Obituary of Jeanne Audrey Rorrer

Jeanne Audrey Rorrer, age 88, passed away peacefully in her sleep on September 10, 2024.  She was born on July 10, 1936 in Muskegon, Michigan to the late Francis and Dorthy Wilde (Nash) of Muskegon, Michigan. 

Jeanne was a mother, wife, teacher, and minister of Christian faith, and will be missed dearly. 

Jeanne grew up in Muskegon, Michigan, and graduated from Muskegon Heights High School in 1954, where she became fluent in Latin and was a champion on the debate team.  She attended Muskegon Community College, and then earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education at Michigan State University in 1958.  When completing her teacher training, she met Charles Edwin Rorrer.  Jeanne and Charles were married in 1959, and then moved to Bay City, Michigan to begin their life together.  

Jeanne was an elementary school teacher in Bay City for 30 years.  Most notably, she was the fifth-grade teacher at Edison School, the historic four-room schoolhouse in Bangor Township, where she introduced students to the ideals of civic duty.  Every June, she took her class on a field trip to the State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, where students met with legislators, and many times, the Governor. Jeanne had a smooth, calming voice, and recorded books on tape for the blind in her spare time. 

After retirement, Jeanne combined her love of teaching and her love of God to run the “Tons of Fun” program at the First United Methodist Church on Wenona Street in Bay City.  Under Jeanne’s compassionate leadership, this after-school program grew and served hundreds of children, particularly from underserved communities in Bay City, from 1991 to 2011.   Jeanne kept the kids busy and engaged with educational games and art projects, and kept them happy and fed with sloppy joes and hot dogs.  Jeanne was truly blessed by her faith community at First Church (Bay City, UMC), where her warmth brought her many friends with whom she loved spending time, including David Studniarz, Mikki Campbell, and Rev. Anthony Cutting. 

Jeanne is survived by her husband of 65 years, Charles Rorrer; sons, Gregory (Kristin) Rorrer and Geoff Rorrer; grandchildren, Chris Rorrer and Julie (Kyle Diederichsen) Rorrer. 

Jeanne’s family would like to thank the caregivers at Sheffield Bay Memory Care Facility - Bay City, for taking care of Jeanne over the past two years. The family encourages those who are planning an expression of sympathy to consider memorial contributions in Jeanne’s memory to Cardinal Hospice, 6907 Westside Saginaw Road, Bay City, MI, 48706. To sign online guestbook, visit www.cremationsocietymidmi.com  Arrangements made with the Cremation Society of Mid Michigan.

 

 

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