Lois May (Henning) Whitford

        Lois May Whitford, age 89, of St. Johns, MI, passed away on October 20, 2023, at Oliver Woods Retirement Village in Owosso, MI.

      Lois was born on March 3, 1934, to the late Ernest and Edna (Birdsley) Henning.  She graduated from Rodney B Wilson High School in 1951.  Lois married Glenn Whitford on January 14, 1952, in St. Johns, MI.  They were married for seventy-one years until his passing in September of 2023.

      Lois was a skilled quilter, and family and friends have enjoyed and slept under her “blankets of love” for many years.  She was a wonderful cook and baker, and family members agreed her potato salad had a secret ingredient that was hard to replicate. 

       She drove school bus for St. Johns Public Schools for many years and made many friends in the school community.  Lois and Glenn enjoyed taking many driving trips around the country with their fifth wheel camper, especially to the air show in Osh Kosh, WI, vacationing at their cottage at Houghton Lake and spending time during the winters in Florida.  They were crossword puzzle fans and also enjoyed the most challenging of jigsaw puzzles.

     She is survived by her children: Rick (Marilyn) Whitford of St. Johns, MI; Liane (Lial) Knight of Marshall, WI; Mary (Al Dewey) Prowant of St. Johns, MI; Paula (Bill) Curtis of Richland, MI; and Michelle (Berry) Roll of St. Johns, MI; who will miss her kindness and loving support.  She is also survived by her grandchildren: Alison Swain, Kelly Lange, Jamie West, Britney Roll, Gavin Knight, Christin Ankney, Ryan Curtis, Alvin Dewey, Jeremiah Dewey, Becky Gott, Emily Dewey, Shannon Swanson, and Olivia Dewey; twenty-seven great-grandchildren and eighteen great-great grandchildren; and special kitty Cali.  Lois also survived by her sister Dorothy Scharnweber, brother-in-law Merritt Scharnweber, brother-in-law Richard Smith, and many nieces and nephews.  Loi maintained a special relationship with her quilting besties: Dorothy and Candy Scharnweber and Joanne Zimmerman.  She was predeceased by her husband Glenn Whitford, her parents, infant daughter, brother Richard Henning, sister Joan Rennells, brothers-in-law: Gerald and Jack Whitford, sisters-in-law: Margaret Surdenik and Janet Smith.

      Special thanks to her wonderful caregivers Erin Csapos, Karla Bradley, Lyla Zell, Tina Sawdy, Stacy Johnstone, and Candace Cramer.

      A service for the family will be held at a later date.

      The family requests memorial gifts in Lois’s name made to the Capital Area Humane Society.  Online condolences may be made at www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com.  The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes – Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, Michigan.