Joyce Delia Powers Krafft, 82, of Kalamazoo and Port Charlotte Fla., passed peacefully on Monday, April 19 at her home in Florida. She successfully fought a long and hard battle with cancer, until the last few months when the disease took over her body but not her spirit or sense of humor.
Joyce was born in Faribault, Minn. Nov. 3, 1927 and grew up in Mora, Minn., where her father was the local banker. She graduated Mora High School and attended St. Catherine’s College in St. Paul, Minn. She married her high school sweetheart after his discharge from the Navy in 1948. Fred’s career took them to Kalamazoo in 1958 where they settled and raised their family. She was a caring and lively wife and mother, enjoying the constant change associated with raising children. Joyce devoted herself to her faith and was a longtime active member of St. Monica’s Parish in Kalamazoo. She engaged the whole family in the Christian Family Movement (CFM) and continued to enjoy the faith and friendship of other CFM members throughout her life. She was a champion of the sick, the poor and underprivileged and supported many causes and individuals to improve their lives, from ministering at migrant camps, housing newborn foster children in transition to adoptive homes, to standing vigil at a sick friend’s bedside were among her many acts of ministry.
Joyce and Fred enjoyed wintering in Florida, so upon her husband’s passing, it was no surprise that she made Florida her home in 2004. She made friends quickly at Heritage Oak Park and immersed herself in all that the community had to offer. However, golf was her No. 1 activity and she didn’t like it when a week went by without golf! Her love of life was obvious to her friends. She was a regular at bocce, euchre, bunco and many other activities at the community center. She enjoyed cruises, trips with friends and excursions to visit her sisters and children.
She remained a devout Catholic and was a member of St. Maximilian Kolbe Church in Port Charlotte where she served as a eucharistic minister and assisted in the music presentation during Sunday services.
Perhaps Joyce will be remembered most for the enormous compassion she had for her friends, her sharp wit and sense of humor. She enjoyed life, made no excuses and defined friendship and stewardship with every breath she was given.
Joyce was preceded in death by Fred, her loving husband of 52 years; her parents, Delia (Goulet) and Frank Powers; and sister, Eleanor Klatt.
She is survived by her sister, Margie Powers, her six children, Ann (Glenn) Buettner, of Texas, Kathleen (Tom Fredericks), of Delaware, Margie (Ron Griffioen), of Illinois, Christine (Garry Krueger), of Florida, James (Bonnie), of Michigan and Jean (Michael) Kanaby, of Michigan; and beloved grandchildren, Erin and Kasey Fredericks, Abigail and Michael Krafft and Taylor, Jacob and Kaitlyn Kanaby.
A memorial Mass was held Saturday, April 24, 2010 at St Maximilian Kolbe Church in Port Charlotte, Fla. A celebration of Joyce’s life with a gathering of friends followed on Sunday at the Heritage Oak Park Community Center. A second memorial Mass will be celebrated in Kalamazoo on July 9, 2010. Please visit Joyce’s personal Web page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can archive a favorite memory or photo of her and sign her online guest book.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the TideWell Hospice, 5955 Rand Blvd, Sarasota, FL 34238 or the American Cancer Society.
Arrangements by Life Story Funeral Homes, Betzler-Kalamazoo, 6080 Stadium Drive (800) 822-7594.