Shirley Ann Laya

Shirley Ann Laya, 89 of Caseville, passed away Monday, February 17, 2025 at Bay View Gardens in Sebewaing.

Shirley was born September 29, 1935 in Detroit to the late Henry and Genevieve (Hertoghs) Hammerle.  In 1954 she graduated from St. Mary High School in Detroit.  She married Ralph Laya on August 16, 1958 at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Detroit; he preceded her in death on May 22, 2012.

She worked for 5 years at the Dominican Literacy Center before working at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Bloomfield Hills, retiring in 1997.  In 2005 she and her husband moved from St. Clair Shores to Sand Point.  She was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish.  She enjoyed reading, gardening and lunches out with her widows group.

Shirley is survived by her children Gregory of Ohio, Patricia Zajdel of Troy, Rochelle (Vincent) Deane of Sterling Heights and Karen (Robert) Roock of Dearborn; granddaughter Jade Roock; sister Therese Hammerle of St. Clair Shore and brother Robert (Molly) Hammerle of Franklin.  She was preceded in death by her grandson Robert Beck and son-in-law Edward Zajdel.

A funeral mass will be at 1:00pm Thursday, February 20th at St. Roch Catholic Church with Fr. George Amos presiding.  Interment will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Hart, Michigan.  Visitation will begin at Noon and continue until the time of mass.  Champagne Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements.

Memorials may be made to Bay View Gardens Assisted Living or Heartland Hospice.