Thelma Marie Hadden

THELMA WAS LOVINGLY CARED FOR AND SURVIVED BY HER FAMILY INCLUDING HER THREE CHILDREN: SUE (DAVE) MILLER, CHERIE (KEITH “RED”) BECK, AND SCOTT HADDEN; HER THREE GRANDCHILDREN: ANN (RYAN) KOTCH, ERIC (KRISTINE) MILLER AND MATTHEW “MACK” MILLER AND HIS FIANCEE KENISHA WILLIAMS; HER TWO GREAT GRANDCHILDREN WAYLON “WAYWAY” AND HUNTER “TUTU” KOTCH AND GRANDCHILD-TO-BE JAYDA STOVALL. SHE IS ALSO SURVIVED BY HER BROTHERS HAROLD G. PORTER, JR. (BETTY ANN), CHARLES PORTER, HER SISTER BETTY JEAN PORTER, SISTER-IN-LAW PAM HADDEN, BROTHER-IN-LAW DARYL ELDRED, ALONG WITH MANY NEPHEWS AND NIECES.

THELMA WAS BORN IN LANSING, MI ON FEBRUARY 3, 1931 TO HAROLD AND OLGA PORTER. SHE WAS PREDECEASED BY HER PARENTS AND SIBLINGS GWEN THOMAS BOYD, SANDRA ELDRED, AND RONALD PORTER.

THELMA RETIRED AS AN ADMINISTRATOR WITH MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY’S OFFICE OF MEDICAL EDUCATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. SHE LIVED IN THE HOUSE HER HUSBAND BUILT, ON MANLEY DR., FOR 67 YEARS. WHEN SHE WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO MAINTAIN IT, SHE LIVED WITH HER DAUGHTER SUE AND SON-IN-LAW DAVE IN HASLETT.

THELMA WAS THE SECOND OF SEVEN CHILDREN. SHE BECAME A LEADER, IN THE FAMILY AT A YOUNG AGE AND CONTINUED TO BE THROUGHOUT HER LIFE. SHE WAS THE PERSON HER PARENTS, SIBLINGS AND LATER FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES, TURNED TO FOR ADVICE, A LISTENING EAR, OR SUPPORT. SHE HAD AN INNATE ABILITY TO DRAW PEOPLE TOWARD HER AND WELCOME THEM WITH OPEN ARMS. .

AS A MOTHER, SHE SUPPORTED HER CHILDREN/GRANDCHILDREN UNTIL THE END. SHE STOOD FIERCLY BEHIND THEM ALL, ENCOURAGING, NUDGING, AND PROVIDING CONSTANT LOVE. ONE OF HER MANTRAS WAS “NO ONE IS ANY BETTER THAN YOU……AND YOU AREN’T ANY BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE.” SHE WOULD FOLLOW THAT WITH “REMEMBER THAT!”

HER FAMILY OF ORIGIN TAUGHT HER TO ACCEPT AND LOVE ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF RACE, RELIGION, OR ORIGIN. SHE DRILLED INTO HER FAMILY THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVING AND RESPECTING ALL PEOPLE AND HELPING THOSE IN NEED. AS THE YEARS PROGRESSED OUR MOTHER BECAME ONE FIESTY LADY, WHO SPOKE OUT, ADVOCATED FOR OTHERS AND TRIED HER BEST TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE FOR ALL.

A MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD AT 11:30 A.M. ON SATURDAY MARCH 15, 2025, AT EASTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 1315 ABBOT ROAD, EAST LANSING, MI. VISITATION WILL TAKE PLACE AT 10:00 AM PRIOR TO THE SERVICE.

THE FAMILY IS VERY THANKFUL TO ALL THOSE WHO PROVIDED SUCH WONDERFUL CARE FOR THELMA AND SUPPORT TO OUR FAMILY.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS MAY BE MADE TO ELARA CARING HOSPICE OR THE SALVATION ARMY.

THE FAMILY IS BEING SERVED BY GORSLINE RUNCIMAN FUNERAL HOMES, EAST LANSING CHAPEL. CONDOLENCES AND MEMORIES MAY BE SHARED WITH THE FAMILY AT WWW.GRLANSING.COM.