Grace (Lawler Hirzke) McEachin of Deckerville died on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at the
home of her daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Phil, surrounded by her children.
She was born on a hot summer day, August 28, 1931, to Mike and Eleene (Johnson) Lawler
in Palms, Michigan. She grew up on a farm and knew what hard work was. Being the
eldest, she often was in charge of her younger siblings, which served her well later in
life. She attended McManus Country School and graduated from Deckerville High School
in 1949.
Grace married Edmund Hirzke in September 1948, and they had four children.
Ed died in a car accident in March 1959. In July 1960, she married Richard McEachin,
and together they raised their children and shared 63 years of a true love story.
Grace's secretarial, bookkeeping, and problem-solving skills were instrumental in the
success of McEachin Excavating. She was a businesswoman, homemaker, and
community volunteer. Grace and Richard loved the Deckerville Community Hospital and
worked tirelessly to support it. Grace was a member of St. Mary's parish, the Sororian
Club, and president of the Hospital Auxiliary for several years. She enjoyed ceramics and
traveling. Grace opened her home and her heart to many, but nothing gave her greater
joy than being together with family. She often proclaimed, with her beautiful smile, how
lucky she was to have her family.
Grace is survived by her children: Judy Foss and Phil Hull, Sandra Gentner and Larry
Booms, Joe and Sheila McEachin, Susanne and John Evans, and Chilean exchange
student, Maria Breton Opazo; her sister and best friend: Gerry (Dale) Pearson;
grandchildren: Jeffrey and Melissa Foss, Amy and Jeremy Guenther, Michelle and Dan
Mumbrue, Kelly Gentner, Jill and Brad English, Adrienne and Derek Wissner, Darci Evans
and Bryan Price, Chelsea Hull and Chad Long, Martin and Amber Gentner, Michael and
Michelle McEachin, Brent Evans and Amanda Koncelik, Neil McEachin; 19 great-
grandchildren; sisters-in-law: Marilyn McEachin, Martha Lutat, Alice Thomson; brother-
in-law: John McIntyre; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Grace was preceded in death by her husband, Richard, on June 5, 2023, her parents, brother Mike Lawler, lifelong friends Lois and Dick Theobald, several sisters-in-law, and brothers-in-law.
A celebration of her life will begin with a visitation at the Apsey Funeral Home in
Deckerville on Friday, August 4th from 4-8:00 pm.
A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, August 5 th at 11:00 am at St. Mary's in Port Sanilac, with a visitation beginning at 10:00 am.
Memorials are most welcome to the Deckerville Hospital Auxiliary or the United Hospice
Service of Marlette Regional Hospital, who provided amazing care to Grace and her family.
Condolences may be shared online at apseyfuneralhome.net.
home of her daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Phil, surrounded by her children.
She was born on a hot summer day, August 28, 1931, to Mike and Eleene (Johnson) Lawler
in Palms, Michigan. She grew up on a farm and knew what hard work was. Being the
eldest, she often was in charge of her younger siblings, which served her well later in
life. She attended McManus Country School and graduated from Deckerville High School
in 1949.
Grace married Edmund Hirzke in September 1948, and they had four children.
Ed died in a car accident in March 1959. In July 1960, she married Richard McEachin,
and together they raised their children and shared 63 years of a true love story.
Grace's secretarial, bookkeeping, and problem-solving skills were instrumental in the
success of McEachin Excavating. She was a businesswoman, homemaker, and
community volunteer. Grace and Richard loved the Deckerville Community Hospital and
worked tirelessly to support it. Grace was a member of St. Mary's parish, the Sororian
Club, and president of the Hospital Auxiliary for several years. She enjoyed ceramics and
traveling. Grace opened her home and her heart to many, but nothing gave her greater
joy than being together with family. She often proclaimed, with her beautiful smile, how
lucky she was to have her family.
Grace is survived by her children: Judy Foss and Phil Hull, Sandra Gentner and Larry
Booms, Joe and Sheila McEachin, Susanne and John Evans, and Chilean exchange
student, Maria Breton Opazo; her sister and best friend: Gerry (Dale) Pearson;
grandchildren: Jeffrey and Melissa Foss, Amy and Jeremy Guenther, Michelle and Dan
Mumbrue, Kelly Gentner, Jill and Brad English, Adrienne and Derek Wissner, Darci Evans
and Bryan Price, Chelsea Hull and Chad Long, Martin and Amber Gentner, Michael and
Michelle McEachin, Brent Evans and Amanda Koncelik, Neil McEachin; 19 great-
grandchildren; sisters-in-law: Marilyn McEachin, Martha Lutat, Alice Thomson; brother-
in-law: John McIntyre; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Grace was preceded in death by her husband, Richard, on June 5, 2023, her parents, brother Mike Lawler, lifelong friends Lois and Dick Theobald, several sisters-in-law, and brothers-in-law.
A celebration of her life will begin with a visitation at the Apsey Funeral Home in
Deckerville on Friday, August 4th from 4-8:00 pm.
A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, August 5 th at 11:00 am at St. Mary's in Port Sanilac, with a visitation beginning at 10:00 am.
Memorials are most welcome to the Deckerville Hospital Auxiliary or the United Hospice
Service of Marlette Regional Hospital, who provided amazing care to Grace and her family.
Condolences may be shared online at apseyfuneralhome.net.
