Shirley Jean Spicer, 92, died on November 25, 2023, in Bryan, Texas, where she had lived in recent years near her daughter.
Shirley was the wife of the late Gerald (“Jerry”) Spicer and the mother of Gerald (“Gary”) Spicer, Jr., Serie Spicer (with her husband Hank Dembosky), the late Stan Spicer, and Roger Spicer. She is also survived by four grandchildren, and several great- and great-great grandchildren.
Shirley was born January 11,1931, in Manchester, Michigan, the daughter of Clarence and Ruth (Garber) Gilbert, and grew up in Gingellville in Orion Township. She and Jerry were married in 1947, and afterward moved to the home on Joslyn Road, west of Lake Orion village, where they raised their family during the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, and where their son Roger still resides.
Jerry’s retirement from General Motors at a young age allowed the couple to indulge Shirley’s passion for travel. They made many trips together, both on their own, and with other GM retirees and organized tour groups. Shirley eventually made it to all 50 states and several foreign countries. After Jerry’s retirement, the couple moved to a cottage on Ritchie Pond near Dryden, where Shirley volunteered at the Seven Ponds Nature Center for many years, and where Jerry died in 1997.
Later, Shirley returned to Gingellville to live with and care for her mother, and where she volunteered at The Clothes Closet charity at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.
In 2016, Shirley accepted the offer of her daughter and son-in-law to move to Texas, to a new cottage built by them for her next to their lakefront home at Hilltop Lakes. Again, she became an active participant in the community, coordinating the greeting card ministry of the Chapel’s Ladies Auxiliary, helping the Neighbor-to-Neighbor meals program to provide food to shut-ins, and reading with the Ladies of the Lake Book Club.
Most recently, Shirley had her own apartment at the Crestview Assisted Living community in Bryan, where she helped to maintain the residents’ library and was much liked by both the staff and her fellow residents.
Shirley lived a long life well, buoyed by her faith and family and the many friends she made at each stop along the way. She sometimes remarked that she was both amazed and grateful that “little Shirley Gilbert”, a child of the Depression, had experienced such wonderful things in life. She was happy and content at the end. Rest in peace, Mom.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the Seven Ponds Nature Center (spnc@sevenponds.org) in Dryden, MI. It’s a place that Shirley spent many years with and was one of her favorite places on earth.