Barbara Jean Fitzgerald
April 11, 1942 - April 11, 2020
Big Rapids - Barbara Jean Fitzgerald, 78, of Big Rapids, was called to heaven on April 11, 2020, surrounded by her loved ones.
She was born on April 11, 1942, in Grand Rapids, the daughter of Brant and Dorothy (Pierce) Venlet. Barbara accepted Christ at an early age. She graduated from Morley High School in 1960 and attended Columbia Bible College in Columbia, South Carolina from 1960-1962, where she planned to become a missionary. Having missed her family and home she returned to Michigan, and has been a resident of Big Rapids most of her life.
Barbara began working at Elias Brothers Big Boy restaurant in Big Rapids when they first opened in 1979 and continued working there for 34 years before she retired in 2013. She truly enjoyed her customers and formed many lasting friendships from her years at Big Boy. She had many regular customers who would come in just to see her.
Barbara's favorite hobbies included bowling, bingo, crosswords, baking, and puzzles. She would spend many hours working on challenging puzzles. She is famous for her homemade cinnamon rolls, peanut butter fudge and banana bread. She was an active member of Eagles 2535 of Big Rapids. She enjoyed most of all traveling and spending time with her family and special friends Bobby and Linda Spedoski and their trips to the casino.
She leaves to cherish her memory, her best friend and companion, Ronald Wilson of Big Rapids; her four children, Robert Venlet of Big Rapids, Reginia (Charles) Jaent, of Belding, Cheryl (Tom Kolinske) Fitzgerald of Petoskey, Mark (Sabrina) Fitzgerald of Rockford; step-children, Tamar (Mike) Aldrich of Owosso, Kathryn (Bruce) Hunt of Hersey, William (Tania) Fitzgerald, III of Tampa, FL; five grandchildren, Christopher (Kristina) Fitzgerald of Grand Rapids, Mykayla (Ryan) Bixler of Moore, OK, Kaitlyn Jaent and Jarad Jaent of Belding, Alexandra Berry of Petoskey, and Rachel Berry of Carmel, IN; a great grandson, Malcolm "Mac" Pulaski; one brother, Brant (Kris) Venlet of Wyoming, MI; three sisters, Sally Jack of Lakeview, Mary Murtland of Morley, Janet (Bob) Proctor of Lakeview, and several nieces and nephews.
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters Patricia Hasper, Dorothy Heminger, and Carolyn Lach, a grandson, Brant Albert Venlet, nephew Glen Murtland, and four brothers-in-law.
Family services for Barbara will take place in the Aetna Township Cemetery in Morley, where she will be laid to rest with her parents. A Celebration of her Life will be from 12 - 2 p.m., Saturday, July 18, 2020 at the Big Rapids Eagles.
In lieu of flowers the family has asked that memorial donations may be given in honor of Barbara to Angels of Action, P.O. Box 1020, Big Rapids, Michigan 49307, with a notation marked "in memory of Barbara Fitzgerald", or online at www.angelsofaction.org by clicking "Donate Now" and adding note for Barbara Fitzgerald. Care and arrangements are entrusted to the Mohnke Funeral Home in Big Rapids.
April 11, 1942 - April 11, 2020
Big Rapids - Barbara Jean Fitzgerald, 78, of Big Rapids, was called to heaven on April 11, 2020, surrounded by her loved ones.
She was born on April 11, 1942, in Grand Rapids, the daughter of Brant and Dorothy (Pierce) Venlet. Barbara accepted Christ at an early age. She graduated from Morley High School in 1960 and attended Columbia Bible College in Columbia, South Carolina from 1960-1962, where she planned to become a missionary. Having missed her family and home she returned to Michigan, and has been a resident of Big Rapids most of her life.
Barbara began working at Elias Brothers Big Boy restaurant in Big Rapids when they first opened in 1979 and continued working there for 34 years before she retired in 2013. She truly enjoyed her customers and formed many lasting friendships from her years at Big Boy. She had many regular customers who would come in just to see her.
