BEVERLY JANE SEBASTIAN, 79,

passed away peacefully in her home on Aug. 9, 2008.

She was born Oct. 16, 1928, in Albion, Mich. to Paul and Thelma Hawes. She married Virgil Sebastian on July 9, 1950, and they resided in Eaton Rapids, Mich. Their summers were spent at Duck Lake near Albion, where she taught swimming to hundreds of children over the years. Bridge Club with “the girls” was a regular pleasure of Bev’s for nearly 50 years and she always enjoyed a good game of golf.

Her professional life was spent as a teacher, secondary school counselor and guidance director for 27 years. After retirement in 1986, she and Virg moved to Green Valley, where Bev expanded her interests in the arts to become both a stained glass artisan and designer of gold and silver jewelry.

Her community and career related activities included: member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority, past president of Eaton Rapids Education Assoc., MSCA-ACT Advisory Committee, Area Personnel and Guidance Assoc. Board member, Eaton Rapids City Planning Commission, Duck Lake Assoc. Board of trustees, State of Michigan Curriculum Committee for Guidance and MEA, NEA, MAARSP, University of Michigan Alumni Assoc. life member.

Scholastic honoraries include: Pi Lambda Theta, Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Beta Kappa. Her college degrees include a Bachelor of Science from the University of Michigan, a Master of Arts and Educational Specialists from Michigan State University.

She was preceded in death in February 1997, by her husband Virg.

She is survived by one sister Frances (Tom) Fletcher of Clearwater, Fla.; and daughters Jeri (Charles) Zimmerman of Sparta, Mich. and Jody (Scott) Hodges of Sahuarita. Also surviving are grandchildren Alison (Tom) Yother of Lawrence, Kan., Evan Space of Grand Rapids, Mich., Jay Seeley (Heather Breeding) of Cumming, Ga., Jennifer (Eric) Christiansen of Newport News, Va. and Katherine Seeley of Sahuarita; as well as great-grandchildren Sidney, Russell, Abigail, Rainer and Beck.

Our mother’s love and generosity touched so many. She will be greatly missed by all her family and friends.

There will be a funeral service on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008, at Valley Presbyterian Church, 2800 Camino del Sol in Green Valley. Viewing will be from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. with the funeral service immediately following at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to Myelodysplastic Syndrome Foundation or the Arthritis Foundation.