Shirley Lorene Wilson

      Shirley Lorene Wilson, age 95, of St. Johns, MI, passed away Friday, May 31, 2024.  

      Shirley Lorene Smith Wilson was born June 16, 1928 in Lansing, Ingham County- the daughter of Melvin Walter Smith and Lorene Muriel (Wyman) Smith.  She was raised on a family farm located on North Clinton County Line road and attended grade school there. She graduated Salutatorian at Maple Rapids High School in 1946.  Shirley worked as a telephone operator, worked for Federal Mogul.  On August 2, 1947, she married her High School sweetheart Wheeler Wilson. They celebrated seventy two happy anniversaries.  Wheeler passed away on January 31, 2019.  Their children are Rhonda and Tom Rohrer, Robin Peters, Wayne Wilson, and daughter-in-law Dawn Wilson.  They also have 9 grandchildren.  Surviving is her sister Sybil Glowacki, in-laws Kenneth and Donna Wilson and Doris Parks.  She was predeceased by her husband and son Steven Lane Wilson, parents, and one brother Stuart Smith.

      Shirley worked as a teacher's aide at East Essex Schools, after they moved from Maple Rapids, where she was a Girl Scout Leader. The rural farm life kept her very busy with all the daily chores that needed to be done.   

      She always enjoyed the out of doors and family camping trips and being a helpmate to Wheeler on the Maple Rapids Road farm. She sewed clothing for her girls and enjoyed reading, crafts and quilting and maybe not so much- wallpapering. She belonged to the OTV club (on to victory), Friendly Score Klub comprised of 20 neighborhood ladies.   Shirley was fortunate to remain in her home in the neighborhood she knew well, surrounded by nature, the bounty of crops, wildlife and everything familiar. She was protected by the calm and isolation there, which comforted her. 

     Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes - Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI, at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, June 8, 2024, with Pastor Kathy Leydorf-Keck officiating. Burial will take place at Union Home Cemetery, St. Johns, MI. Visitation will be held on Saturday from 10:00 A.M. until the time of service at the funeral home.

     Online condolences can be sent to www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes - Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, Michigan.