Joyce Arlene Dupras

Joyce Arlene Dupras, age 88, of Sparta, Michigan, died suddenly on March 19, 2025 at her home in the Meadowlark Retirement Community. She is survived by her three children Denise Dupras (Kileen Smyth), Jodi Fedeson (Brian), Kristen Linna (Kirk), nine grandchildren Derek Fedeson (Julia), Erin Kazmierski (Mark), Renee Fedeson, Amy Howell (Joshua), Courtney Glaser (Ryan), Zach Linna (Val Bayer), Abbie Brusich (Michael), Jake Linna (Lindsey), Matt Linna, five great grandchildren and her brother Ronald Hill (Ruth). She was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Thomas W Dupras, who died in 2013. A celebration of life will be held in the Upper Peninsula at a date and time to be determined.

She was born on February 2, 1937 in Marquette, Michigan to Ester and Jorma Hill. She attended Gravereat High School, graduating as valedictorian and gave the commencement speech. The quote in her yearbook above her picture was “She knows what she wants to do, and she does it.” This described her perfectly and foreshadowed how she lived her life.

She went on to the University of Michigan where she met her future husband, Thomas Dupras and graduated in 1958 magna cum laude with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration.

She married Thomas Wayne Dupras on September 6, 1958, and they moved to Ishpeming, Michigan in 1959 where he began working as a pharmacist. Together they raised their three children in an environment strong in the catholic faith. When the local catholic school closed, she stepped up and became the lay administrator putting her administrative skills to use. She and her husband opened the Giving Tree Cards and Gifts. Later in 1988 they opened Parties Unlimited, a very successful venture that included balloon decorating that garnered the couple national recognition at JUBILEE! ’94 a convention and trade show in Las Vegas. She was a successful entrepreneur, being named “Business Person of the Year” in 1995.

She had multiple interests, among them playing cards particularly pinochle, cribbage, word games (word search, crosswords), sudoku, puzzles, and anything that she felt would keep her brain sharp. Her love of travel took her across the US and to Europe with her husband and later with her daughters. She never tired of a little adventure. She was proud of her Finnish heritage and a key organizer of the International Finn Grand Fest held in Marquette, MI in 2005. She was so fluent in the Finnish language, that Santa in Rovaniemi, Finland believed she was a native Finlander. She possessed inner strength that the Finns dub “Sisu”.

After the death of her husband, she continued to live in Ishpeming until she suffered a hip fracture in 2021. She then moved into the Meadowlark Retirement Community where she brought her zest for life and energy with her. She found friendship and love in her new

home. She learned Wii bowling and in exchange she introduced the game mexican train. She organized movie night and soon was petitioning her family for DVDs and BluRay movies. She could never pass the puzzle table without stopping to put in a few pieces. Her days were full and she flourished. She found a community of faith that was always an important part of her life. She was crowned “Applefest Queen” and made the cover of Community, a magazine published from Brio Living Services.

She was known to say if her life ended, it was ok because she had had a full life without regrets. This was the ending she would have written to her story and will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

A Celebration of Life Mass will be held on June 21, 2025 at St. Michaels Catholic Church in Marquette, Michigan. In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make a donation to your favorite charity.