Joyce Marie Barlow's Obituary
With great sorrow the Barlow and Pelot families announce the passing of our strong, independent, and entertaining mom and sister, Joyce Marie Barlow (nee Pelot). Born in Detroit on March 13, 1951, Joyce was Harold and Marie Pelot’s first child. She was an only child for many years until her siblings were born and was fortunate enough to have know three of her four grandparents well. It was during a time when her Grandma Lonski was watching her that Joyce was abducted while walking back from the corner store. Fortunately, she survived by jumping out of the moving car. Although she managed to escape, this event had a traumatic effect on her throughout her life. Joyce’s suspicion of people and loyalty to those who truly loved and appreciated her are evidence of the lasting effects of this event. She was truly a strong woman with great defenses, but when you earned her trust, she was the most loyal person one would have in his or her life.
Joyce grew up on Abington in Detroit and graduated from Cody High School in 1969. In 1970 she married Jim Green in a whirlwind marriage planned in only three weeks due to his pending deployment. With Jim, she lived in Germany for two years and upon her return, she worked at Ford Motor Company in the Engineering division. Later she met her second husband, Ken Barlow. Together they raised Ken’s three children: Maricia, Donna, and Michael. Outside of work she enjoyed sewing, knitting, crocheting, jewelry making, and needlepoint, and many of us are blessed to still have some of her handmade gifts. She loved bringing things and people together, which was evident in the numerous stray pets she acquired throughout her life.
When Joyce and Ken made a permanent move to Brooklyn, Michigan, Joyce pursued another career – a career in law enforcement, which was her true passion. For many years she worked for the Jackson Police Department. It was only until Ken had a debilitating stroke that Joyce left the police department to care for Ken. She was the biggest supporter of the police and proud to serve in the field.
Being a long-time resident of Brooklyn, Joyce was a member of the Irish Hills Fraternal Order of Eagles for 21 years. After her retirement from work, she dedicated her time working for them, holding the position of Madam Past President from 2010 to 2011. Through her service at the Eagles, Joyce fostered many friendships, and those friends became her second family. It is those friends we are most grateful to for checking in on her.
Whether one saw Joyce frequently or infrequently, her presence will be missed – her literal presence and her social media presence. She was famous for her corny a-guy-went-into-a-bar jokes that she shared when out or on a Facebook post. We will miss her nightly Facebook closings wishing all her friends and family a good night and good health. We will miss her beautiful singing voice on karaoke nights. We will miss her loud laugh, her happy birthday songs on her arm, her humorous takes on everyday life things, but most of all we will miss her unconditional love.
Joyce is predeceased by her father, Harold; husband, Kenneth; and her daughter, Donna. She is survived by her mother, Marie, children Maricia (Robin), Michael (Taryn), granddaughters Rachael and True, siblings Bob (Michelle), and Gayle (Charly), and nieces and nephews Bobby, Kevin, Erica, Michael, and Sarah.
A Celebration of Life is scheduled on Saturday, March 18 from 12:00 to 3:00 pm at the Irish Hills Fraternal Order of Eagles, 9500 Wamplers Lake Rd., Brooklyn MI 49230
In lieu of flowers, cash or check donations may be made in her name to the Irish Hills Eagles.
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