Jean Marie (Miljour) Ayotte, 91, of Palmer, passed away peacefully early Thursday morning, November 18, 2021 at the Marquette County Medical Care Facility where she had resided since February, 2020.
Jean was born October 30, 1930 in Brampton, Michigan to Edward and Emma (LeBresh) Miljour and moved to Palmer a young child. She graduated from Negaunee St. Paul High School, married Robert 'Gobby' Ayotte on November 20, 1948 and raised their four children together in Palmer.
Jean was a very active member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Palmer. She worked as a bookkeeper for many years with Davidson's Store in Palmer and also Michigan Bell. She didn't like politics, but she was good at it. She won election and became the first woman on the Richmond Township Board and served as treasurer for many terms. In Jean's later years after raising her children, she worked as a nurse's aide at Acocks Medical Facility and Marquette County Medical Care Facility. She was a charter member of the Richmond Township Fireman's Auxiliary and the Richmond Township Community Club.
Jean loved to volunteer for her community. She enjoyed being with family and friends at their camp on Little Perch Lake south of Ishpeming, and later at her son Mark's camp on the Dead River Basin. She loved sitting around a camp fire singing songs and laughing with friends. She loved sewing, especially making barbie clothes, the 'wedding dresses' were her favorites. We will always miss her homemade breads and cookies, her pasty and pork pies, and her canning, especially the antipasto and pickles. Jean also enjoyed playing cards, especially cribbage, smear, May I and BS Poker, and she liked to win, which she usually did!
She had a passion for fun and laughter. She loved to dance. She alway tried to look at the positive side of things, and gave very good advice when asked to do so. She was full of joy and easygoing. She had a very strong faith.
Surviving are her loving husband of 73 years, Robert 'Gobby;' children: Steve (Jilaine) Ayotte of Negaunee Township, Cindy (Jim) Branch of California, Mark (Carol) Ayotte of Arizona, Michelle (Fran Nelson) Pirkola of Palmer; grandchildren: Bobbi Ayotte, Ryan (Nicki) Ayotte, Kelsey and Kaylin Ayotte; Danielle Pinette, Sarah (Tanner) Uren and Jerry Pirkola; great-grandchildren: Braelynn, Nevaeh and Carly, and one more on the way; her sister-in-law, Donna (Dave) Dompierre; many nieces and nephews; and Joyce Herman, who Jean always referred to as the younger sister she never had.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Elaine (Art) Hyttinen, and her brothers, Tony (Darlene) and Edward Miljour.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Jean and Gobby will be celebrated at 11:30 AM on Thursday, August 11th at St. Paul Catholic Church, with Rev. Larry Van Damme officiating. Interment will be in the Negaunee Cemetery. The family will greet relatives and friends from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM at the church on Thursday, and also at a pot luck style luncheon immediately following services at the Richmond Township Community Club.
Jean was born October 30, 1930 in Brampton, Michigan to Edward and Emma (LeBresh) Miljour and moved to Palmer a young child. She graduated from Negaunee St. Paul High School, married Robert 'Gobby' Ayotte on November 20, 1948 and raised their four children together in Palmer.
Jean was a very active member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Palmer. She worked as a bookkeeper for many years with Davidson's Store in Palmer and also Michigan Bell. She didn't like politics, but she was good at it. She won election and became the first woman on the Richmond Township Board and served as treasurer for many terms. In Jean's later years after raising her children, she worked as a nurse's aide at Acocks Medical Facility and Marquette County Medical Care Facility. She was a charter member of the Richmond Township Fireman's Auxiliary and the Richmond Township Community Club.
Jean loved to volunteer for her community. She enjoyed being with family and friends at their camp on Little Perch Lake south of Ishpeming, and later at her son Mark's camp on the Dead River Basin. She loved sitting around a camp fire singing songs and laughing with friends. She loved sewing, especially making barbie clothes, the 'wedding dresses' were her favorites. We will always miss her homemade breads and cookies, her pasty and pork pies, and her canning, especially the antipasto and pickles. Jean also enjoyed playing cards, especially cribbage, smear, May I and BS Poker, and she liked to win, which she usually did!
She had a passion for fun and laughter. She loved to dance. She alway tried to look at the positive side of things, and gave very good advice when asked to do so. She was full of joy and easygoing. She had a very strong faith.
Surviving are her loving husband of 73 years, Robert 'Gobby;' children: Steve (Jilaine) Ayotte of Negaunee Township, Cindy (Jim) Branch of California, Mark (Carol) Ayotte of Arizona, Michelle (Fran Nelson) Pirkola of Palmer; grandchildren: Bobbi Ayotte, Ryan (Nicki) Ayotte, Kelsey and Kaylin Ayotte; Danielle Pinette, Sarah (Tanner) Uren and Jerry Pirkola; great-grandchildren: Braelynn, Nevaeh and Carly, and one more on the way; her sister-in-law, Donna (Dave) Dompierre; many nieces and nephews; and Joyce Herman, who Jean always referred to as the younger sister she never had.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Elaine (Art) Hyttinen, and her brothers, Tony (Darlene) and Edward Miljour.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Jean and Gobby will be celebrated at 11:30 AM on Thursday, August 11th at St. Paul Catholic Church, with Rev. Larry Van Damme officiating. Interment will be in the Negaunee Cemetery. The family will greet relatives and friends from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM at the church on Thursday, and also at a pot luck style luncheon immediately following services at the Richmond Township Community Club.