Grace (Lawler Hirzke) McEachin of Deckerville died on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at the
home of her daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Phil, surrounded by her children.
She was born on a hot summer day, August 28, 1931, to Mike and Eleene (Johnson) Lawler
in Palms, Michigan. She grew up on a farm and knew what hard work was. Being the
eldest, she often was in charge of her younger siblings, which served her well later in
life. She attended McManus Country School and graduated from Deckerville High School
in 1949.
Grace married Edmund Hirzke in September 1948, and they had four children.
Ed died in a car accident in March 1959. In July 1960, she married Richard McEachin,
and together they raised their children and shared 63 years of a true love story.
Grace's secretarial, bookkeeping, and problem-solving skills were instrumental in the
success of McEachin Excavating. She was a businesswoman, homemaker, and
community volunteer. Grace and Richard loved the Deckerville Community Hospital and
worked tirelessly to support it. Grace was a member of St. Mary's parish, the Sororian
Club, and president of the Hospital Auxiliary for several years. She enjoyed ceramics and
traveling. Grace opened her home and her heart to many, but nothing gave her greater
joy than being together with family. She often proclaimed, with her beautiful smile, how
lucky she was to have her family.
Grace is survived by her children: Judy Foss and Phil Hull, Sandra Gentner and Larry
Booms, Joe and Sheila McEachin, Susanne and John Evans, and Chilean exchange
student, Maria Breton Opazo; her sister and best friend: Gerry (Dale) Pearson;
grandchildren: Jeffrey and Melissa Foss, Amy and Jeremy Guenther, Michelle and Dan
Mumbrue, Kelly Gentner, Jill and Brad English, Adrienne and Derek Wissner, Darci Evans
and Bryan Price, Chelsea Hull and Chad Long, Martin and Amber Gentner, Michael and
Michelle McEachin, Brent Evans and Amanda Koncelik, Neil McEachin; 19 great-
grandchildren; sisters-in-law: Marilyn McEachin, Martha Lutat, Alice Thomson; brother-
in-law: John McIntyre; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Grace was preceded in death by her husband, Richard, on June 5, 2023, her parents, brother Mike Lawler, lifelong friends Lois and Dick Theobald, several sisters-in-law, and brothers-in-law.
A celebration of her life will begin with a visitation at the Apsey Funeral Home in
Deckerville on Friday, August 4th from 4-8:00 pm.
A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, August 5 th at 11:00 am at St. Mary's in Port Sanilac, with a visitation beginning at 10:00 am.
Memorials are most welcome to the Deckerville Hospital Auxiliary or the United Hospice
Service of Marlette Regional Hospital, who provided amazing care to Grace and her family.
Condolences may be shared online at apseyfuneralhome.net.
home of her daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Phil, surrounded by her children.
She was born on a hot summer day, August 28, 1931, to Mike and Eleene (Johnson) Lawler
in Palms, Michigan. She grew up on a farm and knew what hard work was. Being the
eldest, she often was in charge of her younger siblings, which served her well later in
life. She attended McManus Country School and graduated from Deckerville High School
in 1949.
Grace married Edmund Hirzke in September 1948, and they had four children.
Ed died in a car accident in March 1959. In July 1960, she married Richard McEachin,
and together they raised their children and shared 63 years of a true love story.
Grace's secretarial, bookkeeping, and problem-solving skills were instrumental in the
success of McEachin Excavating. She was a businesswoman, homemaker, and
community volunteer. Grace and Richard loved the Deckerville Community Hospital and
worked tirelessly to support it. Grace was a member of St. Mary's parish, the Sororian
Club, and president of the Hospital Auxiliary for several years. She enjoyed ceramics and
traveling. Grace opened her home and her heart to many, but nothing gave her greater
joy than being together with family. She often proclaimed, with her beautiful smile, how
lucky she was to have her family.
Grace is survived by her children: Judy Foss and Phil Hull, Sandra Gentner and Larry
Booms, Joe and Sheila McEachin, Susanne and John Evans, and Chilean exchange
student, Maria Breton Opazo; her sister and best friend: Gerry (Dale) Pearson;
grandchildren: Jeffrey and Melissa Foss, Amy and Jeremy Guenther, Michelle and Dan
Mumbrue, Kelly Gentner, Jill and Brad English, Adrienne and Derek Wissner, Darci Evans
and Bryan Price, Chelsea Hull and Chad Long, Martin and Amber Gentner, Michael and
Michelle McEachin, Brent Evans and Amanda Koncelik, Neil McEachin; 19 great-
grandchildren; sisters-in-law: Marilyn McEachin, Martha Lutat, Alice Thomson; brother-
in-law: John McIntyre; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Grace was preceded in death by her husband, Richard, on June 5, 2023, her parents, brother Mike Lawler, lifelong friends Lois and Dick Theobald, several sisters-in-law, and brothers-in-law.
A celebration of her life will begin with a visitation at the Apsey Funeral Home in
Deckerville on Friday, August 4th from 4-8:00 pm.
A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, August 5 th at 11:00 am at St. Mary's in Port Sanilac, with a visitation beginning at 10:00 am.
Memorials are most welcome to the Deckerville Hospital Auxiliary or the United Hospice
Service of Marlette Regional Hospital, who provided amazing care to Grace and her family.
Condolences may be shared online at apseyfuneralhome.net.
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