Jana L. Kurrle Obituary

On September 22, 2021, Jana Kurrle strode through the final door, and with a Miller Lite in hand and a smile on her face, she paused to assess the atmosphere. Tragically, she noticed a serious problem: The jukebox wasn't playing.

Well that's bullsh*t, she thought. Feels like walking into a funeral! Clearly this place was in desperate need of her presence. And fortunately for all, she brought some change with her.

As is Jana's style, there was no time to be wasted. She had places to be, people to see, and lost time to make up for. So after queueing up enough feel-good tunes to last a Cavalier Friday Night, she beelined to that table that caught her eye as she was walking in. The one with all the familiar faces.

Choosing where to sit was a no-brainer. She'd sit next to her husband Doug, same as usual. As she placed her beer on the table and made herself comfortable for what felt like the first time in years, she exchanged jubilant tidings with many of her friends who had been patiently awaiting her arrival. (Far too many, if you ask her.)

One by one, Jana went around the table and greeted the people she had missed so dearly since their last farewell. Then, when she came face to face with her other soulmates and lifelong friends, Mary and Bob Hudecek (who had been waiting a long time for their fourth Bridge player to show up!), for once she was at a loss for words. She started to feel whole again.

As she finally turned to Doug, elation filled her soul. Time seemed to stall, and for a moment, their reunion was all that existed. But even the tears couldn’t prevent her from noticing that smug look he gets when he's gearing up to crack a joke. "What's that look for!" she jabbed, but she knew exactly what that look was for. (God, how she missed this.)

He leaned back in his chair, folded his hands in his lap, and the table went quiet in anticipation of the inevitable punchline.

"A whole year? What took you so long?" he asked. "Mine was less than a day!"

A wave of laughter erupted, and so the night began. The party had finally arrived.

***

Jana's journey began on a farm in Homer, MI, where her parents Rachel and Howard Huffman raised her and her four brothers, Alan (Corlinda), Damon (Anna), Kevin (Debra), and Jaimie (Alma). These four brothers, along with Meridith Thompson (once a Sister-in-Law, always a Sister-in-Law), blessed Jana with many Nieces and Nephews, who in turn gifted her with many Great Nieces and Nephews. To continue the party down here on Earth, Jana also leaves behind her daughter Heather (David) Kirk, son Tim Kurrle, son Ronnie Hath, and Grandchildren Taylor (Andrea), Riley (Serena), Connor, Marlon, Hunter, and Rachel.

Jana’s career and lifelong passion for helping others began at Corunna High School, where she was a phenomenal teacher of U.S. Government. Coasting in her class was unacceptable; her students learned from the best not only how to be a good citizen, but a good person as well. They took field trips to City Hall to learn how to vote, governed model countries to understand the value of negotiation and diplomacy, and not a student would pass her class without memorizing the National Anthem.

Upon graduating from Cooley Law School, Jana became the first female attorney in Shiawassee County. (Or so we hear... she never talked about her accomplishments.) She became a breaker of glass ceilings long before female empowerment was cool; she was a county commissioner, member of too many boards to list, and frequently found herself leading a variety of charity efforts.

Jana co-founded S.O.S. (Support Our Seniors), a collective of incredible people dedicated to raising money throughout the year to purchase, package, and deliver food and personal care items to seniors in need in Shiawassee County. For as long as anybody can remember, she would often meet and befriend seniors who didn’t have many people left, and she’d naturally become a part of their family.

Her competitive spirit was fundamental to who she was. Jana spent some of the best nights of her life with her friends and family shooting pool and playing shuffleboard. She’d never turn down an opportunity for sport, and there wasn’t a bar game she couldn’t champion. Though she was a horrible golfer, she’d frequently go with Doug and her friends because she could never stand to miss a good time.

Anyone who knew her knew she was the life of the party. She and Doug co-owned the Cavalier Bar & Grill in Corunna, MI as well as DJ’s Stationhouse in Owosso, MI. She thrived around people, and people thrived around her. She could walk into a room full of strangers, but by the end of the night, it was a room full of friends. A natural DJ herself, she wanted the music loud, the dance floor big, and no matter where she went, fun wasn’t far behind.

Although she leaves the world a little dimmer, we hope that her lessons of love, kindness, and joy will be carried on by all of us so that her light can continue to shine.

If you are inclined to make a memorial contribution, some of Jana’s favorites were: Council on Aging, Capital Area Community Services, The Humane Society, The Arc of Shiawassee, and Respite.

Please join us in having one last party for Jana on Friday October 22, 2021 at The Z Hall, 1775 Owosso Avenue, Owosso MI. (We’d be in big trouble if it wasn’t a party...) Doors open at 5:30 PM, Dinner at 6:00 PM, a formal tribute to Jana at 7:00 PM, and then enjoying the rest of the night celebrating the irreplaceable Mom, Grandma, Sister, Aunt, and Friend we knew as Jana Kurrle.