Mary Jean DeFields of Coloma, MI passed away on Thursday, March 24, 2016 at the Eaton County Palliative Care Facility in Charlotte, MI near the home of her daughter Pamela Randall. She was born February 16, 1922 in Gas City, IN to Robert B. And Emma Jean Corbin Locke. Jean was the twelfth of thirteen children. After spending her early years in a orphanage she went to live with her older sister Mildred and her husband Aaron Weber on a farm near Millburg, MI. She attended grade school in Millburg and high school in Coloma. She excelled as a student at Coloma High School where she played basketball and graduated valedictorian of her class of 1940. While in high school she met her future husband, John DeFields. They were later married March 21, 1942 in Reno, NV while he was on leave from the Navy.
A lifetime resident of Coloma Jean was employed for ten years by the Modern Plastics Corporation in Benton Harbor and served on the local Ingraham School Board. After raising a family Jean later enjoyed traveling with John visiting at one time or another 49 of the 50 states.
In later years Jean enjoyed creative craft projects such as embroidery, needle point, crocheting, knitting, and ceramics. Many happy hours were spent with her grandchildren and great grandchildren teaching them among other things the art of baking. She was known as the grandmother who made the “white cookies, German chocolate squares, and peanut butter squares”.
Jean was a longtime and active member of Midway Baptist Church. Her Bible is filled with highlighted passages that had special meaning to her. She shared her faith in Jesus freely and particularly with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
She is survived by her husband, John B. DeFields. They had been married 74 years March 21, 2016. She is also survived by her son David A. (Victoria) DeFields, Coloma, MI; her daughter, Pamela Randall of Charlotte, MI as well as six grandchildren: Elizabeth A. (Gaetano “Tom”) DeRosa of Covert, MI; Erin L. (James) Schlaman of Berrien Springs, MI; Dave “Adam” (Dawn) DeFields of Caledonia, MI; Jeffery P. (Debra) Randall of Land O Lakes, FL; Dr. Gregory T. (Teresa) Randall of Hastings, MI and Dr. Scott A. (Stacey) Randall of Escanaba, MI. She also has eighteen great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents and twelve brothers and sisters and son in law Norman Randall.
Visitation will be held at Hutchins Funeral Home in Watervliet, MI on Saturday, April 2, 2016 from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM. Funeral services will follow immediately at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Midway Baptist Church, 7517 Red Arrow Hwy., Watervliet, MI 49098 or Eaton Community Palliative Care, 2675 S. Cochran Ave., Charlotte, MI 48813.