Joyce Elaine (Goodin) Dewitt-Hockenbraugh

Joyce Elaine DeWitt-Hockenbraugh, age 82, a lifelong resident of Grand Haven area, passed away on Sunday, January 19, 2020 at her home. She was born on July 27, 1937 in Ferrysburg, MI to the late Lewis and Alma (Kuck) Goodin. She married Melvin R. “Bob” DeWitt on August 2, 1952 and he preceded her in death in 2003.

Joyce attended Grand Haven Public Schools and graduated from Muskegon Community College as an LPN in 1965. She worked at Hackley Hospital in Muskegon for five years and then at North Ottawa Community Hospital until 1988. Joyce and Bob started Commercial Machining and Assembly in 1988 and sold it in 1999, when she retired. In 2004, she married long-time family friend, Harlan Jr. Hockenbraugh. He preceded her in death on July 19, 2015. Although Joyce had many interests in her life, her greatest love was that of family and friends. Joyce was an active member of Grand Haven Community Baptist Church and loved being involved with her church choir and several church ministries.

Joyce is survived by her children: Bonnie (John) Benes, Roberta (Dr. John) Leenhouts, Barbara Sobolik, Lorene Smith, and Judith (Mark Gillette) Geneva, all from the Grand Haven area; step-children, Dale (Becky) Hockenbraugh, Linda (Pete) Zabloudil, Beverly Wilkes, and Mary Hockenbraugh; 14 grandchildren: Raelynn (Fred) Mussehl, Marcie Shackelford, Melanie (Mike) VerDuin, Laura Leenhouts, Andrew Leenhouts, Toni (Joel) Gerencer, Emily (Ben) Sobolik, Daniel (Angela) Smith, Bryan (Liesi) Smith, Christopher (Cynthia) Geneva, Joshua Geneva, Kristy Winters, and Jeffery and Robert Hockenbraugh; 21 great-grandchildren: Mason Prenger, Maddie, Morgan, and Maddux Mussehl, Peter, Lillian, and Amelia VerDuin, Elliott Leenhouts, Lydia, Thomas, Eleanor, and Oliver Gerencer, Julia and Elaine Sobolik, Bevin, Cayvin , and Rowan Smith, Kaylee Geneva, Autumn, Quinn, and Millie Gillette; sister, Verna Schoonveld of Grand Haven; sisters-in-law, Mary Goodin of Grand Haven, Donna Shaw of Nevada, and Fran DeWitt of North Carolina; as well as many very special nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Melvin ”Bob” DeWitt and Harlan Hockenbraugh; brother, Walter (Yvonne-Lee) Goodin; brother, Lewis (Lou) Goodin Jr; son-in-law, Thomas Sobolik; and son-in-law, Patrick Smith.

The Memorial Service for Joyce will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 25, 2020 at Grand Haven Community Baptist Church with Pastor Ray Paget officiating.  Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday, January 24th at Klaassen Family Funeral Home. Interment will be at Grand Haven Township Lakeshore Cemetery.

Memorial Contributions may be made to Grand Haven Community Baptist Church or Hospice of North Ottawa Community. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joyce Elaine (Goodin) Dewitt-Hockenbraugh, please visit our floral store.