Aug. 21, 1928 — Jan. 18, 2016

Louise Tickfer, 87, formerly of Niles, Michigan, passed away peacefully on Jan 18, surrounded by her family and beloved dog, Lacy, at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo, following a brief illness.

Louise was born in Muskegon Heights, Michigan to Fred and Mae (Jones) Moeller, the second of their four children. She graduated from Muskegon Heights High School in 1946 having earned the award for best jitterbugger. She worked at the telephone company for many years in Muskegon and in Niles while she lived with family friends Edgar and Agnes Kass. While there she met and then married James Tickfer on June 12, 1954.

Louise served on the board of the afternoon Lady Elks and was active as a volunteer at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. She quit working to raise her daughters, Patty and Mary, but then returned to work part time as an admitting clerk at Pawating Hospital, retiring in 1988.

Jim and Louise built their dream home on the St. Joseph River in 1965, where Louise lived almost 40 years before moving to live with her daughter Patty and family in Granger, Indiana. In 2011, Louise lived with Eric and Katie, and then just Katie in a condo in South Bend before moving in with Mary and her family in Kalamazoo a month before her death. Louise was very active playing duplicate bridge throughout her life and had achieved the status of Silver Life Master.

She joined and then directed the YMCA duplicate bridge club and was instrumental in fundraising for the Y through bridge tournaments. Louise was also a member of the South Bend Bridge club sometimes playing four to five times a week up until 2014. She delivered weekly meals with Meals on Wheels and liked serving those in need. Louise was a member of St. Boniface Evangelical Lutheran Church in Niles where she greatly enjoyed asking questions in the bible class and hearing the weekly message. Louise was preceded in death by a daughter, Ruth, in 1962, her husband Jim in 1999, her brother Jerry in 2007, her sister Charlotte Ribecky in 2009, and her brother Fred in 2011.

She is survived by her daughter Patty (Dave) Fred of Interlochen, Michigan and her daughter Mary (Dave) Denison of Kalamazoo, Michigan; grandchildren, Eric Fred (Joyce Watson) of Interlochen, Katie Fred of South Bend, Indiana, Robbie Denison and Tommy Denison of Kalamazoo; a great grandson Liam Fred, of Interlochen. A memorial service and luncheon will take place at Noon on Saturday, April 30, at the Greater Niles Senior Center, 1109 Bell Road, Niles, Michigan 49120. The family will greet friends at 11 am prior to the service. Memorials may be made to St. Boniface Evangelical Lutheran Church, Niles c/o Joldersma Klein Funeral Home or the Niles YMCA, 905 N. Front Street, Niles, Michigan 49120. Family and friends may share a condolence message online at www.joldersma-klein.com.