Where Food, Drinks & Stories Are Shared
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Joan Randall

June 2, 1942 - March 12, 2007
Kalamazoo, MI

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Visitation

Thursday, March 15, 2007
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM EDT
Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes
Kalamazoo Location
6080 Stadium Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49009
(269) 375-2900
Driving Directions

Visitation

Thursday, March 15, 2007
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM EDT
Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes
Kalamazoo Location
6080 Stadium Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49009
(269) 375-2900
Driving Directions

Service

Friday, March 16, 2007
10:30 AM EDT
Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes
Kalamazoo Location
6080 Stadium Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49009
(269) 375-2900

St. Augustine Cathedral

Driving Directions

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

Autism Society of Michigan
6035 Executive Drive, Ste 109
Lansing, MI 48911
Web Site

Flowers


Below is the contact information for a florist recommended by the funeral home.

Schafer's Flowers Inc.
3274 Stadium Drive
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
(800) 760-7050
Driving Directions
Web Site

Life Story / Obituary


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Some people simply have too much in their heart to keep to themselves, and it spills out to all those around them, filling their lives with love. Joan Randall was the best of examples, an amazing woman with an enormous heart, which she gave so openly, and willingly, to the family and friends who meant so much to her.

Joan's story began on a warm summer day in 1942, in the bustling city of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Those were such difficult days in this country, in the first summer of World War II, which bore so much uncertainty and doubt for an anxious nation. Yet on June 2, 1942, Marlie and Vivian Smith found reason for hope in those dark days, with the birth of a beautiful baby girl, a daughter they named Joan.

Joan was the middle of three girls in the Smith's Kalamazoo home, joining older sister Marlene and younger sister Patricia. Her dad worked at Hammond Machinery, while her mother was an LPN. Despite her parents' busy schedules, they still found time to be a close family, and in the summertime they took many beloved camping trips to Silver Lake, where Joan fostered a lifelong love of the outdoors.

Joan attended Kalamazoo Central High School, and earned extra money by working at Lyons Drugs after classes. When she was a freshman, her older sister Marlene introduced her to a handsome young junior at St. Augustine School, a young man named Bud Randall. The sparks flew between them, and they dated all through high school, enjoying going to the drive-in movies together in the summertime.

When Joan graduated in 1960, she and her sweetheart didn't wait long to get married, tying the knot on July 2, 1960, at St. Augustine Cathedral. It wasn't long before the newlyweds became parents, as well. They were soon blessed with the first of their three wonderful children, son Bud, in 1961. Their daughter Debbie came along in 1964, and son Michael rounded out the happy family in 1966.

Shortly after Bud was born, the young family moved into a new house at 2232 Cumberland Street in Kalamazoo, where they would form so many wonderful memories. Joan was a very outgoing person who made friends easily, and their home became well-known throughout the neighborhood as simply "Joan's House", the hotbed of social activity, and always the place to be!

While she had many friends, her family always came first in Joan's life. She was the consummate wife and mother, a true matriarch to her family. She supported her children in all of their endeavors, whether it was school, scouts, or especially, sports. Joan was very involved in her kids' sports, and was especially active in the Westwood Little League, serving as the Vice President of the softball division, and even wrote the Creed on sportsmanship for the Little League.

Joan was also an excellent cook, who delighted in creating delicious meals for her family. From her wonderful spaghetti, to hamburger casserole, homemade burgers and milkshakes, no one ever left her kitchen hungry! Her specialty, however, was the incredible cakes she made. She even took a decorating class to hone her natural talents, and her creativity and effort shone through in each cake she lovingly made for birthdays or other occasions. She enjoyed family get-togethers so much, and was the one who always brought the video camera to all the events, too.

Joan was also a gifted seamstress, who made all manner of clothing and costumes over the years. She was so talented, in fact, she even made her own wedding dress!

Joan was the true matriarch of the family, and not just her immediate family. She was the one they leaned on in times of need, whether it was a shoulder to cry on, an ear to bend, or a helping hand. She often gave her family small notes of encouragement, and always remembered birthdays. Joan was always so generous with her time and energy, from family, to friends, to even strangers in need.

She was there during the tough times, as well. When her son-in-law sadly died, leaving her daughter Debbie as a single mother, Joan helped raise her grandson Thomas. She adored each of her grandchildren, though, and cherished any time she spent with them.

When her children had left home, she and her beloved Bud began a new tradition. Every day between 3 and 4 in the afternoon, the couple enjoyed their "happy hour" where they would talk, unwind from their day, and strengthen their bond together.

Joan was also a woman of great faith, and a longtime member of St. Augustine Cathedral. She was a woman of tremendous class and grace, who never said a bad thing in her life, and who tried to embody the beatitudes each of her days.

Joan had her own sayings she often quoted, which her family lovingly referred to as "Joanisms." A few of her favorites were "Life is short, eat dessert first," and "God will never give you more than you can bear," and "Everything happens for a reason," and "I was sorrowed when I had no shoes, but I wept when I saw a man who had no feet."

That was Joan, though: As gracious as she was generous, as thoughtful as she was thankful. She was a devoted wife, loving mother and doting grandmother, and a friend to so many over the years. Most of all, Joan was a woman with a heart so much bigger than her body, a heart she so graciously shared with all those around her. She will be so greatly missed.

Learn more about Joan, view her Life Story film, and visit with her family and friends Thursday from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at the Life Story Funeral Home- Betzler Kalamazoo, 6080 Stadium Drive. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Augustine Cathedral. Members of Joan's family include her husband Bud, 3 children: Bud and his wife Betty of Otsego, Micheal and his wife Lori of Charlevoix and Debbie Baas of Galesburg, 2 sisters: Marlene Stanton and Patricia Blondet both of Kalamazoo and 7 grandchildren: Elizabeth, Christine, Jacob, Thomas, Conor, McKenna and Hunter. She follows in death her parents, Marlie and Vivian Smith , her step father Raymond Bentley and a son-in-law Timothy Baas.

Please visit Joan's memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can read her Life Story, share a favorite memory or photo, order flowers or make a memorial donation to the Autism Society of Michigan.

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