Jayne Elizabeth DeGraw

Jayne was born in Blissfield, Michigan, the eldest of seven children, and grew up in Holland, Michigan where she graduated from Holland High School. As a young person, Jayne pursued her love of music, playing the accordion, performing in an All-State Honor Choir, and joining the Klompen Dancers at the annual Holland Tulip Festival.

Jayne was a planner and when she had a plan, it happened. This was evident the first time she saw Ron. Jayne went home and told her mother, “I met the man I’m going to marry.” They married three years later in 1957 and shared more than 66 amazing years together.

Jayne worked at a bank in Holland to help support her family and then as a teller in Ann Arbor while Ron was in law school. After she and Ron moved to Marshall, she spent 50 years as the payroll clerk for his law practice. Along with being an amazing wife and mother to three children, she was an extraordinary cook, lawn mower, snow blower operator, housekeeper (she was accused of trying to catch the dust before it settled), supported her community as a den mother, treasurer of Palisades Park, served on the Trinity Episcopal Church Vestry as well as many church committees, and worked tirelessly for many community causes.

Jayne loved sports. She enjoyed tennis and golf and felt she could have been much better at those sports if she had been able to start them earlier in life. She never missed the opportunity to see her family members compete in any event. Additionally, she loved to read and enjoyed playing bridge with friends and “Spoons” with her grandchildren. Family and Church were very important to Jayne. She insisted on entertaining and preparing the meal, even into her 80s, for the entire family on Christmas Eve after Church and on Thanksgiving after the Lions lost

Jayne had one serious fault; she had a very good memory. If you ever abused, physically or mentally, a member of her family, you just ceased to exist in her life or vocabulary. In this single area, she could not accept Christ's teachings. She NEVER turned the other cheek, she never forgot a transgression, and, figuratively, in her mind, raised a solitary middle finger. She was too much of a lady to physically raise the finger.

Jayne will be remembered by the love of his life, her husband Ron DeGraw; children David (Vicki) DeGraw, Joseph (Christie Fisher) DeGraw, Sal (Steve) Konkle; grandchildren Andrew (Rebecca) DeGraw, Benjamin (Enrica Felt) DeGraw, Rebecca (Mason) Blenkhorn, Sarah (Tung) Nguyen, Heather DeVerna, Amie DeVerna, BJ (Stacey) Konkle, Ryan (Erin) Konkle, Mitchell (Tierra) Konkle, Jillian (Bryce Nichols) Konkle; great grandchildren Maddex DeGraw, Decklan DeGraw; Maude Blenkhorn; Kellen, Hadley and Ava Konkle; sisters Ann VanBeek and Barbara Scully; brother Thomas Scully and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents John and Marie (Lemle) Scully, sister Kay Klamt and brothers The Honorable Jack Scully and Brian Scully. Jayne will be deeply missed, but her love and legacy will always live on through her family and those whose lives she touched in so many ways.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 13, 2024 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 101 E. Mansion St., Marshall, MI with visitation starting at 10:00 a.m. For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made in Jayne’s name to Oaklawn Hospital or Trinity Episcopal Church, both of Marshall, MI.

Jayne was an extraordinary wife, mother, grandmother, and member of the Marshall community.