Jean Beth Sabatino

DeWitt

Our cherished and gentle Mom passed away peacefully at home Sunday, April 27, 2014.

Born August 4, 1927 in LaCrosse, WI to the late Louis and Lelia Cain, she was raised in Racine, WI. After high school she worked as a telephone operator and met her "Joe" at a bowling alley where they shared adjoining lanes. He told his buddy that evening "there's the girl I'm going to marry." She married our Dad, Joseph C. Sabatino in 1947 and his career soon brought them to Michigan where they lived their lives. She was a loving and devoted wife and mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. After raising her family she returned to the workforce as a retail sales associate and eventually retired from the J.L. Hudson Company.

Mom was a modest woman of great strength and grace. She showed us by example how to be considerate, kind and patient with one another. Always generous with her time and resources we will miss her quiet wisdom, sense of humor, clever wit, apple pies and spaghetti. One of her favorite quotes was -"It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding" from The Prophet (by Kahlil Gibran) and in her own words "we are here to help each other through this life."

We will always hold her in our hearts and especially think of her gentle and loving spirit when we are moon gazing, watching the fireflies, welcoming visiting frogs, hearing one of her many favorite songs and picturing her and Dad dancing together, remembering her laugh, the sound of her voice, her tender face and beautiful blue eyes. We are profoundly grateful to have been loved by her and feel so very blessed to have her for our Mother.

She was preceded in death by her husband and their son Johnny, eight siblings, mother and father in-law, two dear sisters-in-law and 6 brothers-in-law.

She is survived by her children JoAnn (Ken) Looney, Jamie Sabatino, Jill Schaard, Judy (Tim) Crimmins, Joe (Jaclyn) Sabatino and 16 grandchildren, John (Holly), Mike (Stacie), Brian (Alysha), Jennifer (Silas), Nick, Jeana, Tony, Fred, Joey, Katie, Joey, Lindsay, Kyle, JoElla, Jaelyn and Joey, 10 great-grandchildren, two brothers-in-law and many special nieces and nephews.

A private family service will be celebrated in accordance with her wishes, officiated by Father John A. Byers. She will be laid to rest at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. The family is being served by Tiffany Funeral Home.

In honor of our Mom please pass on a kind word or do an act of kindness to help make the world a better place.

For those wishing, donations may be made to St Jude Children's Research Hospital (stjude.org) or the Alzheimer's Association (alz.org).

"Well done, my good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:21)