Marjorie J. Sleight

Byron Center

Formerly of Lansing

Marjorie Jean (Wardell) Sleight, age 94, passed away June 18, 2017, after suffering from Alzheimer’s for many years.  She was born February 18, 1923, in Detroit, the only child of Rowland and Mildred Wardell.  She was raised in Royal Oak and met Justin Sleight, the love of her life, while attending Albion College.  While at Albion, Marjorie was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority and Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. After graduation, she taught at Otsego High School in 1944 and at Mt. Morris High School in 1945.

Marjorie and Justin were married June 23, 1945, and raised four children in the Lansing area. Supportive and involved in her children’s activities, she was also an active member of many community organizations.  She held leadership roles in Lewton Elementary School PTA; Circle Leader for Central United Methodist Church; President/Active Member for Inter-Racial Fellowship; Active in Church Women United – Valiant Women 1990 Board Member and President; Founder/ President and Board Member of Mobile Meals, Ingham County Medical Society Auxiliary Board Member and President (1969).  Marjorie and Justin also enjoyed their many travels around the world and shared their adventures, often presenting at the Foster School Senior Travelogue.  In 1973, Marjorie and Justin served as missionaries at the Bo Eye Clinic in Sierra Leone, West Africa. After living in the Lasing area for over 60 years, Marge and Justin moved to Byron Center, a suburb of Grand Rapids and they spent her last five years being nearer to her Michigan daughter and grandson’s family.

Marjorie is survived by her husband of almost 72 years, Justin; her sons, Kenneth (Mary Jane) Sleight, Stephen (Donna Blancas) Sleight; her daughters, Barbara (Larry) Wuertz and Carolyn LaBeau. She also will be missed by her 3 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, 9 stepgrandchildren and 5 step-great-grandchildren; her brother-in-law, Stuart Sleight; and many nieces/nephews, great-nieces/great-nephews, and many wonderful friends.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, at Central United Methodist Church, 215 N. Capitol Ave., Lansing, MI. Visitation will be at 1:00 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Marjorie Sleight can be made payable to Spectrum Health Foundation, and mailed to Spectrum Health Foundation MC 004, 100 Michigan St. NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503-9902 (online donations https://give.spectrumhealth.org/donation search Designation “Hospice”) or Capital Region Community Foundation, 330 Marshall Street, Suite 300, Lansing, Michigan 48912.  (Online donations to (https://www.ourcommunity.org/donorservices/ourfunds   keyword “Sleight”). Arrangements are by the Estes-Leadley Greater Lansing Chapel.