Joyce Ann Plumlee Obituary - West Chicago Voice : Local News News For Locals by Locals

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Joyce Ann Plumlee, age 83, a resident of West Chicago, IL, passed away on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. She was born June 5, 1940 in Kankakee, IL to Donald & Orvelette Gadbois.

Joyce was a devoted wife, mother of 3, grandmother of 16, and great-grandmother of 7. She attended Our Ladies Academy and graduated from Manteno High School in 1958. Later Joyce graduated from Marycrest Business School and for 47 years was the executive assistant in her husband’s insurance business. She was an integral part in managing her husband’s business.Joyce loved learning. She was a published writer, blogger and avid reader. Her interests were her family, culinary arts, history, cultures, politics, nature, animals, British comedies, humor, chess, senior citizen issues, food history, Victorian times, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her favorite movies were Lorenzo’s Oil, South Pacific, To Kill a Mockingbird, Schindler’s List, Bus Stop, Porgy and Bess, Dances with Wolves, and The Passion of the Christ. She loved classical, jazz, bluegrass, Celtic, swing and big band music. Her favorite books were Grapes of Wrath, Diary of Anne Frank, Closing of the American Mind, and the Great Books series. Joyce was also a big fan of Erma Bombeck.Joyce was motivated by compassion. She was a prayerful and innovative problem solver. She anticipated the needs of others and often met those needs without ever being asked. She was a 4-H leader, lifeguard, and YWCA president. While serving as the YWCA president she wrote and directed the comedy play “Death by Chocolate” as a fundraiser for the YWCA in Quincy, IL. She organized the first library for the students of Akin Grade School where her three children attended. Joyce was a wonderful writer and blogger. Some of her writings are in her blog at http://nanasrocker.blogspot.com/.

Joyce loved Jesus. In her final weeks, she had many conversations with family about her love for Jesus and her desire to have lots of work to do in Heaven. She was a Martha on this earth. Her most passionate vocation was caring for her family. It is a delight to imagine now what her Heavenly work might look like, now that she is not limited by the constraints of a broken body.

She is survived by her husband of nearly 62 years, Elmer “Gene”; her children Christina (Stephen) Wallace, Gene “Buddy” (Cristina) Plumlee & Margaret (Keith) Bangert; her grandchildren: Jakob Zeimetz, Erik (Shengzhu) Zeimetz, Andria Zeimetz, Rachel Zeimetz, Mathieu “Ricky” Plumlee, Sarah Plumlee, Baron “Miguel” Plumlee, Benjamin “Benjie” Plumlee, Talia “Tali” (Zachary) Abraham, Justin (Ariana) Bangert, Jacqueline “Jackie” (Joseph “Joe”) Sheahan, Christian “Chris” (Jennifer “Jenne”) Bangert, Jessica “JJ” (fiance Jordan Hargrove) Bangert, Joshua “Josh” Bangert, Margaret “Maggie” Bangert, and Danielle “Dani” Bangert; and her great-grandchildren: Ellie, Lilly, & Finley “Finn” Abraham; Ruth & Valerie Bangert; Brynn Bangert; and Brooke Sheahan. Also survived by her sister Donna (William) Gilbert. She was preceded in death by her parents.

A visitation will be held Thursday, April 11, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St. Wheaton, IL 60187. Family gathering at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 12, 2024, at Hultgren Funeral Home for the procession to St. Michael Catholic Church, 310 S Wheaton Ave, Wheaton, IL 60187 for the Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be private.

Memorial gifts may be directed to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital orAmerican Cancer Society.

Family and friends may sign a guestbook at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.