Rev. Jack L. Savage

Rev. Jack L. Savage, age 84 of Sanford, passed away Thursday, December 26, 2019 at the Toni and Trish House with his family by his side. Jack was born in Vassar, Michigan October 29, 1935. During the summer of 1945, his mother, the former Thelma Smith and his step-father, Warren Savage, moved to Omer, Michigan. Jack entered the Arenac Eastern School system and graduated with honors in 1953.

During his senior year, Jack applied for and was awarded a scholarship to attend the University of Michigan's survey school located in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Upon Completion of the course, Jack was guaranteed employment with M.D.O.T., the Michigan Department of Transportation.

In the fall of 1953, Jack was elected to attend Bay City Junior College, now Delta. Following completion of his freshman year, he accepted a position with M.D.O.T. and was stationed in Monroe, Michigan working on the construction of I-75. During his twelve years with M.D.O.T., Jack pursued an undergraduate degree and received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Detroit.

Jack had always been very active in the Episcopal Church. At the age of thirty, he entered graduate school at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. He graduated from Bexley Hall Seminary and was ordained Deacon in June of 1968. He then was ordained as Priest in January of 1969. His ministry began as assistant Rector at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Livonia, Michigan. While serving at St. Andrews, his primary obligation was to establish a new congregation located in southwest Livonia. The Church of the Holy Spirit opened in July of 1969. In 1974, Jack was elected Rector of St. James' in Detroit, serving there for three years.

Following his tenure at St. James', Jack was hired as the Assistant Construction Superintendent of Fairlane Town Center, a 1,600,000 sq. ft. mall in Dearborn, Michigan. Upon its opening in 1979, Jack was named the Assistant Manager of the complex.

On February 1, 1986, Jack married the former Janice Higgs in Omer, Michigan. After 32 years of marriage, she preceded him in death on September 21, 2018.

During the years he was not a full time Rector of a parish, Jack served many other congregations as a supply Priest, filling in at churches that currently had no Priest. While serving that capacity at St. Margaret's in Hazel Park, he was elected to Rector of that parish. After serving that congregation for three years, he and his family moved north to Midland and was employed with Spicer Group, an engineering firm in Saginaw.

The remaining years of his life were spent joyfully assisting his wife in the operation of her licensed home Day Care. He loved working with children.

Jack is survived by his three children, Yvonne Kiernan of Howell, Dawn Carey of Dexter, and Jeffrey Savage of Fenton; two step children, Thomas Richards of Hemlock and Suzanne Marshall of Sanford; eight grandchildren, three step grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral services for Jack will be conducted at 1:00 pm on Saturday, January 11, 2020 from St. John's Episcopal Church in Midland. His ashes will then be placed in the columbarium located in the court yard of the church. Memorial contributions in Jack's name may be offered to the Toni and Trish House. Arrangements are under the care of the Wilson MILLER Funeral Home. Personal messages of condolence may be left for the family at www.wilson-miller.com.