Jannett "Debbie" Bosworth

Jannett Debra Bosworth was a strong woman with a vigorous spirit. She lived for her family and thrived on time spent with them. Because of her generous heart, people of all ages experienced Debbie's warmth and welcome. Friends were drawn to her and her zest for living. Jannett, better known as Debbie, was born at a time when America was enjoying the peace and prosperity of post-WWII optimism. Growth in industry and jobs gave workers the opportunity to build homes and start families that launched the baby boom era. In 1954, one family in Muskegon, Michigan was eagerly awaiting the birth of their second child. On March 15th, Bob and Delores (Rowe) Duncan and their five year old son, Jim, welcomed Jannett Debra into their hearts and lives. Their mother remained at home with the children (though she later attended beauty school) while their father worked at Dresser Industries and Continental Motors. The family lived in several different places in the Muskegon area, but Debbie's favorite was their home in Ravenna that had lots of cats and a rooster named Brewster that rode on the handlebars of her bike. She and Jim had the typical spats that sisters and brothers do, but Debbie held her own against her big brother. She once pinned him down by sitting on him and giving him a fat lip. Later in life, Debbie would depend upon that fighting spirit to battle a far more menacing foe. Debbie grew up with country western music that was closer than turning on the radio. Her father was a local country western musician who played guitar and was lead singer. Quite naturally, Debbie learned to play the accordion and piano, and she often joined her dad to sing on stage. In fact, it was the country western scene that introduced Debbie to a young man who would become her husband. Chris LaBeau's mother had started a fan club for Debbie's father, and the two young people first met when Chris was 19 and Debbie was 14 years old. They dated for a time before Chris was sent to Vietnam. When he returned from the war, Debbie and Chris decided to get married. In January of 1970, they made their vows and later that year their daughter Roberta ("Bobbi") was born. They settled into life on Hudson Street in Muskegon where Chris worked at Sealed Power and continued to serve in the National Guard. They became friends with their young teenaged neighbor, Ed Crampton, who remained a friend for life. Debbie and Ed had a common interest in music, and they spent long hours listening to a variety of records and 8-track tapes that took Debbie "to places she had never been." She had dreams of traveling and the music was Debbie's escape to places she longed to be. Debbie was a stay-at-home mom who stayed at home long enough to cook and to clean her always tidy house, but then she was out doing volunteer work. She was involved in her daughter's school, she was active in Girl Scouts, and she served as treasurer for Bobbi's Baton Twirler group. She and Bobbi even sang Karaoke together. Debbie invested in Bobbi's life and knew her friends. In fact, Bobbi's friends all called her Mom. At one time, Debbie received a wedding invitation from one of Bobbi's friends addressed to "Mom LaBeau". Life changed for Debbie's family in 1975 when Chris was badly injured in a motorcycle accident. They managed a settlement with the insurance company and bought a nice home on Valk Street where Ed Crampton also came to live. Life got rougher in the 1980s. Debbie took it hard when her marriage to Chris ended in 1985. Then in 1988, Debbie's mother died and Bobbi married and moved out of the house. That same year, Debbie decided to sell her home to go back to school. She found work at Mercy Hospital and then GTE. Debbie became self-reliant for her livelihood. Debbie's family life changed once again in the 1990s. She became a grandmother to Chad, a wife to Ray Bosworth, and a mother to Matthew. Her grandson was born in November of 1989 and her son on June 13, 1990. As a result, Debbie and her daughter Bobbi raised their sons together. Because Bobbi's husband Rusty had lost his mother at age 14, he also regarded Debbie as his mother. Debbie's marriage did not last long, and she became even closer to Bobbi and Rusty's family. In 1993, Debbie was delighted with the birth of a granddaughter, Chelsie. The two families spent a great deal of time with one another. They took trips to Mackinaw Island, Branson, Missouri, and Chicago and watched football and baseball together. Debbie and her son Matt and grandson Chad had something to get excited about when the Tigers headed to the World Series in October 2006. But they were especially huge Detroit Lions fans. One of the last games they went to was in August of 2006, but they always watched the Lions on TV. A sign in their home read: We Interrupt This Family for Football! Being the serious fans that they were, Thanksgiving dinner had to be ready to eat right at halftime. When Debbie found out she had abdominal cancer in 2004, she did everything she could to fight it: chemotherapy, dietary supplements, whatever would allow her to survive. She lost her hair, but it grew back. Her family praised her for what she did, but they did not dwell on what she couldn't do. Her friends and fellow employees at Betten Chevrolet were very supportive of Debbie during her illness. Through it all, she kept a positive attitude. She was intent on wanting to see Matt through high school. Debbie loved her family and they will miss her dearly, for now she is with the angels. Ms. Jannett "Debbie" Bosworth, age 52, died Sunday, October 29, 2006. Ms. Bosworth had been employed as an accountant at Betten Chevrolet for over 8 years. She was preceded in death by her mother Delores Duncan. Surviving is her father Bob (MaryAnn) Duncan; son, Matthew Bosworth; daughter, Bobbi (Rusty) Pothoff; 2 grandchildren, Chad and Chelsie Pothoff; brother, Jim (Cora) Duncan of Muskegon; good friends, Ed (Sharon) Crampton, and George (Cindi) Gokey and family. A service to celebrate Debbie's life will be held Thursday, November 2, 2006, 11:00 AM at Clock Chapel. Interment at Lakeside Cemetery. Visitation with family and friends is scheduled for Wednesday, 2-4 & 6-9 PM at Clock Life Story Funeral Home - Muskegon. Memorial contributions may be made to Harbor Hospice or American Cancer Society.