Jean Marie (Miljour) Ayotte, 91, of Palmer, passed away peacefully early Thursday morning, November 18, 2021 at the Marquette County Medical Care Facility where she had resided since February, 2020.
Jean was born October 30, 1930 in Brampton, Michigan to Edward and Emma (LeBresh) Miljour and moved to Palmer a young child. She graduated from Negaunee St. Paul High School, married Robert 'Gobby' Ayotte on November 20, 1948 and raised their four children together in Palmer.
Jean was a very active member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Palmer. She worked as a bookkeeper for many years with Davidson's Store in Palmer and also Michigan Bell. She didn't like politics, but she was good at it. She won election and became the first woman on the Richmond Township Board and served as treasurer for many terms. In Jean's later years after raising her children, she worked as a nurse's aide at Acocks Medical Facility and Marquette County Medical Care Facility. She was a charter member of the Richmond Township Fireman's Auxiliary and the Richmond Township Community Club.
Jean loved to volunteer for her community. She enjoyed being with family and friends at their camp on Little Perch Lake south of Ishpeming, and later at her son Mark's camp on the Dead River Basin. She loved sitting around a camp fire singing songs and laughing with friends. She loved sewing, especially making barbie clothes, the 'wedding dresses' were her favorites. We will always miss her homemade breads and cookies, her pasty and pork pies, and her canning, especially the antipasto and pickles. Jean also enjoyed playing cards, especially cribbage, smear, May I and BS Poker, and she liked to win, which she usually did!
She had a passion for fun and laughter. She loved to dance. She alway tried to look at the positive side of things, and gave very good advice when asked to do so. She was full of joy and easygoing. She had a very strong faith.
Surviving are her loving husband of 73 years, Robert 'Gobby;' children: Steve (Jilaine) Ayotte of Negaunee Township, Cindy (Jim) Branch of California, Mark (Carol) Ayotte of Arizona, Michelle (Fran Nelson) Pirkola of Palmer; grandchildren: Bobbi Ayotte, Ryan (Nicki) Ayotte, Kelsey and Kaylin Ayotte; Danielle Pinette, Sarah (Tanner) Uren and Jerry Pirkola; great-grandchildren: Braelynn, Nevaeh and Carly, and one more on the way; her sister-in-law, Donna (Dave) Dompierre; many nieces and nephews; and Joyce Herman, who Jean always referred to as the younger sister she never had.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Elaine (Art) Hyttinen, and her brothers, Tony (Darlene) and Edward Miljour.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Jean and Gobby will be celebrated at 11:30 AM on Thursday, August 11th at St. Paul Catholic Church, with Rev. Larry Van Damme officiating. Interment will be in the Negaunee Cemetery. The family will greet relatives and friends from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM at the church on Thursday, and also at a pot luck style luncheon immediately following services at the Richmond Township Community Club.
Jean was born October 30, 1930 in Brampton, Michigan to Edward and Emma (LeBresh) Miljour and moved to Palmer a young child. She graduated from Negaunee St. Paul High School, married Robert 'Gobby' Ayotte on November 20, 1948 and raised their four children together in Palmer.
Jean was a very active member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Palmer. She worked as a bookkeeper for many years with Davidson's Store in Palmer and also Michigan Bell. She didn't like politics, but she was good at it. She won election and became the first woman on the Richmond Township Board and served as treasurer for many terms. In Jean's later years after raising her children, she worked as a nurse's aide at Acocks Medical Facility and Marquette County Medical Care Facility. She was a charter member of the Richmond Township Fireman's Auxiliary and the Richmond Township Community Club.
Jean loved to volunteer for her community. She enjoyed being with family and friends at their camp on Little Perch Lake south of Ishpeming, and later at her son Mark's camp on the Dead River Basin. She loved sitting around a camp fire singing songs and laughing with friends. She loved sewing, especially making barbie clothes, the 'wedding dresses' were her favorites. We will always miss her homemade breads and cookies, her pasty and pork pies, and her canning, especially the antipasto and pickles. Jean also enjoyed playing cards, especially cribbage, smear, May I and BS Poker, and she liked to win, which she usually did!
She had a passion for fun and laughter. She loved to dance. She alway tried to look at the positive side of things, and gave very good advice when asked to do so. She was full of joy and easygoing. She had a very strong faith.
Surviving are her loving husband of 73 years, Robert 'Gobby;' children: Steve (Jilaine) Ayotte of Negaunee Township, Cindy (Jim) Branch of California, Mark (Carol) Ayotte of Arizona, Michelle (Fran Nelson) Pirkola of Palmer; grandchildren: Bobbi Ayotte, Ryan (Nicki) Ayotte, Kelsey and Kaylin Ayotte; Danielle Pinette, Sarah (Tanner) Uren and Jerry Pirkola; great-grandchildren: Braelynn, Nevaeh and Carly, and one more on the way; her sister-in-law, Donna (Dave) Dompierre; many nieces and nephews; and Joyce Herman, who Jean always referred to as the younger sister she never had.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Elaine (Art) Hyttinen, and her brothers, Tony (Darlene) and Edward Miljour.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Jean and Gobby will be celebrated at 11:30 AM on Thursday, August 11th at St. Paul Catholic Church, with Rev. Larry Van Damme officiating. Interment will be in the Negaunee Cemetery. The family will greet relatives and friends from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM at the church on Thursday, and also at a pot luck style luncheon immediately following services at the Richmond Township Community Club.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
