Audrey Jane Massey

Audrey was born May 11,1930, in Munising, the fourth in a line of six children born to John and Mona (Ripley) Root. She lost her mother at an early age and helped on the family farm on Ridge Road by AuTrain. At age 14, Audrey met Joe Massey and the two were married. Audrey and Joe had three children and she cooked for the family lumber camp. She and Joe later added to their family by adopting three more children. Audrey always worked for a living and kept busy throughout the years cooking for the family lumber camp and cooking at “Audrey’s Cook Camp” a restaurant in Grand Marais that she owned and operated. Additionally, Audrey also owned and operated a grocery store/gas station and an adult foster care home.

In her leisure moments, she enjoyed knitting, crocheting, making blankets for the nuns to send to Haiti for babies, and made pine needle baskets. She enjoyed music, especially Country Western, with her favorite singer, Johnny Cash, and always enjoyed rides to get ice cream. Balancing the roles of wife, mother, homemaker, business owner and operator, and all around jack-of-all trades wasn’t easy, but it was very fulfilling. However, Audrey considered her greatest accomplishment in life to have been “raising my family.” She did it well…a life well-lived!

Survivors include her six children, Mary Alice (Jack) Johnson of Grand Marais, Ed (Barb) Massey of Grand Marais, Ron (Bev) Massey of Menominee, Jody Moore of Paradise, Marty Massey of Brimley, and Sharon (Troy) Hoover of Oshkosh, WI; thirteen grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; and one great great-grandchild with one on the way; her brother, Clayton Root of Big Bay; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joe; three sisters, Evelyn, Eva, and Rhoda; and her brother, Wesley.

Honoring her request, private family services will be held at a later date. Burial will be made in the Holy Rosary Cemetery in Grand Marais.

The family would like to express their immense gratitude to the wonderful caring staff of Norlite Nursing Center. The love and care received there has meant the world to us over the last 5 1/2 years that Grandma was a resident there.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Norlite Nursing Center Activity Fund, 701 Homestead Street, Marquette, MI 49855.

The Swanson-Lundquist Funeral Home is serving the family, where condolences may be expressed online at swansonlundquistfuneralhome.com