Eleanor Marie Pavlic's Obituary
Mrs. Eleanor (Ele) Frances Marie Pavlic, age 98, passed away peacefully on Monday morning, January 6, 2025 at her home in Muskegon, MI surrounded by her loving daughters. Ele was born May 9, 1926 to John and Anna (Setlock) Bray in Hart, MI. On May 14, 1949, she married the love of her life, Louis (Louie) Henry Pavlic at St. Joseph Parish in Weare Township. Louie preceded her in death on October 6,1984.
Ele was quick to share her many wonderful memories growing up on her family’s fruit farm in Hart, which was no doubt the source of her inner strength, resilience, independence, work ethic, and devotion to family. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother (babcia), aunt, and friend to all who knew her. Ele’s Catholic faith was a cornerstone of her life; she was a long-time member of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, a previous member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and a member of the Sacred Heart Altar Society for over 65 years along with her dear sister, Louise. Ele looked forward to their monthly gatherings and made life-long friendships with the wonderful women in the group. She was also a beautician for over sixty years and worked until she was 80 years old.
Ele took great pride in the fact that all of her daughters attended Sacred Heart School and Muskegon Catholic Central High School. She was active in the PTA and volunteered throughout her daughters’ school careers. Ele always made education a priority in her home and ensured that each of her daughters learned to play the piano. She cherished being able to share her love of her Polish heritage with her children and grandchildren, teaching them the language, passing on the holiday tradition of making pierogies, and attending the Muskegon Polish Festival every summer. She was also known to give her grandkids a dollar for reciting the sign of the cross in Polish.
After the loss of her husband, Ele continued to embrace life, taking classes at Muskegon Community College, joining Toastmasters, visiting the homebound to do their hair, and volunteering as a tutor for students at Mona Shores Public Schools. Ele loved music and dancing (especially to Polka), reading, attending plays, taking long walks by Lake Michigan, visiting Pere Marquette at sunset, and staying active. She learned to golf with her husband, Louie, and continued to be an avid golfer until she was 90 years old. As a former Oceana County Spelling Bee champion, a fact she was proud of, Ele also regularly beat her family in games of Scrabble.
Ele was a people person who never met a stranger, always finding ways to laugh and have fun. Those who knew her were inspired by her boundless energy and zest for life. We find comfort knowing she is reunited with our beloved father, Louie, and dancing with him in heaven. We thank God for blessing us with our mother and grandmother. Her legacy of service, love of family, and life will be in our hearts forever.
Ele is survived by her four girls (daughters), Mary Beth Reineke, Constance Lou Weitzel, Laurie Ann (Ron) Caniff, Janice Marie (Mark) Youngberg, and son-in-law, Don Vogel; grandchildren, William Louis, Kathryn Elizabeth (Rey), Andrew Louis (Gabriella), Elizabeth Catherine, Kaylee Elizabeth (Michael), Garrett Zachary, Lexi Marie (Daniel), Zachary Louis, and Jacob Harrison; four great grandchildren, Eleanor Mary, Sebastian Louis, Kaia Marie, and Ella Maeve; special niece Margie along with many nieces, nephews, and godchildren. She is joining two cherished daughters in heaven, Kathleen Jean Vogel and Denise Lynn Pavlic; five brothers, George, Walter, Sigman, Edward, and infant John Bray; seven sisters, Julia Glotzbach, Bernice VanDyk, Pat Unger, Stella Tate, Sophia Vallier, Louise Miller, and Irene Coller; mother and father-in-law, Catherine and Sebastian Pavlic, sister-in-law Margaret Siemen, and brother-in-law Robert Pavlic.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, January 14 from 10:00am to 11:00am at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, located at 2929 Mc Cracken St, Norton Shores, MI 49441. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held immediately thereafter followed by a luncheon at 12pm. Interment will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery. Memorial contributions in Ele’s name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or The American Macular Degeneration Foundation.
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