Jackie Vandersteen

Jacqueline Jackie Vander Steen, age 77, of Clifford Lake, rural Stanton, passed away Thursday evening, Sept. 4, 2008 at Spectrum Health United Memorial-United Hospital, Greenville. The daughter of Hazel Cover (Hanes) and John Albert Edwards, she was born on Dec. 22, 1930 and grew up in Lansing. Jackie was a pioneer. She soloed in light aircraft at age 16 -- at a time when most women werent thinking of flying. Following her graduation from J.W. Sexton High School in Lansing, she worked for a year, and then went on to be the first in her family to attend college. She earned her Bachelors degree from Western Michigan University where she met her husband, Norb. On Sept. 6, 1952, in Grand Ledge, they married and later moved to Farmington and Palatine, Illinois with Norbs career with Michigan Bell/AT&T. In Illinois, Jackie earned her Masters degree from Concordia College and was a teacher at Central Road School in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. In retirement, she and Norb returned to Michigan and built their lakeside home at Clifford Lake where Jackie loved entertaining her family. She also enjoyed traveling and reading. She and Norb would have celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary today (Sept. 6th). She was preceded in death by her parents. Surviving are her husband of nearly 56 years, Norb Vander Steen of Clifford Lake; their children, Kim Vander Steen & Tony Cinquegrani of Palatine, Ill., Kris & Mark Lula of Rochester Hills, Kurt & Jane Vander Steen of Leavenworth, Kansas, and Kent & Cindy Vander Steen of DeWitt; and eight grandchildren, Claire Cinquegrani, Steven Lula, Michelle Lula, Jenny Lula, Sarah Jane Vander Steen, Krista Vander Steen, John Vander Steen, and Kelli Vander Steen. Also surviving are a half-sister, Joan Egan of Tucson, Arizona; a half-brother, Ray Town of Jackson; many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services are at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008 from St. Charles Catholic Church, 505 S. Lafayette Street, Greenville, with Father Phil Salmonowicz officiating. Burial will follow privately at Oakwood Cemetery in Grand Ledge. Visitation is Monday from 3-5 and 7-9 p.m. at the Brown-Teman & Christiansen Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 511 S. Franklin Street, Greenville, where envelopes for memorial contributions to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society are available. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Jackie Vandersteen, please visit our flower store.