John Dufresne

John Dufrense was a determined, generous man who took great joy in the world around him. With a talent for cooking and a love for fishing and hunting, John was generous with his time, and had a heart of gold. A devoted companion, brother and friend, John brought great joy to those around him with his kindness and willingness to lend a hand. The 1950's, when John's story begins, was an exciting decade in the history of the United States. With American soldiers recently returned home from WWII and the Korean Conflict, the United States entered a time of growth and prosperity. Legendary names like Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe dominated the entertainment scene, and the 1950's became an age of rock and roll. In Bay City, Michigan, Ralph and Puline (Simmons) Dufrense were kept busy during the year 1950 as they prepared their home for the arrival of another child. One spring day, on May 29, 1950, they welcomed a new baby into the world, a son who they named John Joseph. John spent his childhood in Bay City, the middle child of Ralph and Puline's nine kids, including Ralph, Ron, Terry, Rocky, John, Glenn, Gwen, Kathy & Delilah. While John's father, Ralph, worked as a truck driver to support the family financially, his mother worked as a homemaker, creating a wonderful place for her children to grow. John was very close with his younger siblings, and was considered the leader of the pack. As a family, the DuFrense's attended Catholic Church together. It was a special day for the family when John, along with four of his siblings, took their First Communion and Confirmation together. John enjoyed taking vacations with his family, and enjoyed many trips to Illinois to visit relatives on the Simmons side of the family. He always loved these trips, and remembered his Grandma Simmons making his favorite treat--lemon meringue pie. When John was a teenager, his parents purchased property in Lake Station, located in central Michigan. John spent many weekends there during the summer, and learned to hunt and fish. In high school, John was active, playing football and wrestling. Unfortunately, when he reached his Junior year, John was severely injured in a bad car accident. Over the next two years, John was in a wheelchair, and was homeschooled. He made the best of his situation though, and always chased his siblings around the house in his chair. John recovered well, and was proud to walk across the stage to receive his high school diploma. After high school, John decided to take after his father, and worked as a truck driver at the Heat Treat Plant. After a time, though, John went through a wild streak; he bought a motorcycle, and joined a pretty rough motorcycle club. After traveling around the country, working when he needed money, John decided to return home to Bay City. There, he worked several jobs, including bartending at Hulda's, working at a fish market in Sanford, Michigan, and then driving trucks for Bob Tarte Trucking. John's love for the outdoors followed him into adulthood, and he hunted and fished with his buddies whenever he could. In the year 1994, John was spending time at the cabin in Lake Station when he met a woman who would change his life. Her name was Shirley Pennell, and she was from Muskegon. It wasn't long before the two started dating, and their infatuation grew into love. On December 9, 1996, John and Shirley were married. For several years, John lived with Shirley at her home in Muskegon. But during this time, John and Shirley discovered that they were both quite independent, and had a tendency to be stubborn. Though they divorced after a few years, John and Shirley continued to be close, and saw each other every day. John got a place of his own in a mobile home park near Mona Lake in Muskegon, and continued to eat, socialize, and visit relatives with Shirley. He was an excellent handyman, and used his skills to remodel Shirley's garage into a family room. From this room, John enjoyed watching the deer and turkeys which he fed in her back yard. In 2006, truck driving started to take its toll on John's body, and he decided to retire. In his free time, John enjoyed fishing on Muskegon Lake in his boat, and took many fun trips with Shirley and friends to Lake Leelanau. During these trips, they often stopped at casinos as well. John was quite competitive, and enjoyed playing cards and other games like Yahtzee. After meeting Shirley, John started joining her at church. He eventually joined Trinity Lutheran Church. At home, John was a wonderful cook, and enjoyed baking and trying his hand at new recipes. He often watched the food channel on TV for new recipes, and made wonderful meals for family during get-togethers. Sadly, in the past week John suffered from a fatal heart attack while snow blowing the driveway at Shirley's house. He died on Monday, February 21, 2011. John was a kind, determined man with a heart of gold. Generous with his time, John was always willing to lend a hand, and was a wonderful friend and companion. With a love for hunting and fishing and a talent for cooking, John took great joy in the company of those around him. A beloved companion, brother and friend, John will be dearly missed. John is survived by his wife, Shirley Pennell; 5 brothers, Ralph (Linda) Dufresne, Jr., of Bay City, Ron (Sandy) Dufresne of Flushing, Terry (Judy) Dufresne, Rocky (Karen) Dufresne, Glenn Dufresne, all of Bay City; 3 sisters, Gwen Kanicki of Bay City, Kathy White of Flint, Delilah (John) Maxwell of Bay City; in-laws, Ruby (Bob) Nichols; 2 nieces, Shelly Shook, Marlene (Jerry) Ramsvig; great nephews & nieces, Shane (Stacy) Shook, Amber Shook, Ryan Ramsvig; great great nephews & nieces, Owen & Averie Shook, Brittany, Nicky & Brianna Ramsvig; many other nieces, nephews & friends. He was preceded in death by his parents. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 5, 2011, 11:00 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church with Pastor Dennis Lassanske officiating. Friends can visit with family one hour prior to the service. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to leave a memory or photo and sign the online guest book.