Essie Claudeen Adrian

With an indomitable spirit and generous heart, Essie Claudeen Adrian lived a life rich in family and friends. Essie never shied from a challenge and always welcomed the opportunity to support others. Whether sharing her gardens' harvest, a home-cooked meal, her sewing skills, a listening ear, or her expertise, Essie led with her heart in all things. She welcomed each day as a gift and always looked for ways to lighten people's burdens. In these ways, she proved a powerful role model for all who were blessed to know her. A devoted daughter, sister, mother, wife, grandmother, and friend, Essie will long be remembered and deeply missed.

Essie was born on June 18, 1940, in Oklahoma. She was raised by her mother until she was three, when her mother met her future husband, Mitchell, who loved Essie as his own. Her parents had three more children together, and Essie became a proud big sister to Charlotte, Harold, and Becky. She was known by her family as “Dinky” or “Dean” growing up. Essie’s parents worked hard picking cotton in the fields of Arkansas and when Essie was 12, the family moved from Arkansas to Kalamazoo for better job opportunities.

After moving to Kalamazoo, she enrolled in the Harding School which is now part of Bronson Hospital ‘s campus. She often told the story of how this is when she found out her first name was really Essie, not her middle name, Claudeen.

Essie made many great memories growing up downtown Kalamazoo and loved driving around the city recalling how things “used to be”, often mentioning her first job at the Uptown Theater.

Essie attended Kalamazoo Central High school through her junior year. In 1958, she married Winfred Steward and shared 16 years together. They had three children whom she loved dearly. She was an amazing Mom. As an adult, Essie worked at Kalamazoo Sled Company, making sleds until she became a stay-at-home mom. She ‘threw’ steel while working at The Sled Company and as a result had ‘Popeye’ arms; something her kids used to tease her about.

Much of Essie's time during these years was spent gardening with her mother and children. They had multiple gardens between her home on Virginia Ave. and Cooper Township. All summer long they worked using her pickup truck, which she affectionately named Lizzy, to move their supplies and goods. Many great memories were made with her children and family during the gardening season: Whether it was picking fruit and stopping at the Root Beer stand afterwards, playing with their cousins, and at times, piling all the neighborhood kids in the back of her pickup to go to Gull Lake to swim. Essie and her mother, fondly known as "Momo" by all, canned much of the food they grew, often times staying up late into the night to do so.

She loved having Stanley Home Products parties and socializing with her friends. She also developed a talent for finding treasures at garage sales throughout the summer.

In midlife, she made an effort to find her biological father, Claude Cooper. He soon bought a Greyhound ticket and arrived in Michigan to see his oldest daughter. He was so happy to meet her again. During that visit, she found out she had three half siblings; Lee, Charles and Claudia. She was happy to connect and establish relationships with them. Sadly, all of her half siblings on her father’s side preceded her in death.

After becoming a single parent, Essie returned to school earning her high school diploma. She then attended and graduated from Parsons Business College. While working as an unpaid intern at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM), she was offered a full-time job. She accepted the position and worked for BCBSM nearly 30 years before retiring. Not long after starting, her office was informed that effective immediately, the Kalamazoo office would close. If employees still wanted a job, they would need to transfer to the Lansing office. In response to the unexpected news, she along with others contacted the UAW and actively helped organize BCBSM. Essie became a strong voice in negotiating fair contracts throughout her tenure. In her last five years at BCBSM, she proudly served as the president of her local union.

In time, Essie found love and married Jay W. Adrian, who gave her 10 wonderful years before he suffered a fatal heart attack. Jay was a semi driver for Parker Hannifin, and proudly named his rig Miss Essie, which he had painted on the side of the truck. Whether, it was spending time at their property near Hardy Dam, traveling the coast of Michigan on their Harley Electra Glide or fishing in Saginaw Bay on the weekends, he made sure they had a wonderful life together. Essie’s Mom often joined them on the boat where they would stay up all night catfishing. A true love story: Jay gave Essie wonderful memories and cherished her. She often said she wished she had run away with him the first day they met.

After Jay W's death, Essie stayed in the Plainwell house they bought after they married and began donating her time and talents to the Democratic Party. A lifelong Democrat, Essie would have garage sales donating the profits to the Democratic party and truly believed in taking care of people with food and other resources. She loved people and started traveling with friends. She even bought a little motor home with one of her friends. When her good friend Patty invited her to travel to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. She began staying at the Marsol, in old town Puerto Vallarta, where she made many friends from around the world. A tradition was born. For the next 25 years, after the Christmas holiday, she would return to the Marsol. She had a delightful room on the fourth floor overlooking the Pacific Ocean. All of her neighbors would meet for happy hour at 4 pm sharing their adventures of the day. Essie just loved the feel of the place and the Hispanic people, whom she held in deep respect. Though she started staying for two weeks while still working, after retirement, she spent two or more months.

Essie loved people and cherished every moment spent with family and friends. She was incredibly witty, always coming up with something that made you laugh and often couldn’t be shared in public. She hosted Christmas Eve and cooked a homemade meal. Fondly called Grandma Jay by all her grandchildren, she was always there for them and loved them all. She was a great listener and always had sound advice, which often included “this too shall pass”. She shared a special bond with Barb's daughter Dianne, who lived with her for a time; they were two peas in a pod.

Essie loved to sew and crochet. She made quilts for every one of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. In her assisted living facility, she crocheted potholders for all of the staff until dementia robbed her of the ability to do so. She was also an avid gardener until the end. She raised the best vegetables and had a love for the beauty of her flowers. As she would say, “I just loved digging in the dirt”.

Essie's kidney functions became a challenge, she was forced to slow down. Her health was later complicated by dementia. With the unwavering support and care of her family, she was able to live her final days in the comfort of those she so dearly loved.

As we celebrate Essie's life, may we find much comfort in our many treasured memories. May we also find comfort in the honor of carrying her beautiful legacy forward. In each moment we confidently face life's challenges, stand up for what's right—even when it's uncomfortable, cheer on our loved ones' endeavors, tend our garden, go fishing, find a garage sale treasure, travel, or share a delicious meal, we keep Essie's spirit alive and inspiring others as she so inspired each of us.

Essie Claudeen Adrian at the age of 85 died on October 16, 2025. Members of her family include her children: Barb ( Jim) Palkowski, Dianne (Rick) Deau and Norm (Kris) Steward; grandchildren: Jennifer Courtney (Matt Bowles), Dianne Kirby, Marlon (Elizabeth) Kirby, Greg (Daisy Rizzo) Deau, Chris Deau, Adrianne (T.C.) Dinse, Hannah Brown (Justin Wilkes) and Codi (John) Schoenneman; great-grandchildren: Wyatt, Morgan, Essie, Oscar, Luellen, Livalee, Cooper, Easton, Jack and Nelle; siblings: Charlotte Barinka, Harold (Pam) Morgan and Becky Solze and by many cousins and great nieces and nephews.

Please join us at a Life Story Service on Thursday, October 23, 2025, 4PM at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900 with visitation beginning at 3PM. A reception will follow in the Life Story Center where food, drink, and stories will be shared. Burial will take place later at Mt. Ever Rest Cemetery.

Celebrate Essie’s life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on her dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com. Memorial contributions may be made to Wings of Hope Hospice.