Shelley G. Lamper Obituary

A memorial visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Joldersma & Klein Funeral Home, 917 S. Burdick St., Kalamazoo. Memorial contributions may be made to Kalamazoo Animal Rescue, in c/o the funeral home. Friends my leave a condolence message for the family at http://www.joldersma-klein.com.

Born July 31, 1958, In Lansing, Michigan. She passed unexpectedly on October 22, 2025, at the age of 67.

Shelley travelled around the world with her family in 1967. She lived in India for a year, where she attended third grade.

Shelley with her family visited Japan, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jerusalem, Egypt, Greece, Germany, England, France, Denmark, Amsterdam, Rome, Hong Kong, Kashmir, Nepal, and the Netherlands. She also travelled to numerous states around the U.S.

She attended college in Tempe Arizona for one year after graduating from Kalamazoo Central High School in 1976.

She dropped out of college and hitch-hiked around the United States for a year, ending up in California before returning home.

Sadly, mental illness took her mind in her mid 20's which is unfortunate because she was so wise and intelligent beyond her years.

She lived independently for several years before moving to adult foster care.

She always loved her cats, even as a small child. They meant so much to her. She loved to write in her journal and wrote many poems she hoped to publish some day. She wanted desperately to get a job and be independent. Sadly, her illness precluded her from doing that.

She loved her family, nieces and nephews, grand nieces and nephews, dearly. She loved hearing stories about them and always begged to see pictures. Despite her illness, she laughed often and was truly a kind and gentle soul. She will be sorely missed.

She was preceded in death her mother, Patricia Louise Lamper; father, Neil Lamper; and brother, Mark Lamper.

She is survived by her twin sister, Stacey Lamper McFall (Gary McFall), Valerie Lamper, Kim O'Black (Brad Zeerip), and numerous nieces and nephews.