Janyce C. Paulsen

Janyce Carol Paulsen (née Heuer), 87, of Swartz Creek, MI, formerly of Somerville and Forked River, NJ, passed away on December 23, 2025. Born February 7, 1938, in Union, NJ, she was the daughter of the late Harold and Hazel Heuer.

A graduate of Flemington High School, Janyce grew up in a home filled with music. Her father was a musician and the owner of The Fiddler’s Inn in Whitehouse, NJ, where Janyce worked prior to marrying the love of her life, Alfred Paulsen, in 1957. They raised their family in Somerville, NJ, where they were active parishioners at Immaculate Conception Church.

A devoted mother, Janyce waited until her five children were in school full-time before pursuing her calling in nursing at Somerset County Technical College. Graduating as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in 1980, she began her nursing career at Somerset Medical Center on the orthopedic floor. She later specialized in geriatrics and concluded her career in home health nursing, a role that perfectly suited her compassionate nature.

Janyce cherished her close bond with her sister, Susan Parsons; she and Al were frequent visitors to Susan’s home in Santa Fe, NM. Upon Al’s retirement in 1990, he and Janyce moved to Forked River, NJ, to be near her parents. Years later in 2001, the couple moved to Rockford, IL where Al’s sister and brother-in-law lived. In Rockford, Janyce and Al became very active parishioners at St. Mary Roman Catholic Oratory, and Janyce joined the Society of the Sacred Heart. In 2020, Janyce moved to Howell, MI to be close to her daughter, Jill, and her grandchildren.

Janyce was preceded in death by her husband, Alfred (2007); her parents, Harold Heuer (2000) and Hazel Heuer (2003); her son, Mark Paulsen (1987); and her sister, Susan Parsons (2024).

She is survived by her children: Chris (Lori) Paulsen, Susan Paulsen, Mary T. Paulsen (Susan Tilley), and Jill (Steven) Andrews; she was the beloved “Mimi” to her seven grandchildren: Christopher Paulsen (Cathleen Smith), Rachel (Alex) Schwartz, Sarah (Drayer) Sivertsen, Noah Oliphant (Kendall Anderson), Ember LePage, Oliver Andrews, and Linus Andrews. She was also the cherished great-grandmother of Kara, Penny Jane, Zuko, and Archie.

Visitation will take place on Sunday, January 4, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, 1860 S. Mulford Road, Rockford, Illinois 61108. High Mass of Christian Burial will be held the following day, January 5, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at St. Mary Oratory, 517 Elm St, Rockford, Illinois 61102. Burial to follow at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Winnebago, Illinois. Please consider memorial donations to the Institute of Christ the King. To send online condolences or share memories, please visit www.fitzgeraldfh.com