Barbara's favorite hobbies included bowling, bingo, crosswords, baking, and puzzles. She would spend many hours working on challenging puzzles. She is famous for her homemade cinnamon rolls, peanut butter fudge and banana bread. She was an active member of Eagles 2535 of Big Rapids. She enjoyed most of all traveling and spending time with her family and special friends Bobby and Linda Spedoski and their trips to the casino.
She leaves to cherish her memory, her best friend and companion, Ronald Wilson of Big Rapids; her four children, Robert Venlet of Big Rapids, Reginia (Charles) Jaent, of Belding, Cheryl (Tom Kolinske) Fitzgerald of Petoskey, Mark (Sabrina) Fitzgerald of Rockford; step-children, Tamar (Mike) Aldrich of Owosso, Kathryn (Bruce) Hunt of Hersey, William (Tania) Fitzgerald, III of Tampa, FL; five grandchildren, Christopher (Kristina) Fitzgerald of Grand Rapids, Mykayla (Ryan) Bixler of Moore, OK, Kaitlyn Jaent and Jarad Jaent of Belding, Alexandra Berry of Petoskey, and Rachel Berry of Carmel, IN; a great grandson, Malcolm "Mac" Pulaski; one brother, Brant (Kris) Venlet of Wyoming, MI; three sisters, Sally Jack of Lakeview, Mary Murtland of Morley, Janet (Bob) Proctor of Lakeview, and several nieces and nephews.
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters Patricia Hasper, Dorothy Heminger, and Carolyn Lach, a grandson, Brant Albert Venlet, nephew Glen Murtland, and four brothers-in-law.
Family services for Barbara will take place in the Aetna Township Cemetery in Morley, where she will be laid to rest with her parents. A Celebration of her Life will be from 12 - 2 p.m., Saturday, July 18, 2020 at the Big Rapids Eagles.
In lieu of flowers the family has asked that memorial donations may be given in honor of Barbara to Angels of Action, P.O. Box 1020, Big Rapids, Michigan 49307, with a notation marked "in memory of Barbara Fitzgerald", or online at www.angelsofaction.org by clicking "Donate Now" and adding note for Barbara Fitzgerald. Care and arrangements are entrusted to the Mohnke Funeral Home in Big Rapids.
Barbara Jean Fitzgerald
April 11, 1942 - April 11, 2020
Big Rapids - Barbara Jean Fitzgerald, 78, of Big Rapids, was called to heaven on April 11, 2020, surrounded by her loved ones.
She was born on April 11, 1942, in Grand Rapids, the daughter of Brant and Dorothy (Pierce) Venlet. Barbara accepted Christ at an early age. She graduated from Morley High School in 1960 and attended Columbia Bible College in Columbia, South Carolina from 1960-1962, where she planned to become a missionary. Having missed her family and home she returned to Michigan, and has been a resident of Big Rapids most of her life.
Barbara began working at Elias Brothers Big Boy restaurant in Big Rapids when they first opened in 1979 and continued working there for 34 years before she retired in 2013. She truly enjoyed her customers and formed many lasting friendships from her years at Big Boy. She had many regular customers who would come in just to see her.
Barbara's favorite hobbies included bowling, bingo, crosswords, baking, and puzzles. She would spend many hours working on challenging puzzles. She is famous for her homemade cinnamon rolls, peanut butter fudge and banana bread. She was an active member of Eagles 2535 of Big Rapids. She enjoyed most of all traveling and spending time with her family and special friends Bobby and Linda Spedoski and their trips to the casino.
She leaves to cherish her memory, her best friend and companion, Ronald Wilson of Big Rapids; her four children, Robert Venlet of Big Rapids, Reginia (Charles) Jaent, of Belding, Cheryl (Tom Kolinske) Fitzgerald of Petoskey, Mark (Sabrina) Fitzgerald of Rockford; step-children, Tamar (Mike) Aldrich of Owosso, Kathryn (Bruce) Hunt of Hersey, William (Tania) Fitzgerald, III of Tampa, FL; five grandchildren, Christopher (Kristina) Fitzgerald of Grand Rapids, Mykayla (Ryan) Bixler of Moore, OK, Kaitlyn Jaent and Jarad Jaent of Belding, Alexandra Berry of Petoskey, and Rachel Berry of Carmel, IN; a great grandson, Malcolm "Mac" Pulaski; one brother, Brant (Kris) Venlet of Wyoming, MI; three sisters, Sally Jack of Lakeview, Mary Murtland of Morley, Janet (Bob) Proctor of Lakeview, and several nieces and nephews.
