Shirley Marlene (Smith) Dutton was born on April 18, 1936 to Joseph and Daisy Smith in Charlotte, North Carolina. She went to her Eternal Home on November 17, 2024 in East Lansing, Michigan. Shirley had a loving and magnetic personality that brought life to a room. She was bubbly, caring, and loved to serve others. Her caring nature made her an excellent caregiver to many children over the years. She opened her own daycare and with that, she shared love and knowledge with each child she encountered. Many parents give credit to Shirley for helping to raise their little ones and make them the people they have become today. She loved to play the piano at home and at church and could sing hymns in a way that brought smiles to everyone. Later in life, she met and married her soulmate, Marty Dutton, and the two enjoyed traveling to see family and spending time with one another.
Shirley was preceded in death by her dear husband, Marty; her parents; and her siblings Buddy Smith, Joe Smith Jr., James Smith, Nancy Mayes and Ellen Polson. She will be dearly missed by her brothers Wylie and Bill Smith; many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. She will also be missed by her stepdaughter Sandy, two stepsons, all her step-grandchildren, and all the children she cared for over the years.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November, 23, 2024 at Lake Lansing Baptist Church, East Lansing. Visitation will be at 12:00pm followed by the service at 1:00pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Children’s Ministry at Lake Lansing Baptist Church.
