Obituary for Jenness "Jen" Diane Linsday
Jenness Diane Linsday "Jen" of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, passed away at the age of 72 on Friday, December 16, 2022, from complications of bone marrow cancer.
Jen was born on August 17, 1950, in Port Huron, Michigan, to Carl Schroeder (a boxcar inspector for the Grand Trunk Railroad) and Elaine (Sawdon) Schroeder (a homemaker). She spent her formative years in the quiet town of Marysville, Michigan, growing up with three older brothers and one younger sister. She spoke fondly of going to the neighborhood ice-skating pond each day after school during the winter months, and of summer picnics on the weekends at Marysville City Park with her extended family. She remembered dancing the twist and the mashed potato in the school cafeteria with her classmates every day after lunch. Jen graduated from Marysville High School with the Class of 1968.
After high school, Jen attended Bryan College in Tennessee for two years, and then while home for the summer and working at a factory job, she met the love of her life, Michael (Mike) Linsday. They were inseparable from the start, so she decided to stay in Michigan where the two of them chose to attend Central Michigan University together. Jen married Mike in Port Huron, Michigan, on August 12, 1972. Jen and Mike thought of each other as best friends and they were very happily married for forty-five years. She graduated from CMU in 1973 with a degree in Elementary Education. Later, while teaching, she went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Reading Education.
Jen spent her career as an elementary school teacher in the Mt. Pleasant Public Schools, teaching 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grades at Pullen, Vowles, and Fancher Elementary Schools. Jen was a beloved teacher, with a calm and gentle presence that always seemed to rub off on her students. She had a passion for reading that she happily passed on to them. Each day during story time with her class, she would try to end with a cliff-hanger so that her students would be eager to hear the story the next day. In 2006, many happy students later, Jen retired after 33 years of teaching, from a profession that brought her so much joy.
Jen’s faith in God was at the center of her life, and her faith shone through everything she did. During her retirement, she loved volunteering with the Community Compassion Network Food Pantry, Operation Christmas Child, and Christmas Outreach of Isabella County. She was also a part of the Mt. Pleasant Community Church, where she continued spreading her passion for reading by volunteering at the church library. Serving her community meant so much to her.
Jen was upbeat and interested in everything and everyone. She had an amazing ability to listen to others and encourage them with her care. Unfailingly positive, her deep trust in God guided her through life’s ups and downs. Jen also had an endless love of learning and was always excited about what she was reading. She had a special knack with jigsaw puzzles, and she could turn a scrawny plant into one that was healthy and flourishing. She made and sent homemade cards, gave thoughtful, beautifully wrapped gifts, and enjoyed baking and cooking to bring encouragement and care to others. Jen had many close, long-time friends, and she loved to host them for book club, bridge, knitting, mah jongg, card games, and conversation—often accompanied by homemade Chex mix or caramel corn.
Jen was an incredible mother to her daughter, Kristin—she was loving, thoughtful, and always ready for a fun adventure. She cherished time spent with her family, whether traveling, camping, or celebrating holidays together. Jen had a gift for delighting in everyday family activities like enjoying a meal on the porch, playing board games, watching football, and baking. She also loved sharing time outdoors with her family, from bike rides to walks around the neighborhood and local parks. Jen was gentle, kind, joyful, and full of love—and dearly loved in return by her family, friends, students, and everyone who knew her.
Those left to honor Jen’s memory include her daughter Kristin (Matt) Dunker; sister Melissa DesJardin; brother Warren (Ellen) Schroeder; brother-in-law Daniel (Ann) Linsday; brother-in-law Thomas Linsday; sister-in-law Joyce Linsday; and many nephews, nieces, cousins, former students, and beloved friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Mike; parents-in-law Irving and Marie Linsday; brothers Carl and Bryant Schroeder; and brother-in-law David Linsday.
A Memorial Service for Jen will be held on Saturday, January 7, 2023, at 1 p.m. at Clark Family Funeral Chapel, 114 S. Bradley St., Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858. The family will receive friends the day of the service from 10:00 a.m. until the service begins at 1:00 p.m. A luncheon will immediately follow at Clark Family Funeral Chapel. All are invited to attend. Interment will take place at a later date at Riverside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Community Compassion Network Food Pantry of Mt. Pleasant. Envelopes will be available at the funeral chapel.
