Shirley Catherine Jones

Shirley Catherine (Hekhuis) Jones of Lansing, Michigan, age 89, passed away on Wednesday, June 8th during a brief stay in the hospital. She was born on December 31, 1926 in Fremont, Michigan, to Bert and Cecelia (Spence) Hekhuis. The family moved to Lansing when she was a child leaving behind her favorite cousins that she never lost touch with. She played violin in the High School Orchestra, had a wonderful gift for music, and loved to sing. She graduated from Sexton High School in 1945. Shirley worked at the Quality Dairy Company for several years. While there, she met and married her husband, Dale, who also worked there. They married in 1946 and lived in Lansing where they raised their family. She also worked at Webb Coal and Fisher Body, and later began working with her husband at Ridgewood Grocery on Lansing’s South Side. In 1968 she started her career in retail sales, working at Arbaugh’s and Wurzburgs. She retired from J C Penney Co. after 20 years of service. She was a Member of the American Business Women’s Association. Shirley and her husband Dale joined the church she attended as a young girl, North Westminster Presbyterian, and quickly became an active member. She served as Deacon for several years, and participated in many church sponsored activities until she suffered a major stroke in 2004. She remained close to her church family even though she could no longer attend. Shirley enjoyed crafting and spent several years making and selling crafts with Dale at local craft shows. She loved to arrange flowers, bake cakes and cookies, decorate cakes, and made awesome potato salad that everyone loved. She enjoyed playing cards and board games with her family for hours at a time and never lost sight of the rules to play. Shirley and Dale would travel all the way to Mt. Pleasant just to dance and spend the evening with her sister Jeanette. The last two years she resided at Grand Ledge Independence Village where she was loved and will be missed – especially for that smile she had for everyone. She will be remembered for her strength, courage and love for her family and will be greatly missed forever and always. She was preceded in death by her parents; loving husband of 66 years, Dale; sisters’ Jeanette Shafer and Ruthie Hekhuis; and daughter-in-law Mary Lynne Jones and many special cousins. Shirley is survived by her children, David Jones, Cathy (Jerry) Scarborough, Judi Dadd, and Phil (Becky) Jones; grandchildren David, Leanne, Dion, Michelle, Ami, Greg, Jeremy, Josh, Adam, Eric, Jordan and 25 great grandchildren. The funeral service will be held on Thursday, June 16, 2016, at 2:00 pm at the North Westminster Presbyterian Church 743 N. MLK Blvd., Lansing, MI 48915. The family will receive friends at the Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, 900 East Michigan Ave, Lansing, on Wednesday, June 15, from 2:00 - 4:00 pm and 6:00 – 8:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the North Westminster Presbyterian Church Deacon’s Fund in memory of Shirley. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.grlansing.com.