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters Patricia Hasper, Dorothy Heminger, and Carolyn Lach, a grandson, Brant Albert Venlet, nephew Glen Murtland, and four brothers-in-law.
Family services for Barbara will take place in the Aetna Township Cemetery in Morley, where she will be laid to rest with her parents. A Celebration of her Life will be from 12 - 2 p.m., Saturday, July 18, 2020 at the Big Rapids Eagles.
In lieu of flowers the family has asked that memorial donations may be given in honor of Barbara to Angels of Action, P.O. Box 1020, Big Rapids, Michigan 49307, with a notation marked "in memory of Barbara Fitzgerald", or online at www.angelsofaction.org by clicking "Donate Now" and adding note for Barbara Fitzgerald. Care and arrangements are entrusted to the Mohnke Funeral Home in Big Rapids.
April 11, 1942 - April 11, 2020
Big Rapids - Barbara Jean Fitzgerald, 78, of Big Rapids, was called to heaven on April 11, 2020, surrounded by her loved ones.
She was born on April 11, 1942, in Grand Rapids, the daughter of Brant and Dorothy (Pierce) Venlet. Barbara accepted Christ at an early age. She graduated from Morley High School in 1960 and attended Columbia Bible College in Columbia, South Carolina from 1960-1962, where she planned to become a missionary. Having missed her family and home she returned to Michigan, and has been a resident of Big Rapids most of her life.
Barbara began working at Elias Brothers Big Boy restaurant in Big Rapids when they first opened in 1979 and continued working there for 34 years before she retired in 2013. She truly enjoyed her customers and formed many lasting friendships from her years at Big Boy. She had many regular customers who would come in just to see her.
Barbara's favorite hobbies included bowling, bingo, crosswords, baking, and puzzles. She would spend many hours working on challenging puzzles. She is famous for her homemade cinnamon rolls, peanut butter fudge and banana bread. She was an active member of Eagles 2535 of Big Rapids. She enjoyed most of all traveling and spending time with her family and special friends Bobby and Linda Spedoski and their trips to the casino.
She leaves to cherish her memory, her best friend and companion, Ronald Wilson of Big Rapids; her four children, Robert Venlet of Big Rapids, Reginia (Charles) Jaent, of Belding, Cheryl (Tom Kolinske) Fitzgerald of Petoskey, Mark (Sabrina) Fitzgerald of Rockford; step-children, Tamar (Mike) Aldrich of Owosso, Kathryn (Bruce) Hunt of Hersey, William (Tania) Fitzgerald, III of Tampa, FL; five grandchildren, Christopher (Kristina) Fitzgerald of Grand Rapids, Mykayla (Ryan) Bixler of Moore, OK, Kaitlyn Jaent and Jarad Jaent of Belding, Alexandra Berry of Petoskey, and Rachel Berry of Carmel, IN; a great grandson, Malcolm "Mac" Pulaski; one brother, Brant (Kris) Venlet of Wyoming, MI; three sisters, Sally Jack of Lakeview, Mary Murtland of Morley, Janet (Bob) Proctor of Lakeview, and several nieces and nephews.
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters Patricia Hasper, Dorothy Heminger, and Carolyn Lach, a grandson, Brant Albert Venlet, nephew Glen Murtland, and four brothers-in-law.
Family services for Barbara will take place in the Aetna Township Cemetery in Morley, where she will be laid to rest with her parents. A Celebration of her Life will be from 12 - 2 p.m., Saturday, July 18, 2020 at the Big Rapids Eagles.
In lieu of flowers the family has asked that memorial donations may be given in honor of Barbara to Angels of Action, P.O. Box 1020, Big Rapids, Michigan 49307, with a notation marked "in memory of Barbara Fitzgerald", or online at www.angelsofaction.org by clicking "Donate Now" and adding note for Barbara Fitzgerald. Care and arrangements are entrusted to the Mohnke Funeral Home in Big Rapids.
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