Joyce Jacobi

As family and friends gather to reflect on the life and legacy of Joyce Jacobi, it is easy to see that she truly lived each and every day to the very fullest, never taking a single moment for granted. Her honesty and warmth made all who were blessed to know her feel welcome in her presence. Nothing brought Joyce greater joy than spending time with her loved ones, and she was a shining example of faith and determination. Deeply loved, Joyce will be forever missed by those who knew her best.

The early 1930s were tumultuous years for those living in the United States. The Great Depression cast a dark, heavy shadow over the country. Families all across the nation had to pull together and find creative ways to try to thrive in their time of need. During this difficult time, however, Harold and Lillian (Degen) Wiek of Detroit, Michigan, had much to celebrate as they welcomed their first daughter into their arms. Born on July 23, 1931, Joyce Carol was a preemie and weighed only four and one-half pounds.

As a girl, Joyce enjoyed a typical childhood of her generation. She grew up in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, just outside of Detroit. Joyce’s father, Harold, supported the family by working for the Hoover Vacuum Company while her mother, Lillian, was a dedicated homemaker. Joyce was raised in the Episcopal church but later became Presbyterian, and she built the foundation of her faith at a young age. She looked back on her formative years fondly, with memories of playing with her cousins at her Grandma Degen’s house and playing school with her dolls. The Wiek family didn’t have a TV, so they gathered around the radio in order to listen to the news. They spent their vacations camping, going to cottages or on boat trips, and traveling to Canada.

Joyce began her education at Louis Pasteur Elementary in Detroit. While in high school, she was a very outgoing student and loved getting involved in the school plays. Joyce would babysit for 25 cents an hour. She graduated from Grosse Pointe High School in 1949, earning her Bachelor's degree from Albion College before continuing at the University of Michigan where she earned her master’s degree in elementary education. Joyce taught in San Diego, California for one year, then returned to Michigan to teach for the next 22 years, teaching in Grosse Pointe and Wyandotte. She built a successful career for herself, pouring into the lives of countless students.

Exciting changes were on the horizon for Joyce as a young woman when she went on one fateful date with a wonderful man named George Kenan Jacobi. The two had grown up on the same street and attended the same high school. After only one date, however, Joyce and Kenan went their separate ways for a time. She went to teach in San Diego, and he left to serve in the United States Navy. Their paths once again crossed at a church group, and they picked up and began dating again. Joyce and Kenan shared a genuine connection, and they quickly fell deeply in love. She admired his kindness and patience. With a desire to spend the rest of their lives together, Joyce and Kenan were married in the presence of family and friends on June 22, 1957. The newlyweds enjoyed a honeymoon in Bar Harbor, Maine, then settled down in an upstairs apartment, eager to see what the future held. Joyce and Kenan had a loving marriage and they regularly enjoyed dancing to big band music.

Over the years, Joyce was overjoyed to be surrounded with her growing family. She and Kenan were so happy to have their first child, Carol, in 1958. The Jacobi family soon moved to their little home on Edgewood in St. Clair Shores, where they welcomed John in 1960 followed by George in 1965. Joyce thrived in her role as a mother, and she was a strict but fair disciplinarian. The family enjoyed vacations to various rental cottages every so often. Later in life, Joyce was thrilled to become a grandmother to her seven beloved grandchildren. She always made sure each of her family members knew just how much they were loved.

Never one to sit still for long, Joyce pursued several hobbies to stay busy in her free time. She was a lifelong avid reader and enjoyed reading anything from Nancy Drew to romance novels. Joyce loved traveling and seeing everything she could of the world. She and Kenan went on 14 different Christian tours between 1995 and 2005, and they traveled all over the country, taking in all of the local sights and attractions. They even went on Alaskan and Caribbean cruises and enjoyed a memorable trip overseas to Denmark. In their retirement years, Joyce and Kenan visited a condo on St. Petersburg Beach in Florida but quickly found it was too hot for them. They then lived in Brevard, North Carolina, for six years and Hilton Head, South Carolina, for another seven years. However, Joyce and Kenan missed the Michigan winters and snow and eventually returned to settle down in Covenant Living of the Great Lakes in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They loved the community there, participated in the drama troupe, and enjoyed the company of many friends.

With a journey that spanned times of war and peace, plenty and want, Joyce Jacobi never lost sight of what truly mattered through it all. She exemplified what it meant to follow faithfully after the Lord she loved so much. A devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, Joyce always held her family close. Though she is already greatly missed, Joyce leaves behind a priceless collection of memories that her loved ones will forever keep near and dear to their hearts.

Joyce Carol “Wiek” Jacobi, of Grand Rapids, beloved and loving wife, devoted mother, wonderful grandmother and friend of many went to be with her Lord and Savior on July 11, 2025 at the age of 93. She was the daughter of Harold August and Lillian Helen (Degen) Wiek. She is survived by her beloved husband of 68 years, G. Kenan; loving children, Carol (Steve) Grennan, John (Marna) Jacobi, George (Ikumi) Jacobi; and 7 grandchildren: Ben, Andrea (Nathan), Torsten, Kamilla, Rie, Kurumi and Kai; and great-grandchildren Judah, Josiah and Naomi.

The service to remember and celebrate Joyce’s life will be held on Monday, August 11, 2025 at 11 AM at Covenant Living of the Great Lakes. Memorial contributions in memory of Joyce may be made to her church, First Evangelical Covenant Church, 1933 Tremont Blvd. NW, Grand Rapids, MI or to Worldwide Discipleship Association, Box 142437, Fayetteville, GA 30214.