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Paulina Florine Bialek, aged 78 of Rudyard, passed away early Sunday morning, November 11 at McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey. She was born on December 1, 1933 to William and Louisa (VorderLandwehr) Shoup at the family home in Custer, the second of eight children.
Florine was educated at Weldon Creek School, St. Simon’s in Ludington, Custer High School, and graduated Valedictorian at Scottville High School, class of 1952. She graduated from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, and began teaching at Rickey and North Amber rural schools, and Forest Hills Elementary in Grand Rapids. She then joined the Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters and completed her Master’s Degree, teaching in Parochial Schools in Traverse City, Muskegon, Portland, Bay City and Taylor. Florine later moved to Germany and married a widower Hermann Bialek, and continued to teach at U.S. Army bases. They retired in the mid-1980’s and moved to a farm near Rudyard where she resumed teaching in public education as well as Catholic Religion education programs. Florine was very active in the Rudyard Senior Citizen Center, and has been a very active member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Rudyard, involved in music, liturgy, education and the St. Joseph Women’s Group.
Florine was the eldest of the Shoup Family Singers, a popular singing family of the 1940’s and 1950’s in Western Michigan. They had a weekly radio show, were on numerous TV Shows, and regulars at gatherings in the area. She played violin for the Grand Rapids Symphonette in the late 50’s, and after years of absence she resumed playing weekly with several Rudyard area musicians. She was also a devoted member of the Grand Rapids Dominican Association.
Upon her husband’s retirement, the couple often visited the Custer area for family activities. Following her husband’s death in May, 2000, Florine continued living in the UP area they loved, including winters.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Hermann, her parents, William and Louisa Shoup, her sister Floretta, and her brother in law John Smedley.
Florine is survived by step sons, Armin and Berndt (Antja) Bialek, in Germany; 3 step grandchildren in Germany; 3 brothers, William (Sherry) Shoup of North Muskegon; James (Donna) Shoup of Custer; Daniel (Janet) Shoup of Traverse City; 3 sisters, Mary Shoup (Jim Allison) of Custer; Margaret Smedley of Traverse City; Bernadette Lykins of Lakeview; many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and one great great niece.
A Mass will be held for Florine at 11:00 am on Saturday, November 17 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Custer, with Rev. Anton Tran as celebrant. Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Custer. Her family will be available for a time of visitation on Saturday morning from 9:00 am until time of mass at the church. Florine’s family asked that contributions to be directed to the Grand Rapids Dominican Association; 4H club of Chippewa County, or to a charity of your choice. Funeral arrangements are being cared for by the Dodson Funeral Home in St. Ignace, and local funeral arrangements are being cared for by Wyman Funeral & Cremation Services – Stephens Funeral Home in Scottville. www.stephensfuneralhome.net
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