Mary Jean Hornaday

Mary Jean Hornaday (known as Jean by her friends and family), 89, of Battle Creek, died Saturday, November 2, 2013. Jean was born July 21, 1924 in Otsego, MI to Charles and Ellen (Moran) Hiester. She graduated as valedictorian from Otsego High School and went on to work as a secretary for National Life Insurance for many years in Battle Creek.

Jean was an avid University of Michigan sports fan and had many other interests. She loved to tend her flower gardens and was an excellent seamstress, making clothes for her family members throughout the years. She was a great cook and made the world's best noodle soup, from scratch. She enjoyed her time at her home on Fine Lake and she was proud of the lighthouse tour she took around The Great Lakes. But most of all, Jean loved and cherished the time spent with her family.

Jean is survived by her two sons, Dan C. Hornaday of Battle Creek and Michael G. (Jolene) Hornaday of Ann Arbor; her grandchildren, Bret (Stacey) Hornaday of Longview, TX, Melissa Hornaday of Richmond, CA, Kelley (Stewart) Quirk of Salt Lake City, Utah and Douglass Crandall of Ypsilanti, MI; and two great-grandchildren, Hunter and Emily Hornaday. Jean was preceded in death by her loving husband, Gerald in 1985.

Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, November 5, 2013 at the Farley-Estes & Dowdle Funeral Home, where funeral services to celebrate Jean's life will be 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 6, officiated by Pastor Marvin Savola. Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Calhoun County Medical Care Facility.