Helen Shively

Helen Jeannette was born on December 18, 1924, , the only child of proud parents Clarence E. and Ruth G. (Strand) Sokup. Clarence earned a living as a roofer, while Ruth was a homemaker.

After graduating from Union High School of Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1942, Helen went on to complete secretarial school. She was also a faithful member of Wallin Congregational Church, where she made the acquaintance of a young man named Richard L. Shively. Helen and Richard started dating, and were married two years later, on March 7, 1944.

Following a brief honeymoon, the newlyweds went to live at Richard’s army base in Gulf Port, Mississippi. They later returned to Michigan, and eventually settled down in Walker, Michigan. As the years went by, Helen and Richard were blessed with a son Gary and two daughters: Ruth “Shelly” and Robin. The Shively family loved camping, and made many happy memories in their travel trailer at the Woods and Water Campground.

Once the girls were older, Helen entered the workforce. She was employed as a secretary at Marne Elementary School, Gulf and Western, and Miller Metals, and an executive secretary at Butterworth Hospital.

One of Helen’s greatest joys after retirement was being a grandmother. She never missed a sporting event or special day, and all the grandkids loved her butterscotch pie, rice pudding, and springerle cookies. In her free time, Helen was an avid reader, and especially enjoyed paging through magazines and the daily newspaper.

Beautiful, feisty, and faith-filled, Helen was a devoted wife, a loving mother and grandmother, and a loyal friend, who dedicated her life to caring for her beloved family. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her many friends and family members.

Helen Jeannette Shively died on December 12, 2012, surrounded by her family. She was preceded in death by her son, Gary L. Shively. Helen’s family includes her husband of 68 years, Richard L. Shively; her children, Shelly and Robert Squires and Robin and Ron Kobel; her grandchildren, Richard N. and Kirsten Shively, Timothy and Mary Squires, Robert and Erin Kobel, Ryan and Melissa Kobel, and Rebecca and David Rokos; her great-grandchildren, Anna Bauer, Alexis DeGroot, Brendan Shively, McKaylyn Kamstra, Cassandra DeGroot, Drew Shively, Bryce Kobel, Tylee Squires, Victoria DeGroot, Jordon Rokos, Braydon Rokos, and Averie Kobel; her niece, Sandy and Fred Ressel; other nieces and nephews; and many friends.

A service to celebrate Helen’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 16, at Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes – 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW, with Rev. Susan Sparta officiating. Burial will be in Rosedale Cemetery. Relatives and friends may meet her family at the funeral home from 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday and again on Sunday from 1 p.m. until the service begins. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Meijer Heart Center or Humane Society of West Michigan. Please visit Helen’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can learn more about her life, share a favorite memory, and sign the online guestbook.