Obituary of Barbara Anne LaFurgey
Age 86, of Mt. Morris, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 5, 2020, at Taylor Lodge in Clio. Funeral service will take place at 1:00 pm, Monday, March 9, 2020, at Martin Funeral, Cremation & Tribute Services in Mt. Morris, with burial to follow in Mt. Morris Cemetery. Barbara's family will receive friends at the funeral home on Monday from 11:00 am until the time of service at 1:00 pm. Memorial donations may be directed to Genesee County Humane Society. Envelopes are available at the funeral home.
Born in Flint, Barbara was the eldest daughter of Lloyd and Elsie Ashe. She grew up in Mt Morris, Michigan. While her heart was in teaching, like many women of her generation, work, not college, would be part of her future after high school. As she described it, her father marched her down to Buick's personnel office the day after she graduated from Mt. Morris High School and got her a job. Along the way, she met the love of her life, Allen "Jake" LaFurgey. The two married in June of 1955 and were together for over 64 years. They had two children, Joe and Karen. Barbara's next career was that of a stay at home mom. But as her children grew older, her thoughts returned to the passion she put aside years earlier, education. She was hired by the Mt. Morris School District as a paraprofessional, and for the next 20 years, helped generations of elementary school children overcome a variety of challenges and learn to read. She loved to tell the stories of success when a child who struggled to read had a breakthrough and turned the frustration of trying to decipher letters on a page into words and meaning. Another joy was her yard. Barbara was an excellent gardener, and together, with Jake, they created an oasis of sorts in their back yard. There were always fresh vegetables from the garden. Barbara enjoyed Peanuts cartoons, sewing, cross-stitching, and music, from classics to the Beatles. She even took up the piano in her 50's, taking lessons for a couple of years. She also enjoyed trips to the casino, having traveled to Las Vegas several times and in later years, making road trips to casinos around the state.
She thought dogs were God's answer to a lot of human problems. Her faith was strong. She's survived by son, Joe (Renee), daughter, Karen Stevens (Dennis), grandson, Adam LaFurgey, granddaughters, Morgan LaFurgey, Candice LaFurgey, and Carli Stevens, sisters, MaryLee Michael, Christine Ashe and sister in law, Helen Joanna LaFurgey. She was preceded in death by her husband Jake, her parents, and brother Douglas Ashe. The family would like to thank the staff at Taylor Lodge in Clio for their care and compassion, and a special thank you to the Med Team for providing hospice care that made a tremendous difference for both Barbara and her family. Friends may share a memory at the funeral home or online at martinfuneralhome.com.
