Joanne Marjorie “Jo” Hacker

Born in Lansing, Michigan on June 26, 1929 and died March 28, 2020 at The Willows at East Lansing. Jo was the daughter of Ralph and Marjorie Crego and second born twin of brother David R. Crego. She was also a sister to siblings Dwight and Mary Lou, who both passed as children due to now curable diseases, including polio. Twins David and Jo grew up in an idyllic lifestyle in Lansing as the kids of Lansing’s longest running mayor, Ralph W. Crego. Both were graduates of Sexton High School and Michigan State University. Jo celebrated her 90th birthday with her twin Dave, just before his death in the fall of 2019.

Jo married local Realtor Edward T. Hacker (Ted) after college and celebrated 60 years of marriage together before his death in 2012. She was proud of her social work degree from Michigan State University. Her first job was with the Dean of Women’s Studies at MSU. Early on Jo became an active and ardent volunteer in the Lansing community. 

Much of her leadership training came from membership in the Junior League of Lansing. Jo’s extensive community involvement included Past President of the Mid-Michigan Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Junior League of Lansing, Kappa Alpha Theta alumnae chapter at MSU, and the Sparrow Hospital Guild. She was instrumental as a co-founder and became director emeritus of Camp Highfields (now Highfields, Inc). She also served on the boards or as an officer of the Capital Area United Way, Michigan Children’s Aid Society, Family and Child Service Agency, Legal Aid Society, Urban League, Women’s Symphony Association, and the Greater Lansing Foundation. She was a lifelong member of Plymouth Congregational Church and in recent years The Peoples Church of East Lansing. Jo also loved her work as a docent with the Kresge Art Museum and was awarded the Tri-County Award for volunteerism and received a Distinguished Alumni Award from Sexton High School.

Jo’s favorite times were those spent at the family cottage on Otsego Lake, which is now enjoying the fifth generation of the Crego/Hacker/Lapka families. She enjoyed very special friendships with her “bridge club” ladies and later in life, enjoyed traveling and playing tennis and golf. 

Jo is survived by son Thomas C. Hacker (Marsha), daughter Lori Hacker Fuller, grandchildren Ross Hacker (Bethany), Nathan Hacker, Alexander Lapka (Brianna) and Kaitlin Lapka, great grandchildren, Violet Hacker, Annabelle Hacker, Reid Hacker and Naomi Hacker and special sister-in law, Nancy Crego. Although her memory declined in these last years, she loved to be around people she knew and particularly enjoyed the companionship and times reminiscing with her good friend, Gene Cornelius, at The Willows in East Lansing.

The family will welcome friends for a memorial service at a future date. Jo’s family would like to express their appreciation to McLaren Hospice and the staff at The Willows at East Lansing for their tender and compassionate care of Jo. She will be remembered for her singing in the halls and quoting poetry. One of her favorite humble sayings was, “It’s better to be a has-been, than a mighta-been by far; For a mighta-been is a never-been, but a has-been was once an are.” 

Memorial contributions in Jo’s memory would be appreciated to the charity of your choice or The Junior League of Lansing Endowment Fund, The Sparrow Hospital Guild Endowment Fund c/o Sparrow Foundation, The Mid-Michigan Chapter of the American Red Cross, or Highfields, Inc.