Jayne Stalzer Guy

Jayne “Nana” Stalzer Guy (nee Mordue), born Aug. 24, 1938, passed on April 1, 2023.

Heaven got a good one in this lady; she will leave a hole in our hearts that can’t be filled.

Jayne will be missed every day by her devoted dog, Cody, and three children, Devon Booth McDonald (Thomas), Kym LaDow Hackle (Gary) and Mitchell Stalzer.

She also will be reunited in Heaven with her son, Mark (Renee Swallow); sons-in -laws, Thomas and Gary; brother, George; and loving husband, John “Pap-pap.”

She was “Nana” to Mark and Jen, Kyle and Rachel, Shay and Dave, Shawn and Elora, Shalimar and Scotty, Randy, Jeffrey and Jessica, Brittany, and Ashlee and Phil. Sister, aunt, friend, and all-around amazing person to everyone.

Nana was born in Cleveland, to amazing parents, Florence “Furry” (nee Fenn) and Thomas “Pa” Mordue. In 1973, she moved from the city and bought her forever home in the Geauga County countryside. She was, however, met with bees, poison ivy, mice and raccoons in her chimney. Regardless, she loved her home and gardens.

Whether you called her “Nana” or “Mom” or “Jayne,” she had a beautiful welcoming smile and infectious laugh that instantly made people love her. She was always up for an adventure.  Whether it was stuffing a llama in her Blazer, watching nine grandchildren for “cousins” night, sawing and painting 7-foot tall plywood float characters, road trip to pick up rescue dogs or see family, there was nothing she wouldn’t try to tackle.

But Nana didn’t stop there. She did face painting at carnivals, rock painting at park events, sewed up dog-chewed quilts, repaired jean blowouts repeatedly and dressed up as a witch, clown and Easter Bunny for holidays and events.

Nana was a huge fan of scrabble, pinochle, one set-one run, sudukos, jumbles, canasta, crosswords, 1500-piece puzzles — and always a riot on “game night.”

She also kept busy with quilting, reading, composting, crocheting, gardening, burning in her fire pit, bible studies, shooting, talking for hours on the phone, making paper mâché piñatas, going to the movie theatres and getting popcorn, painting water colors on rocks and canvases, dancing to Thriller, playing leader of the laundromat, ringing the cow bell at sporting events, going to concerts and ball games, listening to music, hosting holiday ornament/cookie parties and any and all movies especially Hallmark Christmas shows.

Nana was a homebody at heart, but one thing she always did was go traveling to see her daughter Devon who was in the Navy. Nana went to as many of the places Devon was stationed for visits with her daughter and grandchildren: Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Virginia, North Carolina. Devon and Nana even took a cross country trip to California. As long as you kept Nana in Klondikes, she could ride in a car forever.

Always busy in her younger years, too, you would find her hiking, watching her grandkids’ sports, fishing, painting ceramics, roller skating, playing ping pong and pool, bowling, playing volleyball with “the club,” swimming in her “green pool,” turkey shoots and target shooting, and taking the grandkids to the zoo, Pioneer, or Geauga Lake, going to auctions and flea markets, or visiting with Pa, Fur and Pebs.

Many of her grandkids lived with her for short periods during their childhood and adult lives, and had a hoot with Nana. Her children remember her french fries by the tons, vats of tapioca pudding, chili, potch, stuffed peppers, turkey stew with “rock” biscuits, pretzel salad, buffalo chicken dip and broccoli salad. But don’t ask her to make a roast – it was dry as burnt toast.

She had a wide range of jobs in her life. She worked at Baker Drug, was a realtor and real estate broker, had line jobs at Stouffer’s, Mr. Coffee and Newbury Rubber. She even worked one summer at Geauga Lake.

The job she liked best is where she helped people as a home health care aide. She did great work and met so many awesome people. She also helped her family with many of their rehab needs and was caregiver to her mother and husband.

Another one of her favorite jobs was working with her daughter Kym at Nalco and Howard Hanna, filing and making calls and helping with open houses.

She would paint on anything, logs, rocks, suitcases, saws, cypress knees, dowels or spindles.  She would set up booths at shows and sell these amazing pieces with the help of her husband and children. She was also very proud of herself for finishing her high school and getting her GED.

She found religion late in life, got baptized and became a member of Parkside Church. She loved listening to Alistair Begg, befriending people who sat alone, and the beautiful concerts they hosted. Her children joked anytime she “lost her way” by telling her she was not being very Christian — we would laugh and try to be nicer.

Nana made you try to be a better, more giving and caring person.

During her last months, Nana was always saying how good God was and how lucky she was with her life and wonderful family. She said the biggest joys of her life were her children and her grandchildren. She had a heart of gold and will be forever missed.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, April 11, 2023, from 6-8 p.m., at Burr Funeral Home, 116 South St., Chardon.

ABSOLUTELY NO FLOWERS! Give instead to Nana’s favorite charity, Back Streets Rescue, 772 S. Spruce, Jefferson, OH  44047.

Cookies or snacks at calling hours are welcome also. Come chat and tell us a funny Nana story.  Or just be nice to someone and think of Nana.

Arrangements made by Burr Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Chardon. Information and condolences online at www.burrservice.com.