Jane Anne Lalko

JANE ANNE LALKO

Jane Anne Lalko, 96, of Kingston died peacefully Wednesday, October 28, 2026 in Heritage Hill Assisted Living and Memory Care, Caro. She was born on October 26, 1930 in Cass City to Leo and Mary (McKenzie) Legg and lived her entire life in Kingston. She married Mike Lalko on July 22, 1950 in Sacred Heart Church, Caro. He died July 15, 1981.

Growing up in the Depression era was impactful in Jane Anne's life, shaping her no-nonsense attitude, work ethic, her value of family, friends, and community. She tells of her family getting through by canning vegetables and meats with her mother and her dad butchering chickens and livestock. She had some very unique experiences as she grew up: driving a tractor at age eight and regularly driving cars and trucks throughout the county before age fifteen, because her dad sold and traded used cars. Her love of teaching and volunteering, bloomed in her Senior year of high school, as she led a 4H group of girls, teaching them sewing and baking. After graduating from Kingston High School in 1949, she graduated from Tuscola County Teachers College a.k.a. County Normal. She taught in a one room school in Sanilac County in 1950. That same year she married a fellow Kingston schoolmate, Mike Lalko, and began raising a family that would grow to seven children. Dedicating many years to education, she worked as a teacher's aide at Highland Pines School in Caro until her retirement in 1992.

The Legg family's musical heritage rooted Jane Anne's lifelong love of music. She sang in the Methodist Church choir as a girl, played the sousaphone and baritone in high school and later, the accordion and piano, as well as supporting musical talent in her children. She served on the Kingston Village Council for twenty-eight years, actively contributed to the Kingston Days committee, and helped organize the annual parade. Before the decline in her health, she found great joy in knitting, sewing and baking.

Jane is survived by her children: Brenda Trimmer of Holly; Tim (Deena) Lalko of Mesa, AZ; Susan Dunham of Haslett; Marie (Sakari) Perttula of Belmont, Jenni (Daren) Kinder of Kingston; daughter-in-law, Terie Lalko; grandchildren: Anthony (Melissa) Trimmer, Aaron (Christin) Trimmer, Andrea Maynard, Michael Lalko, Andrew Lalko, Brianne (Jeffrey) Kemm, Brent (Sam) Ross, Mitchel Gomez, Brandon (Lauren) Stoddard, Katherine Stoddard and Ben McRae, Ashley Stoddard, Kaleigh Stoddard and Joel Spickerman, Joshua (Tessa) Campbell, Zachary (Alishia) Campbell, Tayler (Justin) Hill, Emilie Kinder, Evan (Lexie) Kinder; twenty one great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband; son, David Lalko; daughter, Nancy Gomez; sons-in-law, Christopher Trimmer, Richard Dunham; brother, Harland (Della) Legg; sister, Margie (Marvin) Kramer. The family extends heartfelt thanks to her home nursing assistant Mary Averill, the caring staff at Heritage Hill and to her exceptional Hospice nurse Heather Pemble from American Hospice Care.

Funeral service held 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 3, 2026 in Kingston Wesleyan Church with Pastor Len Wyatt officiating. In lieu of flowers, friends may remember Jane through a donation to Cass River Pet Friendz or Kingston Wesleyan Church. Interment will be in St. Michael Cemetery, Wilmot.

Visitation: 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday, November 2, 2026 in Kranz Funeral Home, Kingston

10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday, November 3, 2026 in Kingston Wesleyan Church

Arrangements by Kranz Funeral Home, Kingston