Eileen L. Gervais

Eileen Lorraine (Lubnau) Gervais, of Oshkosh WI, formerly of Howell, MI, passed peacefully on March 6, 2024. She was born on July 7, 1934 to the late Herbert Ernest Friedrich Lubnau and Elwilda Afton Jennie (McDonald) Lubnau. She is pre-deceased by her husband, Joseph Alcide Gervais.

Eileen grew up in St. Claire Shores, Michigan. At 15 she was driving to her students’ homes to teach piano lessons and eventually learned to play pipe organ.  She met her future husband, Joe, at 16 and they sailed together often.  Joe later sold his sailboat to buy her engagement ring.  They were married for nearly 69 years.  

Eileen had a variety of interesting jobs over the years. She worked at JL Hudsons; Saunders – where she learned to make an ice cream soda; Chrysler – where she once met Walter Reuther; Vlasic, and JAG, Inc – the family business.  She also operated a temporary services agency and sold dictation equipment.  Most of all, Eileen was a homemaker. She won blue ribbons for her spice cake at both the Michigan State Fair and the Saginaw County Fair and was a member of the Cooperative Extension.  She also had a deep interest in history and genealogy, belonged to the ABWA (American Business Women’s Association), League of Women Voters, the Howell Library Guild and the Organists Guild. Eileen also sang with Sweet Adelines and toured with them to New Zealand and Australia where they sang in the Sydney Opera House.  She also rented a sailboat and sailed around Sydney Harbor.

Eileen and Joe started their family in Warren, MI, lived in Bridgeport, Howell and Tawas then moved to Oshkosh, WI to live near their son.  Eileen leaves behind her son, Keith Gervais of Oshkosh, Wisconsin; daughter, Susan (Gervais) Alderson of Augusta, Maine; two grandsons: Justin and Jacques and several nieces, nephews and cousins.  She will be greatly missed.