Jerry Miah Vining

      Jerry Miah Vining, age 85, passed on Thursday, January 25, 2024 at Sparrow Hospital, Lansing, MI.  

      Funeral Services will be held at Duplain Church of Christ, St. Johns, MI, at 1:00 P.M. on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, with Mr. Andy Goodrich officiating. Burial will take place at Eureka Cemetery, Eureka, MI. Visitation will be held 1-7 P.M. with family present from 1-3 & 5-7 P.M. on Tuesday, January 30, 2024 at Smith Family Funeral Homes - Osgood Chapel and again on Wednesday 11:30 A.M. at the church.

      Jerry was born on July 6, 1938 the son of Eddy Jay and Hazel Lucille (Mitchell) Vining in Middleton, Michigan "a place that's not the end of the world, but you can see it from there". He attended Fulton Public Schools.

      Jerry, at the age of 17, married Nadine Evelyn Race on September 9, 1955. Times were different then, not sure that's legal these days. They settled in St. Johns, Michigan where they raised their family and recently celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary. They were members of the Duplain Church of Christ.

      Although he retired from skilled trades at Motor Wheel after over 30 years, Jerry was a Jack-of-all-trades teaching his grandchildren all there was to know about... well just about everything. He was a hard worker with a great work ethic which he proudly passed on too many of his grandchildren by example. Jerry built his house, learning how to do so along the way, no job was too big. He enjoyed taking care of his 8-acre yard where he taught his children and grandchildren how to "drive a stick".

      Jerry was an avid sportsman (hunting, archery, shooting, fishing, and trapping) who had some big trophies and also some big stories that everyone loved to hear. He was really great at writing poems and coming up with catchy tunes while bouncing the little ones on his knee.

      Jerry was known for many things such as making his famous grilled chicken using his secret recipe or disabling safety features on power tools because "they just got in the way" (despite this, he still had all 10 digits), but most of all, he was mostly known in these parts for being the BEST GRANDPA EVER!

         Jerry is survived by his wife Nadine, three daughters: Melody (Robert) Nydam of Whitinsville, MA; Dawn (Richard) Hood of Ovid, MI; and Lori Barrett of Maple Rapids, MI; ten grandchildren: Brandi (Joel) Schneider, Linae (Kevin) Good, Heather (Stewart) Barrett, Amy (Phillip) Knapper, James (Katie) Barrett, Monica (Vishwa) Srivastava, Michael (Lisa) Barrett, Valerie (Ryan) Holt, Bobby Nydam, and Dillon (Hailee) Barrett; fifteen great-grandchildren:  Ty (Kaitlyn) Cook, Zane (Maggie) Cook, Ayden Cook, Ashley Good, Tyler Barrett, Zoe Southwell, Quintin Southwell, Henry Knapper, Caleb Knapper, Teddy Holt, Draven Barrett, Tori Barrett, Stanley Barrett, Lucy Barrett, and Everett Barrett; two sisters: Helen Smith and Clarice Strayer; sister-in-law Sherry Vining, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, son-in-law Chris Devereaux, his siblings:  Eunice (Floyd) Mitchell, Eddy (Thelma) Vining, and Jack Vining.

      Memorials may be made to Duplain Church of Christ 5565 East Colony Road St. Johns, MI 48879. Online condolences may be made at www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes - Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, Michigan.