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Yvonne M. (nee Vallier) Rieckmann

Yvonne M. (nee Vallier) Rieckmann

MARQUETTE, MI – Yvonne Marie (nee Vallier) Rieckmann, 80, of Marquette, passed away peacefully at her home on Monday March 12, 2018.

She was born in Engadine MI on March 5, 1938, she had just celebrated her 80th birthday surrounded by family. Her parents, Emmet and Genevieve (Belleville) Vallier, opened the family IGA store in Engadine then moved it to Naubinway in 1940 where she was raised.

In 1965 (after the death of her husband Thomas D. Zalac) she moved to Marquette where she became the organist for St. John’s Catholic Church and taught piano lessons out of her home. During her time at St. John’s she played and sang cantor with Wayne Hamner. She had the voice of an angel and was always asked to sing for weddings and special events. She was also known as “Dizzy Fingers” when she played piano for the Forsyth Singers in Gwinn for 30 years.

She loved to spend time with her family playing the piano and sing-a-longs at all family gatherings. She love to bake (oatmeal cookies and homemade bread were her favorites), travel in her motor home often recalling memories from her favorite trips. She loved to play cards (cribbage was her favorite), Yahtzee and Uno with her grandkids. She even kept a set of dice in her purse to play Yahtzee while traveling. She enjoyed shopping and going to lunch with her longtime friends Cami, Carol & Pat. She was always knitting or sewing and loved to go out for an ice cream treat. She was a champion in the face of adversity and always had a warm smile and kind words. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

Yvonne is survived by her husband of 31 years, Jerold Rieckmann of Marquette; his son Jon Rieckmann; his daughter Terri Jo Saarela and children Davin and Kjersten Saarela; Yvonne’s children Cindy Zalac and son Sam and grandson Alex Sherbinow; Kathy (Brian) Harsch and children Brianna Harsch and Angela Androtti of Marquette; Ann (Dave) Kashian and children Miranda and Charissa of Iron Mountain; Tom (Christine) Zalac and children Allycia, Andrea and Jewelia of Stevens Point, WI; Kim Feneley-Eitrem and husband Mike Eitrem and children Natalie and Neil Myers of Myrtle Beach, SC; Dan Trudeau and children Brandon and Avery of Santa Rosa, CA. She also leaves behind her sisters Dolly Shoemaker, Lois Wachter, Gen Wachter, Betty (Rich) Wachter and brothers John (Rita) Vallier and Oliver (Donna) Vallier; many nieces and nephews; former husbands Charles Feneley and Gerald Trudeau.

She was preceded in death by her parents Emmet & Genevieve Vallier and husband Thomas D. Zalac.

Friends may call at St. Stephens Catholic Church in Naubinway on Friday March 16, 2018 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 4:00 pm at the church with Fr. Marty Flynn officiating. Rite of Committal and a celebration of Yvonne’s life will take place at a later date at the Naubinway Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to the family to be used for a musical scholarship in her memory.

Condolences may be expressed at www.beaulieufuneralhome.com.

Beaulieu Funeral Home in Newberry is assisting the family.