Shirley K. Ward
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Lansing, Michigan.
Born January 31, 1943, in Lansing, MI, daughter of the late Ernest and Donna Langdon passed away on Friday, November 30, 2018, at age 75.
Shirley was a dedicated and active member of Mt. Hope United Methodist Church where she participated in the Prayer Ministry. Her church and her family were of utmost importance to her and her memory will be cherished not only by them, but also by her many dear friends.
Surviving are daughters, Kimberly Sue (James) Neal and Teresa Lynn (Eric) Spears; grandchildren, Monica Washington Padula, Isaac Jackson, and Chloe Spears; great-grandchildren, Kristian, Kendall, Kendrick, Kieran, and Keara along with a host of extended family members.
Shirley was preceded in death by her brother, Russell Langdon and her sister, Ruth Ann Rathbun.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 7, 2018 at Mt. Hope United Methodist Church, 501 E. Mt. Hope Ave. in Lansing. Interment will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at the Church on Friday beginning at 10:00 a.m. until service time. In lieu of flowers we request donations to Shirley Ward’s beloved church, Mt. Hope United Methodist Church and/or her favorite charity, The Alzheimer’s Association.
8 Messages to “Shirley K. Ward”
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Haniyyah Zakiyyah-Rhodes
December 3, 2018 at 9:45 amI met Shirley upon moving into a senior community residence in East Lansing about 8 years ago. She befriended me and became a special friend. Having no sisters or brothers, parents or grandparents, I had pretty much become a loner. Shirley was like a sweet sister to me. We would often greet each other with the Spanish “Hola.” Since I have never had a real sister, I may not have been the best sister that I would like to have been to her. But Shirley was gifted with a warm friendly heart. I will always remember her unconditional love and her kind voice saying “Hola.” Rest in peace, my dear friend Shirley!
Deepest sympathy, Haniyyah
Judy Kariuki
December 3, 2018 at 9:46 amDear Teresa, my heart is heavy with sorrow after hearing that your mom has passed.
She was a beautiful lady in and out and my hope for you and your loved ones is that you will find solace in knowing that she will be missed by many and was loved by many. Your mom was warm hearted, patient, accepting, thoughtful and most importantly she’s one of the most loving person I have ever met. I admired deeply her “never giving up spirit” and never allowing her circumstances to define how she lived her life.
I will miss your mom’s presence in my life Teresa, because we enjoyed each other’s company, having great conversations and caring for one another.
Your mom was a very special lady and may the good Lord rest her beautiful soul in eternal peace.
Judy.
Pastor Eric Mulanda
December 3, 2018 at 9:51 amA memory to a lovely and blessed Mother in Christ!
Since 2015 my wife and I came to Lansing to serve God at Mount Hope United Methodist Church. It has been a blessing for us to know many people at Mount Hope UMC. My wife and I would like to thank God for meeting Sherly Ward who was like a mother to us. In other words, she came into our lives as a mother in Christ. She was a partner in prayer ministry where we used to meet every Tuesday. She was one of the people at Mount Hope UMC who could give us hope and word of encouragement to keep on serving God. I am so thankful to God for meeting and knowing her and her family. Thank God it was through knowing her my wife and I have a big family where we now know her daughters and granddaughter. May her soul rest in Peace knowing that we will meet in our father’s house where the Lord Jesus Christ prepared for us already (John 14:2). Pastor Eric Mulanda
Yours in Christ
Pastor Eric
“To serve yourself, use your head, to serve others, use your heart”
Philippians 4:13 ” I can do all this through him whom strength me”
Marian E. Smith
December 3, 2018 at 9:52 amSHIRLEY
There simply are far too many special memories or stories, both sad and deliriously happy ones, but one in particular that holds a special place in my heart and memories. I thanked her for this act of love that she bestowed upon me while spending hours with her in her last days. I can only hope she heard how grateful I was at the time and ever since.
There were several of us who dined fairly frequently together, including our children, back in that time. There came that point where, because I worked full-time and was attending college, I could no longer engage in this activity except during college breaks. Some of my friends abandoned me because, as word was relayed to me, if I wasn’t good enough for them while in session, they didn’t need me during breaks either. This greatly saddened me, and neither Shirley nor I could quite understand. But Shirley stood by me, through thick and thin, always there when I needed her and if she needed me.
We’ve been here, together, in love and friendship, supporting each other through our single days, my re-marriage, loss of family and friends, in good times and bad. I shall cherish our friendship forever. God bless and may you find eternal bliss, my friend.
Marian E. (Nacke) Smith
Val Jedrzejas
December 4, 2018 at 9:32 amSpecial Memories of my friend, Shirley
They say if you make 2 to 3 true friends in life, you have found the treasure. I will always treasure the friendship I had with Shirley. I have know her since 1982 when we met while working together in the Radiology Department which was then Ingham Medical Hospital.. She was a bright light in the hospital atmosphere for all those she came in contact with. I was struck by her warmth and caring for people and feel lucky to have experienced her friendship all of these years. Although we only worked together 7 years, we did stay in touch and especially enjoyed celebrating our Birthdays together.
Shirley was especially a very sweet natured person and cared about others, I always felt that from her every time we spoke. She was a good listener too. I don’t believe I could ever forget that about her, as that as it is so hard to come by in people. .Knowing someone like her impacted my life in a beautiful way even when when I didn’t know it was. She has inspired me to try to be more caring and to have even a fraction of her sweet demeanor..I also enjoyed her sense of humor. I’m sorry we didn’t have more moments and memories together, I do I hope that I also may have added something to her life in the time we had. What a lady Shirley was; and what a love for her family she had.!! I am so thankful that you allowed me to spend the time that I did with her in her final days. Much love to you all.
Val Jedrzejas
Corinne Mafo
December 4, 2018 at 9:33 amDear Teresa
I really feel blessed knowing your mom and so my family. Feeling your mom’s love and passion each sundays when we were seeing and hugging each other before or after the service dismissed. I remember sitting next to her some sundays during second service and she was giving me a smile full of happiness. One Sunday, I was sitting down with someone else before the service started, she came asking me if she can sit next to me and I responded: sure mom. So she sat down and she was telling me how far her health issues are … I remember receiving her calls and she was asking about my husband and my babies. I am happy knowing and receiving some lovely hugs from your mom Teresa. She was really a woman of God. May her soul rest in peace !
Corinne
Teresa Lynn Spears
December 6, 2018 at 5:30 amMy Mother means the world to me…and for as much as I love my mother…I know that…God loves her more.
Mom,
You are the epitome of strength, courage, and love. I am eternally grateful that God chose you to be my mom, and I am such a better person because if it!
Your loving daughter,
Teresa Lynn Spears
Kimberly Sue Neal
December 6, 2018 at 6:02 pmMom, I loved you not only for what you were but, for what I was when I was with you. I loved you not only for what you had made of yourself but, what you made of me. I loved you because you had done more than any Mother could have done to make me good;and more than any fate could have done to make me happy. You had done it without a touch,without a word, or without a sign. You done it by being yourself. Perhaps that is what being a Mother means, after all. Mom this is not goodbye it’s Ta-Ta for now. Love, Your Daughter, Kimberly Sue…