Kay Alyce Shane

Kay Alyce Shane (née Taylor), age 89, passed peacefully on October 9, 2025, at the home of her daughter Katherine Smith (Edward V. III) in Alto, Michigan.
Kay Taylor was born in Danville, Illinois, on May 9, 1936, to Edythe Wyatt (née Hopkins) and Clyde Everett Taylor. She grew up in Danville and was a graduate of Danville High School, class of 1954. She was very proud of her high school choir Christmas concerts, as she got to stand at the top of the Christmas tree since she was the shortest in her class. She went to Lynchburg College, in Lynchburg, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts, major in History, class of 1960. She was a soprano and was active in the concert choir, the Lynchburg College Touring Choir, business club, dramatics, Kappa Omega Phi (leadership honor society for women), and forensic club. She performed in choir, solo and duet concerts. She also performed with a theater group in Williamsburg in several shows.
She worked in Colonel Williamsburg, in Williamsburg, Virginia, as a research assistant. Then, in March 1962, she was fixed up on a blind date with Kenneth A. Shane, from Winnetka, Illinois. Kay and Ken were married June 1, 1963, at Christ Church, Danville, Illinois, and were blessed with 59 years of marriage.
Kay and Ken started their family in Evanston, Illinois. They moved to Sturgis, Michigan, in the summer of 1970. They joined the Newcomers Couples Club and met lifelong friends. Kay went back to school in 1977 at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education in 1979. She became a student and substitute teacher at Sturgis High School and Sturgis Junior High School. Then she started teaching 7th & 8th grade English and history at Holy Angels School, Sturgis, Michigan, in 1979. Kay retired from teaching in 2002 after 23 years. Kay influenced many of her students' lives.
She taught voice lessons at home for several years. She taught and directed children's theater from 1975 to 1990, at the Sturges-Young Auditorium, Sturgis, Michigan, including her children and many others.
Kay sang in the First Presbyterian Church choir, Sturgis, Michigan, for many years. She also sang at many weddings for family and friends. The last wedding she sang at was for her niece at the International Peace Garden, as she stood with one foot in North Dakota and one foot in Manitoba, Canada! Kay was the Vocal Director and performed in the musical 1776, presented by the City of Sturgis, at the Sturges-Young Auditorium. She laughed about the 1776 program where someone thought she played cello, and she said, "With these short legs!" She also performed in Arsenic and Old Lace at the Sturges-Young Auditorium.
Kay learned how to swim when she was 40 years old, at the Sturgis Community Pool. Kay was an avid reader and bridge player. She loved playing games with Ken, especially Scrabble, and her family and friends. She also took golf lessons and played on a women's league for a few years. Kay started her favorite hobby, quilting, after her children graduated high school and made many beautiful quilts over the years. She didn't know a quilt shop she didn't love, especially Shipshewana, Indiana.
Kay was a very proud mother; she went to every musical, dance recital, choir, band, and orchestra concerts, marching band performances, she volunteered as a band parent, and every sports event. She took the family on many trips, around Lake Michigan, out West in 1977, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio, King's Island, Cincinnati, Ohio, Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan, to relatives in Illinois and North Carolina, to family reunions, and a trip around Lake Superior to her brother family's cabins in Canada.
Kay was a very proud grandma and attended every party, sports game, concert, graduations, and truly loved spending time with family and friends at Omena Lake and family reunions. She took her grandchildren on several trips.
Kay and, the love of her life, Ken enjoyed traveling to many places in the U.S., Canada (Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia), Mexica (Cancun, Playa Del Carmen) and Dominican Republic.
She is survived by children: daughter Katherine Smith (Edward V. III) of Alto, Michigan; daughter Keri Shane of Evanston, Illinois; and son Kirby Shane of Dewitt, Michigan; and grandchildren Joseph Smith (Kyle Avink) and Bridgette Smith (Raphaela Varella), Taylor Shane, and Payton Shane; brother Todd (Marilyn) Taylor; and other relatives; she was an aunt to 15 nieces and nephews and a great aunt to 28 nieces and nephews and a great-great aunt to over 20 nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth A. Shane; parents, Clyde Everett Taylor and Edythe Wyatt (née Hopkins) Taylor; husband older brothers Royal W. Taylor and Dayton D. Taylor; older twin infant sisters; older sister Joy A. (née Taylor) Wakeland.
In accordance with her wishes, cremation has taken place. A gathering of family and friends to honor and celebrate the life of Kay A. Shane will be held from 4:00 – 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at the Hackman Chapel of Hackman Family Funeral Homes, 114 S. Nottawa St. in Sturgis.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests those wishing to make a memorial donation in Mrs. Shane's memory consider the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. We encourage relatives and friends to share memories and condolences at www.hackmanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.