Obituary of Barbara J. Arminiak

January 28, 1939 - November 26, 2024

Barbara Jean Arminiak.  Age 85 of Wyandotte. 

Beloved wife of the late Norbert Arminiak.  Loving mother of Anthony (Ann) Arminiak, James Arminiak, Eric (Sheri) Arminiak and the late Kyle (Sarah) Arminiak.  Grandmother of Justin (Faith), Rachel (Jon), the late Evan, Adam, Mikayla and Colin.  Great grandmother of Tristan, Makenna, Nate and Bella. 

Born in Ecorse, Michigan, Barbara moved to Wyandotte at an early age.  She was a lifelong resident of Wyandotte.  It was at Roosevelt High School where she met and fell in love with the love of her life Norbert.  They were married shortly after high school.  They lived in the apartment above her husband’s parents for two years then bought their family home in Wyandotte.  The home where they raised their four children and became a cornerstone of the neighborhood for over 60 years.

In her youth her job was to clean the mirrors every day at her father’s-stained glass and mirror shop on the north end of Wyandotte.  As a young adult she would take the bus to downtown Detroit to work as a legal secretary in an office.

Shortly after getting married, she started her family.  As a mother, she raised 4 sons and devoted her life to raising her children.  She was involved in every aspect of their life including scouting, sports and music throughout their entire school years.  As a young family during the summer, she would spend almost every weekend with her family and friends camping in one of Michigan’s state parks.

She always had time to help an extended family member or friend, to take care of her parents and older siblings and husband as the need arose.

Her greatest joy was the role of grandma and great grandma.  The time she spent watching and spending time with her grandchildren and later her great grandchildren was what she cherished the most.

Later in life after raising her family. Barb and her husband bought an RV and set off to explore the US.  In the three years they traveled the U.S. they visited nearly every state in the country.  Through her volunteer work she spent over 30 years helping others and in turn made many close friends.  Barbara was a person who was both feisty and kind.  She was the first to volunteer to help and the last to ask for help.  Hers was a life of service to others, always above herself.

Barbara, as many describe her, was a very special lady and she will be dearly missed.