near her oldest son, Chuck. Babe started a whole new chapter of her life and was there for seventeen years. She was involved in church functions and was an inspiration to people when she became an amputee in 2002 and still had such a positive outlook. That positive outlook would be tested again in 2007 when she became a double amputee. Rather than throw in the towel, Babe took up roots and replanted them in the U.P. with daughter Heidi and her husband Tim and family for the remainder of her life. Mobility was hampered, but she still made new friends and inspired more people as they experienced her positive attitude and sheer strong will taking care of herself while being totally wheelchair bound. Babe loved the casino and she became very adept at computers and enjoyed the world that the internet opened for her being a homebound person. Facebook opened up a whole new horizon for her. Those that knew Baby well, also knew she loved to tell how Mickey Mouse was her long lost twin as they shared the same exact date of birth. Her sense of humor was part of her charisma that will live on. Babe had a strong devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for her entire life and she was a member of St. Rita in Trenary.
Babe was preceded in death by her husband Dale; sons Michael Patrick Lillis and Lawrence Michael Lillis; her parents Charles and Mary Lowman; a sister Claire; her parents-in-law Charles and Eva Lillis; and brothers-in-law Douglas Lillis and Douglas Hovingh. Babe is survived by children - Charles (Jayne) Lillis of Coldwater, MI, David (Marcia) Lillis of Lake Orion, MI, Sue (Mike) Wassenberg of Berkley, MI, and Heidi (Tim "T.I.M") Swajanen of Eben Junction; grandchildren - Bethany Lillis, Jessie Lillis, James Johnson, Brian Johnson, Brandon Lillis, Matthew Lillis, Ryan Wassenberg, Lisa Wassenberg, Kylie Wassenberg, Betty Jo Swajanen, and Breanna Swajanen; siblings - Robert (Char) Lowman, Patricia (Rupert) Cooke, Eileen Jameison, and Geraldine Lowman; sisters-in-law - Arlene Lillis and Audrey Hovingh; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated by Father Jacek Wytklo on Saturday February 18, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Rita's Catholic Church in Trenary. A Memorial will also be at St. Charles Church in Coldwater, MI on June 9, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Maple Lawn Cemetery in Boyne City sometime in the spring.
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