Jeane Anne (Poorman) Ripley, 88, of Pentwater, formerly of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Kent, Ohio, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, August 15, 2023. She was born August 4, 1935, in Grand Rapids, the eldest child of Leslie and Gertrude (Cunningham) Poorman.

Jeane had a passion for serving others. She was an educator at the junior college level, a community mental health director, a custom drapery specialist, and a sales associate at Field's Fabrics, in Grand Rapids. Throughout the years she was a supportive caregiver for several of her grandchildren, as well as her own aging parents.

Jeane had a very strong calling to her faith and ministry. She was active in the United Church of Christ throughout her life, with involvement in various local church groups, as a Sunday School teacher and Youth Group advisor. She thoroughly enjoyed singing in the choir. Jeane served the wider denominational church on various committees and participated in a mission trip to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. In her later years, she was ordained as a Licensed Minister in the United Church of Christ.

Jeane enjoyed musicals, was an avid reader, and a loyal 'Trekkie'; watching all Star Trek series and motion pictures. She, her family, and her extended family also enjoyed many rigorous games of cribbage over the years, right until two days before her death. Jeane also had a fantastic talent for knitting, which she learned at a young age and taught to her daughters as well.  Even in her later years when she developed some impairments, she was still able to minister at Hart Congregational United Church of Christ through knitting scarves to donate to others in need through New Hope Community Church (RCA) and The Bread of Life Food Pantry, a ministry of St Gregory's and Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic churches, all of Oceana County.

Jeane is survived by: her children, Linda Winter, Joe (Cindy) Ripley, Trudy (Michael) Nelson, and Edward (Regina) Ripley; grandchildren, Alissa (Greg) Kroah, Jillian Alexander, Nathan (Sue) Winter, Claire Winter, Marshall Winter, and Joseph Ripley; great-grandchildren, Charlotte Winter, Lucy Winter, Orion Kroah, Sophia Kroah, Lillith Ruhl, Camilla Loftus, and Oliver Loftus; sister, Sue Richards; as well as her ex-husband, Joseph E. Ripley; and many nieces and nephews.

Jeane was preceded in death by: her parents; sister, Judy Zylstra; brothers, Gerald Poorman and Kenneth Poorman; sister-in-law, JoAnn Poorman; and brothers-in-law, Lawrence Richards and Morton Zylstra.

Memorial services at Plymouth United Church of Christ in Grand Rapids will be announced at a later date. We invite everyone to wear a hat, the more flamboyant the better, in honor of Jeane's fashion sense.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Plymouth United Church of Christ or Habitat for Humanity.

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.

www.beaconfh.com