John "Jack" A. Thering

John Jack Aloysius Thering, 74, of Mt. Pleasant, went to be with God on March 12, 2015. The family will receive friends at Charles R. Lux Family Funeral Home on Monday from 2-8 p.m. with the Vigil beginning at 7 p.m. Visitation continues at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Tuesday beginning at 10 a.m. A Funeral Mass for Jack will begin at 11 a.m. with Father Loren Kalinowski presiding and Deacon Larry Fussman assisting. The committal and military honors will be held at Calvary Cemetery. Friends and family are invited to a luncheon at Charles R. Lux Family Funeral Home immediately following. Memorial contributions may be made to the wishes of the family. Envelopes are available at the funeral home. Jack was born on June 24, 1940 in Mt. Pleasant, son of the late Elmer and Ann (McDonald) Thering, the fifth of nine children. Upon graduation from Beal City in in 1958 Jack joined the U.S. Army, where he was stationed at Ladd Air Force base in Fairbanks, Alaska as a military police officer from 1959-1961. On September 28, 1963, he married his beloved wife, Connie Elaine Hall at Sacred Heart Church. Jack and Connie shared 51 years of marriage and had four children: Shelly, Brian, Suzie, and Rick. The loss of his young son, Brian, to leukemia at age four, gave Jack a great understanding of the importance of family, especially children. Jack worked for Total Refinery in Alma until his retirement in 1998. His retirement was spent driving a school bus for Shepherd Public Schools as well as caretaking at Calvary Cemetery. He enjoyed spending his summers in Ludington at Kibby Creek Campground, where he made many friends of all ages. His hobbies included fishing on Lake Michigan and singing little ditties. Jacks biggest joy was his 10 grandchildren. He is survived by his wife, Connie; children, Shelly (Russell) Rau of Holly, Suzanne Blake of Mt. Pleasant, and Rick (Jami) Thering of Dimondale; grandchildren, Krystal (Richard) Goss, Jacob (Helen) Rau, Melissa (Alex) Gollin, Noah Rau, Brian Thering, Samantha Blake, Alanah Rau, Brett Blake, Tanner Thering, and Sophia Blake; siblings, Mary Lou (Lyle) Willoughby of Shepherd, Sam (Paula) Thering of Mt. Pleasant, Tom (Ellie) Thering of Mecosta, Jean (Russ) Messersmith of Grand Rapids, Jim (Sarah) Thering of Mt. Pleasant, Elizabeth Miller of Grayslake, IL, and Pat Thering of Mt. Pleasant; parents-in-law, John and Ellen Hall; sisters-in-law, Rosemarie Thering of Elsie; and many nieces and nephews. Jack was preceded in death by his parents; son, Brian; and brother, Joseph.