Viola DuPuis
February 22, 2015Share using:
Lake Linden: Viola Agnes (Trudgeon) DuPuis, 95, of Lake Linden, passed away on February 22, 2015, at the Franklin House of PortagePointe in Hancock.
She was born August 24, 1919, in Laurium, a daughter of Howard and Agnes (Birk) Trudgeon. She graduated from Calumet High School in the class of 1936. She attended the Calumet Commercial School. She worked at the Calumet Hospital from 1936 to 1940 as a nurse aid, Pontiac Motors in Pontiac, MI, Asselin’s Market in Lake Linden, Lakeside Studio in Lake Linden, and Chopp Insurance Agency in Lake Linden for 23 years.
She was married to Edmund J. DuPuis on November 8, 1941. He preceded her in death on April 15, 1998.
Viola came from a musical family; known as the C.C. Songsters, she sang with her siblings at countless gatherings and even on radio commercials. She was the organist and choir director at the First Congregational Church in Lake Linden for 40 years and also at the Hubbell Congregational Church. Later, she was the organist at the Lake Linden Methodist Church for 15 years. She was also a member and officer for the United Methodist Women. She was a member of the Keweenaw Kernewek.
She was the proverbial sports fan, especially when it came to the sports of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She never missed a sporting event due to weather, health, or age.
She was preceded in death by: her parents; her husband of 56 years; infant brother-Leslie, infant great-grandson-Michael Holzberger; and sisters-Pearl Jalkanen and Marjorie Nolten.
She is survived by: her daughter-D. Renée (John) Butkonen of Lake Linden; 2 brothers-Jack Trudgeon of Lancaster, CA and William Trudgeon of Warren, MI; grandchildren-Kari (Tom) Holzberger of Lake Linden, Erik Butkonen of Lake Linden, Teri (Ryan) Brady of Traverse City; and great-grandchildren-Brianna Gervais, Brett Gervais, Shay Holzberger, Mitchell Butkonen, Madison Butkonen, and Matthew Butkonen, all of Lake Linden, and Kayla Brady, Luke Brady, and Mackenzie Brady, all of Traverse City.
Viola’s family wishes to thank the nursing staff and elder associates in the Franklin House of PortagePointe for their excellent care.
The funeral service will be at 6:00 P.M. on Tuesday, February 24, at the Pearce Funeral Home in Lake Linden with Rev. Robert White to officiate. Visitation will be from 5:00 until the start of the funeral service on Tuesday. Spring burial will be at the Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Online condolences mat be left at pearcefuneralhome.com