Goodrich-A loving ,wife, mother and friend’attributes of Joyce A. Hughes.
Hughes died Nov. 27 after a short illness with her loving husband Jerry by her side at Genesys Health Park.
She was 74.
Hughs was born in Midland, Mich. April 20, 1930, the daughter of Herman and Laura Mitchell. She married Jerry Aug. 20, 1950, and they moved to Goodrich in 1955. She worked at Goodrich Schools Food Services from 1964-1989 when she retired.
‘Joyce was very warm and caring for all the kids in the school,? said Al Martus, Goodrich High School assistant principal. She treated them like they were own kids and knew most of them by their names. She was a nice lady that had a lot of feelings for everyone.?
Goodrich resident and long time friend Leah Troyer worked with Joyce at the Goodrich High School food services for more than 15 years.
‘Joyce made a lot of the dough for the famous ‘Martian Sticky Buns? when she was the kitchen manager,? said Troyer. ‘If you graduated from Goodrich you’ve eaten those stickey buns. We and the whole kitchen had a lot of good laughs together’there were many nice kids going to school there. Besides the laughs we shared tears too.?
Troyer says she also remembers learning to play golf at Goodrich County Club where Joyce was very active.
‘Joyce realized soon after she started playing that she was a left handed golfer and her husband wanted her to play right handed. The funny part was when she started golfing she had only one left handed club to play with so she did everything with that one club. She ended up being a pretty good golfer.?
Joyce was also a member of the Goodrich United Methodist Church. She loved spending time with her family and also enjoyed golfing and traveling with her husband and shopping, especially with her sisters.
‘Joyce was always cheerful, hopeful and bright, optimistic and determined ? said Karl Zeigler, pastor of the Goodrich United Methodist Church. ‘She was a joy to be around.?
She is survived by children Joe (Charlotte) of Chesaning, Dan of Saginaw, Deb (Tim) Dryer of Sanford, and Thom ‘Bo? (Julie) of Lake Charles, La.; 11 grandchildren, Jacob, Jenna, Mary and Jarod Hughes, Michelle (Corey) Schaedig, Karie (Scott) Kusnier, Stacey Hughes, D.J. Hughes, Chris Dryer and Ryan Dryer, as well as her two great-grandchildren, Brandon and Brody Kusnier. She was preceded in death by her brother, Richard Mitchell, and grandchild Matthew, who died in 1990 at the age of one year. Also surviving are three sisters, Ruth Ann Beebe, Margaret (Bill) Broka, and Eleanor (Mike Breault).
Funeral services were Dec. 1 at the Goodrich United Methodist Church, 8071 South State Road, Goodrich, Pastor Karl L. Zeigler officiating. Burial in Dale Cemetery, Tobacco Township. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Goodrich United Methodist Church Family Life Center or Goodrich Hospice.