Evelyn Edna Hellebuyck died peacefully in her home on August 4, 2024, under hospice care.  She was born on October 5, 1932 to Alphonse and Octavia (Van Loo) Hellebuyck, and was the youngest child.

Evelyn grew up on a farm on the corner of 16 Mile Road and Schoenherr in what is now Sterling Heights, Michigan, and the Freedom Hill Amphitheater is partially located on their farm.  They raised every vegetable you could think of in fields, green houses and rhubarb houses.  They raised dairy cows, chickens and pigs.  Evelyn and her older sister Florence (ages 14 & 16 at the time) would travel unaccompanied 20 miles to the downtown Detroit Eastern Market to sell produce.  She also worked at Bell Telephone Co. in Mt. Clemens as a supervisor and instructor.

She married Richard Hellebuyck on July 11, 1953 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Utica.  Richard was an excavating contractor and a commercial builder in Warren, Michigan and they moved to Pt. Austin when he retired.

They raised four children; Brian (Linda), Cheryl Watkins, Bruce and Richard, Jr., and had eight grandchildren (Lisa, Garrett, Eric, Shane, Laura, Greta, Richard III, and Megan) and nine great grandchildren (Violet, Lucy, Isla, Harley, Hunter, Ivan, Carson, James & Henry).  She was predeceased by her husband Richard (1993), her son Richard, Jr. (2018) and granddaughter Megan (2019).

She belonged to St. Michaels Catholic Church Annunciation of the Lord Parish where she had been a Eucharistic Minister.  She was a member of the Holy Rosary Society, the Daughters of Isabella, the American Legion, the Historical Society, Friends of the Port Austin Twp. Library, Thumb Arts Guild, the Port Austin Stompers, the U&I Club and Bird Creek Golf Club.

Evelyn was grateful for the love and help from her many friends over the years.  Her children are especially grateful to her nearby friends who assisted Evelyn in her recent years, including the A&D Hospice care team.

Evelyn said the Prayer of St. Gertrude for the Souls in Purgatory every day, and sometimes several times a day.

A memorial will take place on Sunday, September 8th at the 10:30 am church service at St. Michaels Catholic Church Annunciation of the Lord Parish.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Port Austin Historical Society, 1424 Pointe Aux Barques Rd, Port Austin, MI 48467.

Condolences may be shared with the family at www.macalpinefuneralhome.com