SEND FLOWERS
Obituary
Patricia “Elaine” LaDuke (Pelkey), of Carleton, peacefully passed away on December 28, 2024, at the age of 94, surrounded by four generations of family and unconditional love at Vibrant Life in Temperance, Michigan. She was born on April 11, 1930, to Lester and Kathryn (Schneider) Pelkey.
On April 25, 1953, she married her loving husband, Eugene “John” LaDuke. Together, they adopted nine children, and fostered many more, all while running a family farm on 20 acres. John unexpectedly passed away on January 5, 1971, leaving behind Elaine and their nine children, all of whom were under the age of 13.
In true Elaine LaDuke fashion, she put her trust in God. With unwavering faith, she raised her nine children by herself while also running her restaurant, BEJ Bakery & Coffee Shop, in Carleton, which she owned and ran with her friends Barbara Flowers and Jackie Vasher in the early 1970’s. Elaine was also a school bus driver for Airport Community Schools from 1977 until 1998, where she touched the lives of even more children. Additionally, she worked as a housekeeper, at Restaurant Italia, and in the Mazda Cafeteria.
Elaine loved to host family gatherings, sharing her love of cooking and baking with her children and grandchildren. She had a green thumb and loved to garden, can fruits and vegetables from her farm, and birdwatch. She enjoyed puzzles and playing games, especially Yahtzee. Elaine also loved to travel and go to the casino. She loved with her entire being and she prayed hard for everyone. She always wanted the best for others and would not tolerate anything less than your best. She brought so much joy to her family and was a blessing to everyone she met!
Elaine was a dedicated member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church (Divine Grace) in Carleton.
Her legacy will live on through her children: Theresa (Mike) Hodge, Debbie (Chris) Pilon, Tamey LaDuke, Sandy (John, deceased) Thomas, Don LaDuke, John LaDuke, and Charles Beall; her 23 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her special niece, Cheryl Withrow. She is preceded in death by her parents along with 2 of her children: David (Maria, deceased) LaDuke and Mary Lou (Jim, deceased) Ankrum; as well as her brothers: Argil, Hilton, Jerome and Laverne Pelkey.
