Joyce McTague

Joyce Jean (DeMorrow) McTague, 85, of Stevensville passed away peacefully at her home on Wednesday, December 14, as a result of COPD-end stage lung disease. Joyce was born on September 16, 1926, in Benton Harbor, Michigan, to Lawrence Lee and Anna (Ragan) DeMorrow. She was raised and worked on several local family owned farms, and she enjoyed making trips to the market in Chicago with her father. During her youth Joyce lived in St. Joseph, Bridgman, Chicago and Arizona. She was a 1944 graduate of St. Joseph High School. After marrying Robert McTague on November 11, 1949 they settled in Stevensville where they raised their two daughters in the house they built together. While her children were in school she spent many hours in her kitchen preparing meals and making items from scratch for school bake sales and family gatherings. Her pie crust was renowned as being the best in the entire family. She was active in the PTA at Lakeshore schools and served as a room mother. She also enjoyed fishing, sewing, working in her garden and was a member and Chairperson of the Miss Stevensville Blossom Queens Committee in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Once her children were grown she re-entered the work force as a bookkeeper for Atwood’s Body Shop in St. Joseph of which her husband was a partner. Joyce was a devoted member of the Stevensville American Legion Post 568 Ladies Auxiliary where she was active in the poppy sale fundraisers and contributed many volunteer hours at bingo, steak fry and roast beef dinners. She especially enjoyed her visits with the soldiers at the VA hospital in Battle Creek. She also volunteered for many years with the monthly newsletter mailing for the Berrien County Cancer Service. Over the years Joyce’s collection of swan themed items filled nearly every room in her house. She also loved to read, enjoyed picture and crossword puzzles and being outdoors, and in later years she spent many hours watching the birds and activities at the Roosevelt elementary school yard from her living room window. Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, Bob, in 1981, her parents, Lee and Anna DeMorrow, and her sister, Mary Ann (DeMorrow) Mooney. Those left to cherish her memory are: daughters Debra (John) Ersland of Adel, Iowa, Patricia (Ed Emrich) McTague of St. Joseph, grandchildren Tammy Spitzer of Stevensville, Dustin Spitzer of Bridgman, great grandchildren Josh Gorske, Brianna Gorske, Griffin Spitzer, sister Donna (Bernie) Sackett of Stevensville, brother Larry (Doris) DeMorrow of Ohio, sister-in-law Madelin McTague of San Antonio Texas, special friends Donna and Dan Thompson of Stevensville, Kim Rose of Comfort Keepers, her cat Punkin, several nieces and nephews and many cousins. She had a smile, spunk and tenacity that will be remembered and missed by all who knew her. Friends and family are invited to meet on Tuesday, December 20 from 2:00-3:30 pm at the Starks-Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph. A celebration of life service will follow at 3:30 pm, after which Joyce will take her final resting place next to her husband in the Stevensville Cemetery on St. Joseph Avenue. Those wishing to share a memory or sign Joyce’s guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Hospice at Home. In lieu of flowers the family asks that memorials be made in Joyce’s name to the Stevensville American Legion Auxiliary Unit 568, the Southwest Michigan Humane Society or the Berrien County Cancer Service.