Doris Jasman

To Doris Jasman, life was not about the acquisition of material wealth or the endless pursuit of recognition from those around her. To Doris, the relationships she fostered with her beloved family and the goodwill she could share with others were of the greatest value. She was a kind-hearted woman who was completely devoted to her family and to brightening the day of another, often setting aside her own needs in the process. Doris had a strong faith which was not only something she possessed, but it was the point of reference she used to carry out her every thought, her every word, and her every deed.

The majority of the decade of the 1920s was a time of prosperity within our nation. We were introduced to the culture of flappers and speakeasies, and jazz music emanated from clubs across the country. Albert and Rose (Schoenborn) Brown, of Wright Township, Michigan, were looking forward to their own exciting time as they were eagerly anticipating the birth of their sixth child. They were indeed blessed on October 14, 1921 with the healthy birth of their daughter, Doris. She joined older siblings Irma, Charles, Katie, Josephine, and Rita and after awhile, her family moved to Grand Rapids. Her father worked as a farmer while her mother was a homemaker who stayed home to care for the children. As a student, Doris attended St. Joseph School later, Union High School. Doris established a strong work ethic during her formative years with her employment at Buth Dairy and later at Rose Patch and Label.

Of great significance during this time was Doris’s introduction to a charming young man named Edward Jasman with whom she quickly fell deeply in love. The happy couple started their family and were blessed with the first of three children: Edward, in 1943, Roberta, less than a year later in 1944, and Larry, in 1951. Doris and Edward raised their children in the family home located on Shawmut Hills NW and then later in the Alger Heights area. In 1947, the Jasman family moved to Florida in order to aid Edward with his health challenges, but after six years, they moved back to Grand Rapids, settling on Lincoln St. where Doris would live for the remainder of her life.

Doris immersed herself into caring for her children and they made many precious memories together also. They took vacations to Florida to visit family, they went to a cabin in Curtis, Michigan each summer, and they enjoyed fishing on Croton Pond in Hardy, Michigan as well. It was important to Doris that she passed her faith on to her children and as a family, they attended St. Adalbert’s Church and the children attended local catholic schools as well. After her children had grown some, Doris found employment at Bissell Co. where she worked for 24 years.

There were activities and traits that were unique to Doris that made her the special lady that her family and friends knew and loved. Doris was never one to sit still for very long and she loved to be put to work as well. She was always present when someone had a new home, washing walls, floors, and windows, or even working in the yard. Doris loved to complete both word search and crossword puzzles and watching The Price is Right and Wheel of Fortune on television. She was a great cook and was especially known for her potato pancakes and fried smelt on Fridays. Doris never went anywhere empty-handed either as she always came armed with Russell Stover’s Candies, donuts from Sandy’s, ice cream, cookies, or King mints. Doris was close to all of her siblings, especially her sisters, with whom she was known as the “Brown sisters,” and she visited them often.

Later in life, Doris found even more interests that brought her enormous amounts of joy. She delighted in being a grandmother and was active in the lives of her grandchildren. She never missed a school event, First Holy Communion, confirmation, sporting event, birthday, or any event that was important in their lives. Spending time with her grandchildren was something that Doris looked forward to, even if they were just having a picnic at John Ball Park or Townsend Park. Doris enjoyed playing bingo and was quite talented at it as well as she was able to play 21 cards at a time and even won a few dollars occasionally. Doris frequently played bingo, usually at various locations and often with her friends. Doris had two good friends whom she saw often, Sr. Mary and Jean Van Portfleet. She enjoyed watching sporting events on television with her son, Larry, whether they were cheering on the Pistons, Tigers, Red Wings, NASCAR drivers, or Tiger Woods.

Life was not without challenges for Doris, however. Her beloved husband died in March of 2005, leaving Doris to draw strength from both her faith and her family during these most difficult days. She also developed her own health challenges as she became gripped by dementia which took a toll on her both mentally and physically. She was blessed to receive superb care from Elders Helpers and became especially close to worker Christine Holmes. She was thankful that her son Larry lived with her, helping her with various household duties or just getting her out of the house for a Sunday drive. This time together allowed her to establish a special relationship with her son, and the tender care Larry provided was a blessing that his siblings will be forever grateful for. Unfortunately on Easter Sunday of this year, Doris suffered a stroke from which she was unable to recover and she was placed under hospice care until she drew her last breath.

Whether she was cooking a meal for her family, attending a grandchild’s sporting event, or lending a helping hand to a friend in need, Doris carried herself with compassion, generosity, and grace. She was always thinking of others and was always willing to help in any way she could. It was no secret that Doris treasured her family and she leaves behind a legacy of faith and love that will surely withstand the test of time. She will be dearly missed.

Doris A. Jasman of Grand Rapids died on May 2, 2009. She was preceded in death by her brothers and sisters Irma, Katie, Charlie, Josephine and Rita. Doris is survived by her children: Edward (Sandy) Jasman, Roberta (Dennis) Patterson, Larry Jasman; grandchildren Kelli Cain, Mark (Sarah) Jasman, Bob (Ronda) Jasman, Michelle (Tom) Smith, Sarah (Dan) Smoes, Katie (Patrick) Kariku, Steven Jasman; 13 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. A service to celebrate her life will be held on Wednesday, May 6 at 11 a.m. at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – Alt & Shawmut - Grand Rapids, MI, 2120 Lake Michigan Drive NW, where relatives and friends are invited to visit with the family on Tuesday from 5-8 p.m. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com, where you can share a favorite memory, sign the online register, or make a memorial contribution to Hospice of Michigan.