Shirley Jean Abbott

SHIRLEY JEAN ABBOTT She lived life passionately; She left life peacefully. Shirley Jean (Schneider) Abbott, age 86, died on July 29, 2021, at McLaren Macomb in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. Born February 17, 1935, on Detroit’s east side, Shirley graduated from Pershing High School. Soon after graduation, she met a young man at Water Works Park on Jefferson Avenue and fell in love. Saying “Yes” to his proposal, she married Fredrick Abbott on February 19, 1955, living first in Detroit and Center Line before making Utica their forever home. It was there she would be a lifelong member of the Altar Society of St. Lawrence Catholic Church, be involved in the community through the years and later be an active member of the Utica Seniors. Shirley’s proudest title was Mom, and she made her family her life’s focus—supporting without interfering, encouraging without intruding. She enjoyed hosting family birthdays and holidays, making everyone’s favorite Christmas cookies, planning annual camping trips to Sleeper State Park and Old Orchard in Oscoda where everyone swam, fished and canoed—making memories to last a lifetime. She took pride in her large garden, canning hundreds of jars of vegetables and jams every year. But her greatest pride was in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Shirley is survived by her husband, Fredrick Abbott, her son Kenneth (Laura) Abbott, daughter-in-law Donna Abbott, daughter Teresa (Bruce) Bissonnette, daughter Jean Marie Abbott, son Robert (Marie) Abbott, grandchildren Jackilyn (Brandon) Martus, Kenneth (Molly) Abbott, Nicole Keefer, Joshua Abbott, Dwayne Murray, Megan Bissonnette and Richard Abbott, great-grandchildren James, Emelia, Joshua and Henry, sister, Margaret Zakrzewski, brother-in-law Richard Abbott and sister-in-law, Delores Schneider. She is preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Mary (Rintz) Schneider, sons, James Abbott and Richard Abbott, sister, Phyllis (John) Buchowski, brothers Donald Schneider and Robert Schneider and brothers-in-law, Howard Abbott and Thomas Zakrzewski. The lamp of faith lit life’s pathway and finally led her home. Shirley's family will receive friends for visitation on Monday, August 9, 2021 from 2:00 until 8:00 p.m. with an altar society rosary service at 6:00 p.m. at the Wm. Sullivan & Son Funeral Home, 8459 Hall Road (3 blocks East of Van Dyke), Utica. A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, August 10 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, 44633 Utica Road, Utica, with instate beginning at 9:30 a.m. until the time of her mass at 10:00 a.m. Please share a memory at www.SullivanFuneralDirectors.com

Shirley Jean Abbott

January 17, 1935 - July 29, 2021