Jean would have been 88 years old on March 25. She was a sweet, caring woman who raised five children; a very kind and loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She was the loving wife of more than 40 years of Russell W. Ellis, who predeceased her in 1986.

She passed away peacefully on March 12, 2012, surrounded by family.

Born in Detroit, Jean was the daughter of Allan and Mabel Hedley, who both had emigrated from Ontario, Canada. She graduated from Farmington High School in Michigan and attended nursing school in Barrie, Ontario. While there, she met Russ at Wasaga Beach, Ontario, as he was serving in the Canadian Army and based nearby. They married in Stayner, Ontario, in 1943.

As the war ended, they lived for a short time in Windsor, Ontario, before moving to the Farmington area where they settled and raised their children. Jean was primarily a homemaker, though she worked for a short time as a nurse and later as a bookkeeper in Russ's real estate business.

She loved spending time with family, grandchildren and friends, traveling, music and reading. She believed in the power of faith and positive thinking, as well as the value of tolerance. For more than 40 years, she enjoyed many happy and peaceful times at the family cottage at Belmont Lake, Ontario.

She was a member of First United Methodist Church of Farmington since 1947.

Jean is survived by her children, Joan, Judith, William (Theresa), Robert (Lisa) and David (Eileen); sisters, Margaret Schlack and Patricia Eisenlord; 11 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; six nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 16th, at the First United Methodist Church of Farmington, 33112 Grand River Ave., Farmington, MI 48336. The family will receive friends for visiting from 9:30 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. in the Markham Room of the church.

In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to First Step, firststep-mi.org.