Joanne Assenmacher

Joanne Assenmacher lived a life full of love, faith and family. Joanne was born on August 19, 1930 to Blanche and Stephen Lange in Detroit, Michigan. After her parents separated, Blanche remarried Art Regnier, who raised Joanne along with her 4 half siblings – Judi, Gary, Edward, and Janice. Growing up in Detroit during its “golden age,” Joanne fondly remembered the beauty of the city – from Hudson’s department store decorations at Christmas, the annual Thanksgiving parade, and summers at Belle Isle. She shared memories like sitting on Triple Crown winner Man O’ War and her mother babysitting the children of Detroit Red Wings hockey legend, Gordie Howe.

Despite the challenges of her early life, Joanne’s spirit and faith shone through. After graduating from Holy Redeemer Catholic High School in 1947, she worked at a Detroit bank where she forged lifelong friendships with Grace, Donna, and Julie.

While Joanne had planned to become a nun, God had different plans for her. After meeting Leo Assenmacher at a family friend’s wedding, she knew instantly that she would marry him. In fact, she proudly shared with her children and grandchildren that if she could, she would have married him the next day! Their courtship was marked by milkshakes in Wyandotte and blossomed further during a date at the Red Wings’ Olympia Stadium. It was a love that would span nearly five decades. The two soulmates married and spent their wedding night at The Dearborn Inn, where Leo went outside to pick lilacs and brought them to Joanne. They spent their honeymoon on Mackinac Island, dreaming of staying at the Grand Hotel – a dream later fulfilled on their 48th wedding anniversary.

Joanne and Leo built a beautiful life together, raising seven children in a modest three-bedroom brick ranch at 6404 on Balfour Street in Allen Park, Michigan. Their home was always bustling with activity. Sitting on the only double lot on the block, it transformed into the neighborhood playground. During the warmer months, there were football games in the front yard, baseball in the back, and basketball at “The Clubhouse.” Wintertime meant hockey and broom ball under the lights of their homemade ice rink. No matter the time of year, the Assenmacher home was the place to be to enjoy sports and laughter with friends. While raising their children, family vacations included camping at Camp Dearborn, cottages at Caseville, and the Hodges family cottage at Houghton Lake. And while they cherished vacations, they always missed their family deeply, like the time they cut a boating trip short to return home to their children.

Catholic faith was the cornerstone of their home. Leo helped build St. Cyril’s Church, and the family hosted rosary parties with neighbors. Despite the busy household, Joanne found time to work as a bookkeeper at an Allen Park florist. She had a real knack for putting together beautiful bouquets and could tell you everything about flowers.

After raising their children, Joanne and Leo enjoyed their retirement years traveling and visiting their kids and grandkids across the country – spanning from California, Colorado, Georgia, and Michigan. They also took a memorable trip to Hawaii one year for a much-deserved vacation, and enjoyed relaxing at their cottage up north in Houghton Lake. She and Leo celebrated their love and devotion to each other until his passing after 48 years of marriage. After Leo’s passing, Joanne moved to Portage, Michigan, to be closer to family.

In her later years, Joanne had an opportunity to visit Lourdes, France, the birthplace of one of her favorite Saints, Bernadette, as well as Lisieux, the burial place of St. Thérèse, the Little Flower.

Joanne had a love for life's simple pleasures like her favorite foods which included burnt hot dogs, Saunders hot fudge cream puff sundaes, chocolate shakes, pizza, and Vernors! Her favorite movies were “Sound of Music” and “Gone With The Wind” and she enjoyed playing a variety of card games, like Pinochle, with her friends. Though not a fan of water, her family will never forget the time she impressed them by riding a jet ski at the family reunion on her 80th birthday!

Joanne’s 13 grandchildren were a constant source of joy for her. She had the unique ability to make each one feel special in their own way, whether through her handwritten letters in beautiful cursive, hours devoted to coloring and drawing, or marathon card games of Rummy, Double Solitaire, and Kings Corner. Family reunions were marked by laughter, love, and traditions, like the Dice Game, where she reminded everyone, “No crying!” And of course, there was Euchre – a card game passed down from Joanne and Leo to their children and grandchildren, which is still played heavily in the family today. A competitor at heart, Joanne is the reigning Euchre champion from the last family reunion.

She was made to be a grandmother. Her grandkids will always recall her warm smile paired with double-handed waves, using their full names affectionately, and always kissing their hands and making the sign of the cross on their foreheads. She was in awe that every human had a different set of fingerprints and once remarked while looking at one of her great grandkids’ tiny hands, “God must be so busy!”

Joanne’s life was rooted in faith, family, and love. Her unwavering trust in God carried her through life’s greatest challenges, including the loss of three children and her beloved Leo.

She taught her family the importance of kindness, selflessness, and a deep love for Jesus. Her traditions, like baking a cake for Jesus at Christmas, serve as a reminder of the true reason for the Christmas season and reflect her joyful and giving spirit.

Her favorite saying, “Jesus loves you, and so do I,” embodied her life. She brought joy to everyone she met, always putting others first and engaging everyone with a warm smile. To know her was to love her. Many recall that she felt like a second mother to them because of her deep and genuine care for everybody she met. To summarize her life would be impossible, because she was bigger than this life. But in a few words, she led her life with love for Jesus, love for Leo, and love for her family.

Joanne Assenmacher’s story is one of unwavering faith, unconditional love, and a life dedicated to family. Her legacy will live on through her 7 children, 13 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren, who will carry her lessons of love, kindness, and faith forward.

Joanne Assenmacher was welcomed home to Jesus on December 15th, on the Third Sunday of Advent. Fitting for her life, the Third Sunday in Advent marks a time of rejoicing in the Lord and the anticipation of His arrival. She is preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, Leo Assenmacher; and her children: Mark Assenmacher, Dennis Assenmacher, and Gregory Assenmacher. Surviving are her children: Karen Assenmacher, Lee (Sara) Assenmacher, Paul (Maggie) Assenmacher, and John (Carrie) Assenmacher; grandchildren: Eric, Kaitlin, Mark (Heidi), Kelly (Jason Anderson), Haley (Max White), Madison, Jason (Emily), Candace (Taylor Sandusky), Lindsay, Morgan (Tommy Gordon), Clayton, Colin, and Garet; and great-grandchildren: Emma, Sara, Bennett, Joelle, Fisher, Greg, Leo, Walker, Lia, and Harrison.

Please join us for a Life Story Visitation on Thursday, December 19, from 6-8 PM at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900 where food, drinks, and stories will be shared. The Rosary will be recited at 5:30 PM. Mass will be celebrated Friday, December 20, at 11 AM, with visitation beginning at 10 AM, at St. Catherine of Siena Parish. Celebrate Joanne’s life online by sharing stories and photos on her personalized web page at BetzlerLifeStory.com. Memorial donations may be made to Sisters of St. Joseph.