Barbara "Jean" Sarginson-Demayer

Barbara “Jean” Sarginson-DeMayer age 84 died Saturday, September 19, 2020 after a life of loving and giving.   Jean was a lover of all people and beautiful things.  Jean was born on February 29, 1936 in Allendale, Illinois to Ansyle Merle McGurck and Nannie Beryl (Decker) McGurck.  As a child she lived in several places and attended multiple schools as her father was a millwright and the family moved frequently.  She graduated from Fort Wayne (Indiana) Central High School in 1954.   While at Central High School she met Bruce Alan Kryder and they were married in Fort Wayne in January 1956.  This union was blessed with two children, Kay Jean, and Kevin Bruce. The family lived in Fort Wayne and then Indianapolis, Indiana.  In 1967, with a few things in a trailer and the back seat of her Corvair full, Jean moved with Kay and Kevin, the cat and the dog, to Flint, Michigan to be closer to her mom, dad and sister. With her children to support, Jean took a job at the City of Flint, Michigan where she remained employed for the next 25 years.  She retired in 1993 as a Supervisor in the Water Department.  During this time, she also attended Mott Community College, and she proudly purchased a small home on Mackin Road. Life was not easy as a single woman and parent in the late 1960’s and 1970’s,  but Jean  remained steadfast to her core values and instilled in her children that their worth and ability to be tactful, compassionate and humble human beings was not tied to their economical status.  Her children had to learn at an early age that self-reliance and responsibility were key factors in a successful life, and she was proud that they both grew to be successful adults.  In September 1977 she took another chance at love and married Kenneth Sarginson.  This marriage was full of love, politics and adventure as Ken was a Flint City Councilman and Jean loved being the “First Lady” of the Eighth Ward. She was heartbroken when he died in November 1995.   Jean and Ken were building a new home in Linden, Michigan when she once again found herself alone.  Not one to rest, she immediately got involved in politics in Linden. She served as a Councilwomen on the Linden City Council for 8 years and was Linden’s Citizen of the Year in 2003.  In addition, she was a charter member for the Loose Senior Center in Linden.  During this time, for 8 years, she worked at JC Penney selling fine jewelry.  This was the perfect job for her as she loved people and beautiful things!  In 2002 she was jogging several miles a day and usually ended up at Shirley’s Restaurant for breakfast and a time for kibitzing with the people of Linden - many of whom she knew.  She loved to talk about the stock market with one Linden man particularly - Ted DeMayer   Ted entered her life at an age when she least expected to fall in love once again.  But fall in love they did.  Jean and Ted were married in September 2002. Ted had recently built a large home on McCaslin Lake, and it desperately needed decorating, and Jean was just the lady to do it!  Jean and Ted lived in the lake house for several years until it just became too much for them to maintain and the decision to move to the Shiawassee Shores Community was made in 2011.  Jean and Ted were parishioners at the Linden United Methodist Church and loved sponsoring and presenting spaghetti dinners which raised funds for new carpeting throughout the church.  2017 was a tough year as Ted’s health failed and Jean once again found herself alone. With her own health issues increasing, the decision was made in 2018 to move closer to her daughter Kay.  Jean moved into an assisted living facility where she loved to play the piano, which she did completely without the benefit of reading music. She could not read music but played beautifully by ear. She easily made friends and was warmly embraced by the people of the Erie United Methodist Church and Erie, Michigan community.   Jean was deeply loved and will be greatly missed by her daughter Kay (William J. Axel II) Axel, son Kevin (Valerie) Kryder, grandchildren Amber (Erick) Johnson, Brent (Rachel) Kryder, Kyle Axel, great-grandsons, Abel Johnson and Maxwell Kryder, kitty Bootsie, and countless friends.   Jean was preceded in death by her parents, husbands Ken and Ted, sister Mary Joan Craig, brother-in-law Lawrence P. Craig, grandson William John Axel IV and nephew Lawrence T. Craig.  Funeral services will be held 1 PM Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at Sharp Funeral Homes, Fenton Chapel, 1000 W. Silver Lake Rd., Fenton, MI 48430. Interment will follow at Crestwood Cemetery, Grand Blanc. Visitation will be held from 11 AM - 1 PM Wednesday at the funeral home. Gifts in memory may be made to Linden Firefighters Association,132 E Broad St, Linden, MI 48451.  Due to COVID 19 a funeral dinner cannot be held.  The family encourages those who loved Jean to instead spend some extra time with your own families, remembering that life is short, and you should never miss an opportunity to express love for others. Tributes may be shared at www.sharpfuneralhomes.com.