Jen was born on August 17, 1950, in Port Huron, Michigan, to Carl Schroeder (a boxcar inspector for the Grand Trunk Railroad) and Elaine (Sawdon) Schroeder (a homemaker). She spent her formative years in the quiet town of Marysville, Michigan, growing up with three older brothers and one younger sister. She spoke fondly of going to the neighborhood ice-skating pond each day after school during the winter months, and of summer picnics on the weekends at Marysville City Park with her extended family. She remembered dancing the twist and the mashed potato in the school cafeteria with her classmates every day after lunch. Jen graduated from Marysville High School with the Class of 1968.
After high school, Jen attended Bryan College in Tennessee for two years, and then while home for the summer and working at a factory job, she met the love of her life, Michael (Mike) Linsday. They were inseparable from the start, so she decided to stay in Michigan where the two of them chose to attend Central Michigan University together. Jen married Mike in Port Huron, Michigan, on August 12, 1972. Jen and Mike thought of each other as best friends and they were very happily married for forty-five years. She graduated from CMU in 1973 with a degree in Elementary Education. Later, while teaching, she went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Reading Education.
Jen spent her career as an elementary school teacher in the Mt. Pleasant Public Schools, teaching 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grades at Pullen, Vowles, and Fancher Elementary Schools. Jen was a beloved teacher, with a calm and gentle presence that always seemed to rub off on her students. She had a passion for reading that she happily passed on to them. Each day during story time with her class, she would try to end with a cliff-hanger so that her students would be eager to hear the story the next day. In 2006, many happy students later, Jen retired after 33 years of teaching, from a profession that brought her so much joy.
Jen’s faith in God was at the center of her life, and her faith shone through everything she did. During her retirement, she loved volunteering with the Community Compassion Network Food Pantry, Operation Christmas Child, and Christmas Outreach of Isabella County. She was also a part of the Mt. Pleasant Community Church, where she continued spreading her passion for reading by volunteering at the church library. Serving her community meant so much to her.
Jen was upbeat and interested in everything and everyone. She had an amazing ability to listen to others and encourage them with her care. Unfailingly positive, her deep trust in God guided her through life’s ups and downs. Jen also had an endless love of learning and was always excited about what she was reading. She had a special knack with jigsaw puzzles, and she could turn a scrawny plant into one that was healthy and flourishing. She made and sent homemade cards, gave thoughtful, beautifully wrapped gifts, and enjoyed baking and cooking to bring encouragement and care to others. Jen had many close, long-time friends, and she loved to host them for book club, bridge, knitting, mah jongg, card games, and conversation—often accompanied by homemade Chex mix or caramel corn.
Jen was an incredible mother to her daughter, Kristin—she was loving, thoughtful, and always ready for a fun adventure. She cherished time spent with her family, whether traveling, camping, or celebrating holidays together. Jen had a gift for delighting in everyday family activities like enjoying a meal on the porch, playing board games, watching football, and baking. She also loved sharing time outdoors with her family, from bike rides to walks around the neighborhood and local parks. Jen was gentle, kind, joyful, and full of love—and dearly loved in return by her family, friends, students, and everyone who knew her.
Those left to honor Jen’s memory include her daughter Kristin (Matt) Dunker; sister Melissa DesJardin; brother Warren (Ellen) Schroeder; brother-in-law Daniel (Ann) Linsday; brother-in-law Thomas Linsday; sister-in-law Joyce Linsday; and many nephews, nieces, cousins, former students, and beloved friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Mike; parents-in-law Irving and Marie Linsday; brothers Carl and Bryant Schroeder; and brother-in-law David Linsday.
A Memorial Service for Jen will be held on Saturday, January 7, 2023, at 1 p.m. at Clark Family Funeral Chapel, 114 S. Bradley St., Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858. The family will receive friends the day of the service from 10:00 a.m. until the service begins at 1:00 p.m. A luncheon will immediately follow at Clark Family Funeral Chapel. All are invited to attend. Interment will take place at a later date at Riverside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Community Compassion Network Food Pantry of Mt. Pleasant. Envelopes will be available at the funeral chapel.