Obituary for Vic Voisinet

Satisfied with a life well lived, Vic Voisinet passed away September 18, 2026, peacefully in his home. Dad was born in DeWitt on New Year’s Eve 1943, disrupting his parents’, Victor and Ethel Voisinet’s, party plans. Every year on his birthday, Dad would like to remind us that he always wished he would have waited a day to be born so he could be a year younger. He, along with his ten brothers and sisters, later moved to what is still a Voisinet homestead in St. Johns. Dad’s love of hard work, gardening, and observing the seasons of life came from his parents, who preceded him into “God’s Garden”.

Graduation from Resurrection High School in 1962 led Dad to the National Guard where he was sent to the Detroit Riots.  He then began a 42 year career at GM’s Fisher Body plant in Lansing. Those experiences brought many interesting people and stories into the life of someone who just loved to share them. Dad married Jane Keilen on September 14, 1968, living first in Lansing and then building their forever home in Westphalia. Soon after, four daughters and FINALLY a son bounced into their lives.

The most important kids in Dad’s life were clearly the grandkids! These were his kiddos, who got to have balloon fights in the house, watch Spongebob when the news was on, walk on the lawn wherever they wanted, plus eat AND drink in the living room.  This is not to say that those GM Shutdown summer vacations of the 80s and 90s to Mackinac Island, Sea World, Gettysburg, Washington DC, or Toronto were too rough on us kids. 

Dad kept track of us over the years with reel-to-reel movies and so many visits to Linn Camera for film and equipment. He delighted in showing hours of silent home movies to new significant others as we all piled into the living room (with no snacks or drinks). Tiger baseball was rarely missed (just don’t stand in front of the TV, unless you’re a grandkid). He loved books and built a beautiful bookshelf to collect them on. He enjoyed a good Presidential biography, John Schneider’s daily blog, and any well written obituary. Let’s hope this ranks. His woodworking shop produced nativity stables, a grandfather clock, and holiday decor that he loved to see painted by mom and displayed. Rabbits, chickens, geese, turkeys, and ducks were cared for by Dad to sell, or they were named by one of us and were allowed to live out their days.

Dad’s lifelong hobby was that garden and that lawn, successfully growing loads of delicious veggies to be added to Mom’s home cooked meals that he loved so much.  Dad helped each of us plant our own row of veggies and flowers every year, even though some of us preferred the fruits, rather than the labor. Dad enjoyed every minute of planning, planting, and tending to it all, never needing anyone else to mow or till or blow leaves the wrong way. Appropriately, a grandson with a driver’s license was the first in many, many years trusted to use “Pa’s” lawnmower. 

In addition to his parents, Vic was preceded in death by his step-mother Grace (Fitzgerald) Voisinet, mother and father-in-law, Jeanette and Herb Keilen, his brother, Jack Voisinet, sister Mary Jo Hengesbach, her husband, Dick Hengesbach, and his brothers-in-law, Chuck Fraser and Tom Keilen. Vic is survived by his wife of more than 58 years, Jane, along with daughters Kelly (Al) Schafer, Lori (Tom) Pung, Amy Jo (Douglas Jr.) Logel, Jill Morgan (Nate King), and son, Randy.  Far more importantly, he would like you to know about his grandkids - Cody (Shaliah Dorner) & Brandon Bentley; Alden, Lyla, & Henry Pung; Allyson (Jacob Chapman), James, & Leah Logel; Travis & Lucy Morgan; and great-granddaughter, Lilly Bentley. In addition, he is survived by his sister Charlotte (Jerome) Hengesbach, brother Jack’s wife, Ruth Voisinet, brother Jim (Kathy) Voisinet, and sisters, Anna (Bruce) Thelen, Theresa (John) Stefanik, Reyne (Randy) Hannink, Karen Fraser, Kathy (James) Williams, and Nancy Trevino.  His in-laws include Ruth Voisinet (brothers married sisters), Karen Keilen, Dan (Kathy) Keilen, Pat (Tim) Jackson, and Donna (Bob) Bessinger.  Many nieces and nephews also survive him, and he could always recall birthdays and events of the day they were born.  If you worked with him at Fisher Body, we know so many of your names and stories, and you also meant so much to him.

Services will be held in Westphalia, Michigan. Visitation will be Wednesday, September 23rd from 2pm-8pm at St. Mary Funeral Chapel, with a rosary at 1:30pm.  Dad’s Funeral Mass Celebration will be Thursday, September 24th at 10:30am at St. Mary Catholic Church. Dad would prefer to see flowers and trees planted rather than cut, so please enjoy time planting something in his memory or simply breathing in the fresh cut grass. Find the contentment in supporting others. Enjoy and appreciate the seasons. Online condolences may be made at www.lehmanfuneralhomes.com.