As received from the Memorial Chapel Funeral and Cremation Service. If you have questions about, or potential corrections to the content, please contact the funeral home directly.
Marsha Ann “Kitty” Paduan (née Young) passed away peacefully on Monday, February 16, at Omega House, surrounded by love and comfort. Having entered Omega House for hospice care on her 82nd birthday, she found strength and peace in her faith, reading Psalm 23 each day. She now rests with her Lord and Savior.
Born January 19, 1944, in Newark, New Jersey, Marsha was the first child of Kenward Young and Mary Young (née Raba). Her early years were marked by resilience and strength as she and her siblings navigated foster care across Michigan before being reunited in Hancock. It was there, at her father’s Coffee Cup restaurant, that she met John J. Paduan — the love of her life — who affectionately called her “Kitten,” a name that became “Kitty” to all who knew her.
Kitty graduated from Hancock High School in 1961 and married John that December. Together, they built a home filled with devotion, determination, and family. Their son Mark was born in 1962, followed by their daughter Heather in 1971 — the first girl born into the Paduan family in over forty years.
A dedicated and hardworking woman, Kitty held many roles throughout her life. She worked at the Coffee Cup and Copperama restaurants, supported the family’s Airport Limousine Service, served as a courier for Continental Bio-clinical Laboratories, and later became a beloved cashier at Shopko, where she remained until the store’s closing in 2019. Through every season, she approached work with quiet diligence and pride.
Kitty found joy in life’s simple pleasures. She loved gardening, trying new recipes, second-hand shopping, and spending time on her porch visiting with friends. She greeted neighbors warmly and took delight in small acts of kindness. During her final summer, she found great happiness riding her bright red scooter through the neighborhood, listening to Christian music, chatting with passersby, and handing out dog treats to beloved neighborhood pets. She was truly a people person whose warmth drew others close.
Family was the center of Kitty’s life. She cherished gatherings large and small, welcoming relatives and friends with warmth and generosity. She became a grandmother in 1988 with the birth of her granddaughter Chelsae Elizabeth, followed in later years by Madelyn, Adriely, Isaac, Ariadne, and Maria. She cherished her role as grandmother and great-grandmother and treasured time spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, sharing stories, laughter, and love.
Kitty was preceded in death by her husband, John J. Paduan (2001); her sister, Bernice “Bee” Henley (2001); and her brother, Kenneth Young (2018).
She is survived by her son, Mark Paduan and his wife Nina (née Vitale) of Grand Rapids, Michigan; her daughter, Heather Wise and her husband Jeff of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who will carry her memory forward.
Kitty will be remembered as a devoted wife, loving mother, cherished grandmother, and loyal friend. Her life was a testament to endurance, faith, kindness, and love freely given. Her presence brought comfort and joy to many, and her memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.
To view Kitty’s obituary or to send condolences to the family, please visit https:www.memorialchapel.net.
The Memorial Chapel Funeral & Cremation Service – Hancock Chapel is assisting the family with the arrangements.
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