Tressa Mae LaFayette's Obituary
Mrs. Tressa Mae “Daisy Mae” LaFayette, age 85, went to be with her Lord Saturday morning, August 7, 2010, after an extended illness. She was born May 11, 1925 in Muskegon to Cornelius and Minnie (Milkamp) Rop and had been a life resident of the area. Tressa was an active member of First Christian Reformed Church, where she served as church secretary for twelve years, and had been a former GEMS counselor, youth leader and member of the ladies Bible study. She was a charter member of the Muskegon County Genealogy Society, writing the history of several families and doing research for families around the world. She was also a member of the Red Hats and Amethyst, Rubies and Roses. Prior to her retirement in 1990, Tressa had been employed at the Muskegon Chronicle as secretary to the Editor Publisher and as a writer of two history columns, “The Way We Were” and “This Day in Muskegon”, which she continued to write until she suffered a stroke in 2002. On February 19, 1953, she married Richard A. “Red” LaFayette and he survives her along with 2 sons, Thomas (Peggy) LaFayette of North Muskegon and Douglas (Pamela) LaFayette of Dyersburg, TN; 4 grandchildren, Erica & Stacy LaFayette of Muskegon, Nathan LaFayette of Dyersburg, TN and Christopher LaFayette of Appleton, WI; 1 great-grandson, Jacob Parsons; 1 brother, Jason (Loretta) Rop of Muskegon; 1 sister, Jean (Daniel) Larr of Spring Lake; 2 sisters-in-law, Doris Rop of Spring Lake and Ruth (Richard) Durham of Muskegon and by 2 brothers-in-law, William Malda and Charles LaFayette of Muskegon. Tressa was preceded in death by her parents, 1 brother, John Rop and by 3 sisters, Connie Malda, Doris Rop and Delora Rop. FUNERAL SERVICES will be 11AM Wednesday at First Christian Reformed Church (1450 Catherine Ave.) with the Rev. Mike Borgert officiating. Burial will be in Restlawn Cemetery. VISITATION with Tressa’s family will be 2-4 & 6-8 PM Tuesday at The Sytsema Chapel of Sytsema Funeral Homes, Inc., 737 Apple Avenue, Muskegon, MI 49442 (231-726-5210).For a more lasting memorial you are asked to consider Muskegon Christian School, Western Michigan Christian High School or the Alzheimer’s Association.
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