Joyce Ann Wagoner, age 63, of E6351 M-28 West, AuTrain (but a Munising mailing address), died following a two week illness on Wednesday, November 22, 2006 at 2:50 p.m. at Marquette General Hospital. She was born on March 12, 1943 in Detroit to John and Nannie (Lowary) Gentry. Joyce graduated from Western High School in 1962. She worked for Bonded Collection Corporation in Southfield as a bill collector. Joyce married Ronald D. Wagoner on September 2, 1971 and she then went to work for the Citizen’s Insurance Company for twenty years with their medical claims department. Joyce then moved to Aetna Insurance working for Chrysler’s workman’s compensation, retiring from there in 1998. She and Ron had visited and vacationed in the AuTrain area for over thirty-five years before moving up here permanently following Ron’s retirement in 2001. They were members of A Brighter Hope Free Will Baptist Church in Ecorse, MI and then the Heritage Free Will Baptist Church in Taylor, Michigan prior to moving here. She and Ron worked in their woodshop together and sold every piece they had made together. Joyce loved painting flowers and she enjoyed fishing, four wheeling and singing. She enjoyed wearing bright bold colors and loved wearing jewelry. She was a gifted crotchetier and made beautiful doilies, signs, angels, butterflies, flowers. Joyce had a very strong faith and taught Bible school for many years sharing her love of Jesus with the young children she enjoyed so much.
She is survived by her husband of over thirty-five years - Ron Wagoner of AuTrain/Munising; daughter – Lillian “Theresa” Vargis of Marquette; grandchildren – Corey Martin Gentry and Shannon Gentry; great-granddaughter – Mariah; Momo the Beagle Hound; Callie the Kitty; brothers and sisters-in-law – Leon, Wanda Janette, Lena (Dan), and Cindy all of the greater Detroit area; and numerous nieces and nephews. Joyce was preceded in death by her parents John and Nannie Gentry and her in-laws Jerry and Mary Wagoner.
Services for Joyce will be held on Monday, November 27, 2006 at the Bowerman Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 12:00 noon until 2:00 p.m. Pastor Greg Floars will conduct her service at 2:00 p.m. Interment will be at the Serenity Pines Cemetery in AuTrain on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 at 12:00 noon.
