Lucille Maat

Kind beyond measure, Lucy Maat modeled a life of being a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She held many special talents including cooking, canning, baking, gardening, ceramics and painting watercolors. Her greatest joy was found in the time she spent with her family and friends. From family picnics and camping with family and friends, to meeting her girlfriends for coffee on a regular basis, Lucy enjoyed being with those she loved. She will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by all those who loved her.

Lucy was born to Peter, Sr. and Frances Sloboda on October 7, 1928. She joined brothers Casmir and Walter, and was later joined by her younger brother, Peter, Jr. She and her brothers grew up in challenging times, but remained close as they lived life on the family farm.

Born to Polish immigrants, Lucy and her family knew tough times as the Great Depression began in 1929 and continued through most of the siblings early years. When Lucy was only two years old, the family home, on 3 Mile Rd. in Walker, burned down and they had to move. It was at that time that they began living in Marne, on 16th Ave. They lived on a 40-acre family farm, where Lucy and her brothers grew up while caring for the animals, raising and harvesting crops and tending to the family garden. She and her brothers were very close, both while working together and playing (softball and other activities) together. Lucy learned to be an excellent housekeeper, cook, baker, seamstress and farmhand. She also learned to can, to take advantage of the farm-fresh food. She attended a one-room schoolhouse with her brothers and became very close with her schoolmates. It was there that she met her lifelong friend Margie Sharphorn. She invited Lucy to church at Berlin Baptist, where Lucy became a Christian. Together, they attended summer Bible camps and the two of them strengthened their faith, learning to depend on it to support them through challenging times.

As a young adult, Lucy’s life again changed in a significant way. She took a job at Kelvinator and there met Clarence Maat, the man of her dreams. They hit it off right from the start and married, after a short courtship, on April 10, 1953. They celebrated 65 years together in April of this year, 2018. The happy couple honeymooned in the Smoky Mountains and then settled into married life by renting an apartment on Arianna N.W., Grand Rapids. Soon they bought a home on Jeannette N.W., and all four children were born during the years they lived there. The family attended Alpine Ave. CRC, where Clare and Lucy had been married. When their oldest child was nine, the Maat family moved to Kinney Ave. NW in Walker. Throughout their marriage, their faith was evident, as the family faithfully attended church and became involved in church activities. Lucy was a member of the Mary-Martha Society and played volleyball in a church league. She dearly loved to sing the traditional hymns, “harmonizing” as she sang. It remains a beloved memory for Clare and all her children. Lucy and Clare brought up their children with the core value of faith in Jesus, sacrificing to provide their children with a Christian education. Lucy, Clare and the children enjoyed countless memories of vacations and celebrations together. They camped at State parks and traveled, both as a family and as a couple. Trips to Yellowstone National Park and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula were family trips, but Lucy and Clare also traveled extensively as a couple, occasionally with some of their children; to the West Coast, the East Coast, Hawaii, Florida and Mexico. Whether birthdays, anniversaries or holidays, all special occasions were celebrated to the fullest with grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins on both sides of the family.

As a mother, Lucy relished her years of being a homemaker and Mom. She sewed (even a doll wardrobe for both daughters) extensively for her family. She cooked and baked, her apple pies and golabki being second to none! She took a variety of jobs over the years, and enjoyed adding support to her family as she worked outside the home. She had abundant energy! Lucy modeled, to her children, a lifetime of serving others by bringing meals to those who were “shut-ins”, especially the elderly, and by performing other kindnesses many times over. Her family knew they were loved and cared for!

Lucy was full of joy and had a real love for life. She loved to paint, especially watercolors, often scenes from things in her childhood. Each of her children and grandchildren have at least one of her cherished paintings in their homes. She enjoyed ceramics and pottery, as well. Never one to remain idle, in addition to volleyball, Lucy participated in a bowling league for years and was quite good at it! As a young woman, she learned on her own to play the accordion and the piano. She continued to play both well into her retirement years. Her favorite types of music were hymns and polkas. She was proud of her Polish heritage, participating in a 100-year anniversary celebration, at Alpine CRC, by wearing a native Polish dress and by dancing the polka at numerous Pulaski Days celebrations and every family wedding. Lucy LOVED to dance! She was often the life of the party!

In showing her love for and acceptance of everyone she met, Lucy demonstrated the love of God in a very tangible way. He was as real to her as any person she knew and it showed. Although she often expressed her readiness to meet her Lord and Savior, Jesus, she was sensitive to the fact that her family and friends would miss her dearly, and she did her best to provide each of us with a bit of comfort as she prepared to go Home. She will be greatly missed by all those she leaves behind. May her legacy of faith and unconditional love be forever in the hearts of all those who were blessed to know her!

Lucille N. Maat of Grand Rapids, MI passed away October 30, 2018, and was happy to join her Lord and Savior, Jesus. She is survived by her loving husband of 65 years, Clarence Maat. She was born October 7, 1928, in Grand Rapids to the late Peter, Sr. and Frances Sloboda. Also preceding her in death were her brothers, Casimir and Peter, Jr. She is survived by her brother, Walt Sloboda, sister in law, Shirley Sloboda (Peter Jr.), her four children, Dennis (Cheri) Maat, Phyllis (Bob) Cegelis, Jan (Dan) Gillman, and Ray (Sheryl) Maat. She enjoyed and loved her 18 grandchildren, 13 greatgrandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by many friends, including her dear friend, Audrey Gezon. A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 10 at 11 AM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home, 2120 Lake Michigan Ave NW. Friends and family may visit beginning at 10 AM. Memorial contributions may be made to Christian Rest Home Foundation. Please visit Lucy's personal web page to read more of her life story, leave a memory or condolence at www.lifestorynet.com.