Yvonne Hankerd

Hankerd, Yvonne

Age 94, passed away peacefully on Friday, November 26, 2021. Yvonne was born on December 20, 1926 in Lapeer, Michigan to Max and Catherine Mygrants. She was the youngest of three children. Her two older siblings, Don Mygrants and Joan Custer, preceded her in death.

Yvonne married the late Theodore Hankerd in 1949 with five children born from this union including Linda Hankerd, Rhonda (Richard) Branch, Kathleen Ahlstedt, John (Mary) Hankerd and Tom Hankerd. She was also a grandmother to six children and great grandmother to five. Yvonne married the late William Ruede Sr. in 1997 after the passing of Theodore in 1986.

After graduating from Jackson High School in 1944, Yvonne held many jobs including working on the assembly line at Spartan Electronics and as a bookkeeper for both a small accounting firm and Family Service & Children's Aid - Jackson.

A dedicated Christian, Yvonne was also active in the community, regularly serving as a volunteer for Jackson Catholic school system. She helped create the Development Department at Lumen Christi High School, which promoted the school and helped keep tuition affordable.

Yvonne was forced to take on significant responsibility at an early age as her mother died when she was only 12. She was a happy, tough-minded and upbeat individual who seemed to always focus on the good in someone or something. Yvonne consistently took an interest in the well-being of others and routinely saw life's obstacles as true opportunities for growth. She lived life with contagious joy and optimism. She was a dear friend, mentor and inspiration to many.

Yvonne loved to engage in the comradery of others and was always up for a competitive game of Euchre. She was adventurous and loved to travel, to see and experience new people and places. Yvonne also loved nature and was highly artistic. Her spirit and humanity will be missed greatly.

The Mass of Christian Burial and celebration of Yvonne's life will be held on Saturday, June 11, 2022 at 11:00 AM at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church with Msgr. Bernard Reilly and Father James Shaver officiating.

Contributions to Jackson Catholic Schools/Lumen Christi or the Alzheimer's/Dementia Association would be appreciated.

Desnoyer Funeral Home
Family Owned for 132 Years