Marcia Lubbers

Loving, compassionate, and kind, Marcia Lubbers lived a life rich in faith, family, and friends. Marcia led with her heart, nurturing her relationships and serving others at every turn. Her unwavering faith was the cornerstone of her life, inspiring hope and resiliency, especially when facing life's challenges. Marcia relished the simple pleasures of cheering on her loved ones' endeavors, spending time on the water, and helping lighten others' burdens. A powerful role model and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, Marcia will be forever remembered and missed by those she so dearly loved. Devotion to her family was a priority

1944 was a time when all Americans' lives were directly affected by the war effort in Europe. While countless young people actively served in the trenches of WWII, those who remained stateside poured their energies into supporting the war effort in any way they could. As Americans welcomed the end of meat rationing and began planting Victory Gardens, Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the G.I. Bill and soon became the only U.S. president to be elected to a fourth term. As the nation looked toward peace, Carroll and Hilda (Heeren) Westfield welcomed their daughter, Marcia June, to their family on March 11 in Detroit, Michigan.

The second of the three Westfield children, Marcia shared her older brother Don's birthday, just two years later, and the good company of her younger brother, Ed. Marcia's father worked for Ford Motor Company, and her mother was a homemaker. When the family moved to Grand Rapids to be near family, they lived on Newcastle Drive and became members of Plymouth Christian Reformed Church. Marcia attended East Paris Christian School and was very musical, playing piano in school choirs and ensembles and at church.

After graduating from South Christian High School in 1961, Marcia enrolled in Blodgett School for Nursing. During her first year, she had classes at Calvin College and there she met LeRoy (Lee) Lubbers through a classmate. They dated through college and married on May 20, 1964, at Alger Park CRC.

Following a honeymoon to Niagara Falls and White Mountains, Maine, the newlyweds settled in an upstairs rental apartment in Grand Rapids. When Lee enrolled at Michigan Tech to complete his engineering degree, the couple moved to Houghton, where Marcia supported them while working as a nurse at a nearby hospital.

When Lee graduated in 1966 and took a job with Rapistan, he and Marcia returned to Grand Rapids, settling in a duplex her uncle owned. In time, they moved to their first home on Everglade St SE in Alger Heights, before moving to Walsh St SE, where they lived for 35 years. In 2004, Lee and Marcia sold their home and moved to a condo in Byron Center.

Blessed to welcome four children to their family, Marcia and Lee centered themselves on providing a loving and supportive home. Julie, Dan, Eric, and Kevin were born over the course of 12 years, and Marcia became a full-time homemaker. A wonderful mother, Marcia enjoyed cooking and baking. The kids fondly recall spending time in the kitchen with their mom as she made daily family suppers and baked her signature custom birthday cakes and amazing chocolate-covered peanut butter balls for Christmas.

As Lee traveled a lot for work, Marcia was often on her own with the four kids. Despite the challenges, she never complained and always made it work, ensuring her children grew up with strong faith-based morals and values, including a commitment to serving others. On summer Saturdays, after chores were complete, the family would often pack up the boat and head out to Lake Macatawa for a cruise and a picnic. Marcia loved being in the sun and on the water, either in a boat or swimming. During summer, she also led the process of canning and freezing fruits and veggies with the kids and family in the basement. If the kids helped without complaining, they would get to swim in a relative's pool afterward. Her kids remember Marcia doing laundry, folding it, and setting it on the stairs for them to bring up to their room and put away, and becoming so mad when they would walk past it. When Dan was in football, she made him go to the back of the house to spray off, because she didn’t want all the dirt in the washing machine!

Marcia had incredibly sensitive hearing and didn't like loud things. Music or radio was always at a low volume. When possible, she loved listening to or watching a Tigers game on the radio or TV. She was a big Tigers fan, and she enjoyed occasional trips to Tigers games. She also enjoyed a good Sunday nap, usually with a Tigers game on in the background.

When Kevin began high school, Marcia returned to working second shift as an LPN at Brown Manor, and eventually for Holland Home. . Over the years, she remained very close to the staff at Brown Manor and regularly got together with them. She also enjoyed deep relationships with her cousin Donna and her friends, Joyce, Caroline, and Kathy. To those who knew her best, Marcia was fondly called "Iron Pipes" because she could eat or drink extremely hot food or coffee without effect. She was also known for disliking rules, unless she was the one who made them.

In 1994, after years of renting a cottage on Big Star Lake,, Marcia and Lee purchased their own cottage with their daughter Julie. Marcia enjoyed time at the cottage in the water or on the dock reading. Though she didn't really care for hot weather, she didn't care about the water temperature; she wanted to go in it. Her favorite season was Fall, and she especially loved watching sunsets. The family sold their cottage in 2018 after enjoying many years of family time together.

For many years, Marcia was active in their church, Alger Park CRC, and later First Byron Center CRC. She was active in Bible study, Kid's Hope, small groups, and any bake sale. She also played the piano and, later in life, the organ for church services or events. Marcia found joy in life's simple pleasures. Whether attending her children's and grandchildren's special events, reading about the Amish and Christian fiction, indulging in anything chocolate, especially chocolate chip cookies, having a bag of peppermints on hand at all times, holding a baby, or enveloping a child in empathy, Marcia relished her blessings.

When Marcia retired from nursing, she and Lee were able to spend more time at the cottage. She learned to play the organ, and spent many Sundays at Big Star Lake Chapel, teaming up with daughter Julie on the piano. She also became actively involved at Evergreen Covenant Church of Baldwin, using her gifts at the piano and developing many meaningful friendship with the members there.

Sadly, Marcia started experiencing cognitive decline in her later years. In 2022, she and Lee moved to Covenant Living on the NW side of Grand Rapids, and by 2023, she was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and in rapid decline. She passed away on June 9, 2026.

As we celebrate Marcia's life, may we find much comfort in our many treasured memories. May we also find comfort in the honor of carrying her legacy of faith, hope, and love forward. In each moment we lead with our hearts, graciously serve others, devote ourselves to family, confidently face life's challenges, cheer on our loved ones' endeavors, enjoy a day on the water, hold a baby, enjoy a chocolate treat, or watch a sunset with our beloved, we keep Marcia's beautiful memory alive and inspiring others as she so inspired each of us.

Marcia June Lubbers, age 82, of Grand Rapids, went to be with her Lord on June 9, 2026. She was preceded in death by her parents, Carroll and Hilda Westfield; and brothers, Don and Ed (AnnMarie) Westfield. Marcia is survived by her husband, LeRoy; children, Julie (Chris) Hordyk, Dan (Terri) Lubbers, Eric (Becky) Lubbers and Kevin Lubbers; grandchildren, Steven Lubbers, Rebecca (Jaiden) Ortiz, Ben Lubbers, Elise Lubbers, Daisy Lubbers, Connor Lubbers, Nash Lubbers and Mabel Lubbers; great-grandchildren, Harmony and Sofia; brother-in-law, Ed (Karen) Lubbers, and sister-in-law, Betty Lubbers.

The funeral service will be held at 11 AM on Friday, June 26, 2026, at First Byron Christian Reformed Church, 8541 Byron Center Ave SW, Byron Center, MI. Family and friends may visit from 6-8 PM on Thursday, June 25, at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Alt and Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW, and for 1 hour prior to the service at church. Interment in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. Contributions in her memory may be made to Faith Hospice or Kids Hope. Celebrate Marcia's life by sharing a favorite memory or photo on her dedicated memory page at heritagelifestory.com