Joyce Leche

Joyce Ann Leche, Age 69, Joyce Ann Leche passed from this life on August 25, 2016 unexpectedly at her home. She is preceded in death by her parents Edward Douglas and Ruth Irene (Eakins) Leche II, brother Douglas L. Leche, sons Craig Edwin Case, and Michael Allen Whitehurst.  Joyce was born in Seattle, Washington then moved to Battle Creek as a child where she lived most of her life.  She also had great memories of living in Maryville, Tennessee and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. She attended Battle Creek Public Schools and earned her high school diploma from BC Central after attending night school.  She was formerly married to David L. Whitehurst (deceased) and Ronald J. Shupp of Battle Creek.  As a young adult Joyce was a waitress at Old Post Tavern. While living in Tennessee, she sewed Army fatigues for troops during the Vietnam War, and blue jeans at the Levi Strauss Company in Knoxville. After returning to Battle Creek, she worked at Weston’s Cookie Company. At 21 years old she began working for the Kellogg Company where she was one of the first women to work an 8 hour shift that previously only men worked. She worked in 3rd shift processing then 1st shift in the warehouse prior to her retirement in 1993 from a medical disability.  She is described by family and friends as courageous, spirited, adventurous, kind, funny, weird, cheerful, sparkly, wonderful, loving, stubborn, inventive, determined, timeless, proud and patriotic.  Joyce was a devoted mother, even a better grandmother and true friend to many.  She enjoyed spending her time traveling and spoiling, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with many adventures like joy riding through the apple orchard, spending summers taking her children to duck poop lake  aka (Eagle Lake), driving through the Great Smokey Mountains, riding the Canal Street car in New Orleans and splashing in the gulf waves of Pensacola Florida. Her grandest adventure was a three generational trip to Ireland where she kissed the Blarney stone, toured the Waterford Crystal factory and walked the streets of Dublin with granddaughter Jen and daughter Susanne. She loved reading and borrowing books from Willard Library with her great-granddaughter Remi Blue. Joyce also enjoyed creating crafts, decorating her home, gardening, and baking during the holidays (including made to order Chex Mix). Joyce was an AMAZING cook; no one ever left her home hungry and if they did it was their own damn fault!  She was fiercely proud of her independence and her ability to do whatever she put her mind to. She was not afraid of hard work and rarely backed down from a challenge….“TOWANDA”!  Joyce, Maudie Fricker, Mom, Gma, Nana is survived by:  Daughter Susanne (Jamie) Davison of Marshall, grandchildren: Jen (Brandon) Zirkel of Battle Creek, Joshua Demaree of Kalamazoo, Brittany Whitehurst of Atlanta, Georgia and Alex and Abby Case of Indiana. Great-grandchildren  Remi, Cooper and Sawyer Zirkel. Sister Marilyn Wick of California, brothers Edward Douglas (Mary Jane) Leche III of Friday Harbor, Washington, Kenneth (Joanne) Leche, Richard (Debbie) Shea, Dean Shea. Son-in-law Lynn (Julie) Demaree, numerous relatives/friends from New Orleans to Seattle and California, and her dearest friend through thick and thin, Dru Kulish.  The family will receive visitors from 3-4pm on Sunday September 11, 2016 with a Celebration of Life immediately following at 4pm in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Chapel, located on 1312 Capital Ave SW, Battle Creek. www.henryfuneralhome.org