Shirley Seelbinder

With unwavering strength, determination, and faith, Shirley Seelbinder lived a life rich in family and friends. Shirley was a woman before her time who never shied from a challenge or bluntly sharing her opinions and observations. People always knew where they stood with Shirley and grew to appreciate her brutal honesty. A powerful role model, especially for her daughters, Shirley embraced each day as a gift and cherished her family and friends. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, Shirley will long be remembered by those she so dearly loved.

For George and Marion Lynch, the 1920s were a vibrant decade that grew even brighter when they welcomed their daughter Shirley to their family on June 14, 1929, in Detroit, Michigan.

Growing up in Detroit, Shirley enjoyed the good company of her younger siblings, Jeralddean, Joan, and Paul. In her youth, she worked at Sanders Bakery and J. L. Hudson Department Store and volunteered as a candy striper at William Beaumont Hospital.

A graduate of Pershing High School, Shirley met and fell in love with Glenford "Glen" Seelbinder at Duck Lake. A courtship ensued, and they married on May 7, 1949.

Shortly after they married, Shirley and Glen decided to pursue his childhood dream of owning an ambulance business. Realizing a need for ambulances in the Oakland County area, they bought an old hearse and converted it into the area's first ambulance. Together, they founded Suburban Ambulance. Shirley took the emergency calls and managed the books while Glen was on the road responding to the calls.

As the business grew, so did their family. Glen and Shirley were blessed to welcome three girls, Kathie, Cindy, and Lori, to their family, which inspired a move to their home in Royal Oak, Michigan. Shirley masterfully juggled being a no-nonsense business owner and operator and raising three kids with dignity and grace.

Though Shirley ran a tight ship and didn't take any grief from anyone, she also understood the value of balancing hard work with restorative leisure. She loved to fish and often took her daughters to Lake Nepessing in Lapeer for getaways from the business and to cast her line out on the lake. Later, the family purchased a cottage in Caseville, Michigan, where they enjoyed fishing, golfing, snowmobiling, and exploring Lake Huron with friends and family.

Shirley and Glen loved to travel in their motor home and saw much of the country. They traveled to all the states, including Alaska and Hawaii. In time, she and Glen purchased a place in Florida, where they spent the winter months but would return to their beloved Michigan to be closer to family and friends each spring.

A woman who found joy in many things, Shirley loved gardening, canning, birds, cheering on the Detroit Red Wings, and playing cards and Mah Jongg in a women's group. Her preference for keeping a good pace while playing poker earned her the nickname "The Hustler." Shirley loved attending plays and theater shows and reading all sorts of books, too.

Without a doubt, Shirley's greatest joy was her family. She relished time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, cheering on their sporting events and taking them to special events such as plays and boat tours (much to the grandkids' dismay at times). Hosting everyone for Christmas Eve dinner was a special time to gather and share a special meal with ham and potato salad.

Though the world feels far less certain in the absence of Shirley's steadfast companionship and strength, may we find much comfort in our many treasured memories. May we also find comfort in the honor of carrying Shirley's legacy forward. In each moment we confidently face life's challenges, center ourselves in honesty, enjoy a good book, go fishing, play a good game with friends, tend to our garden, cheer on our loved ones' endeavors, or explore the country with our beloved, we celebrate the countless ways Shirley inspired us to live each moment to the fullest.

Shirley Seelbinder died on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Cremation has taken place, and private services will be held. Shirley will be buried next to her husband, Glenford, and her grandson, David, in the West Oshtemo Cemetery. Members of her family include her 3 children: Kathie Seelbinder, Cindy (Rick) Lisewski, Lori (Tom) Ruth; Grandchildren: Kristen (Steve), Bradley (Kari), Nicole, Blake, Jillian (Joe), and Timothy (Jo Ellen); Great-grandchildren: Allyson, Nora, Ava, Alexander, Alexys, Hunter, and Jackson. Besides her husband Glen and grandson David, she was preceded in death by her siblings, Jeralddean Cejmer, Joan Zmijewski, and Paul Lynch.

Celebrate Shirley's life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on her dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900.