Troy officials remember Jeanne Stine

TROY — Officials past and present are paying respects to Jeanne Stine, an inspirational trailblazer in the city of Troy who died Oct. 28 at the age of 96.

Stine joined the Troy City Council in 1976, making history as the first woman to do so. She then made history again when after 16 years of council service, she was elected as the city’s first female mayor, a role she served from 1992 to 2001. She was then reelected to council in 2003.

Stine was born in Detroit to William Lyle and Eleanor Laura Goodwin on June 18, 1929. She was the eldest of 11 children, with seven younger sisters and three younger brothers. 

“And one of the things she always would tell me and everybody else (is that her mother) instilled in all of her children a love for reading and a love for books, and Jeanne loved to read,” said Cindy Stewart, Troy’s former communications director. “She didn’t even own a TV … or if she did have one, she never watched it.”

She began her career as a telephone operator at Michigan Bell before working in education. For 33 years, she worked as a teacher and school counselor with the Clawson Public Schools.

“(Stine) told me once that, I think a principal said to her, ‘Oh, that group of boys — they’re bad boys, you know? You can’t help them.’ And to Jeanne, no child was bad. They just needed, you know, an adult who listened to them,” Stewart said. “And it turned out that those boys would pass by her house on the way to school and carry her books to school.”

Stewart said Stine was equally thoughtful as a mayor and member of council.

“It’s funny — I ran into somebody in a yoga class, we were talking about how Jeanne passed away, and she said when they early on moved to Troy … they had an issue with traffic related to where their house was on a corner. They called and they were shocked when the mayor came to their house to listen to their concerns. (Stine) said, ‘I will do everything I can to help you.’ This woman said they were just so in awe that the mayor would come out and listen to them,” Stewart said. “And that was Jeanne — anyone who called her, she would go out to their house, listen to what their problems were, and help find a way to solve their problems.”

Beyond her work as a city official, Stine was also involved with organizations such as the Troy Community Coalition, the Boys and Girls Club of Troy, the Troy Rotary Club, the Troy Historical Society, the Troy Firefighters Women’s Auxiliary, and the Clawson/Troy Elks.

According to her obituary at A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Home, Stine was also a founding member of Troy Youth Services in the 1970s, providing support for young people before social workers and youth assistance programs existed in the schools.  

“One of her proudest accomplishments was establishing a youth bureau within the Troy Police Department,” read the obituary.

Stine has been recognized for her work on countless occasions, with accolades such as Troy’s Distinguished Citizen in 1985, as well as receiving the Michigan Municipal League’s Meritorious Service Award, and an Outstanding Public Service Award from the Clawson-Troy Elks Lodge and the U.S. Marine Corps. In 2021, a park was named in her honor: Jeanne M. Stine Community Park, located at 241 Town Center Dr.

“Bethany and I are deeply saddened by Jeanne Stine’s passing this morning,” said the city’s current mayor, Ethan Baker, in an email. “Jeanne’s accomplishments as mayor of Troy and as a long-serving councilwoman are well known and felt throughout our city. Less known is the direct impact she has had on me throughout my 10 years in (Troy’s) government.

“Over the past several years, Jeanne has been extremely supportive of my family, my campaigns, and my service to this city — giving me a boost when needed, and always a listening ear and sharp perspective,” Baker said. “She loved Troy and stayed consistent in connecting with me and this community until the very end. And I truly loved her. We feel a huge loss today, personally in our home, and throughout our city. Please join me in praying for Jeanne’s family and for appreciating Jeanne for who she was.”

In her personal life, Stine enjoyed spending time with her family and her German Shepherds, traveling and relaxing at her cottage in Cheboygan. 

“One of her most treasured traditions was participating in the annual Labor Day Mackinac Bridge Walk alongside her sisters, a celebration of both the beauty of Michigan and the unbreakable bonds of family,” read the obituary.

Stine is preceded in death by her husband Jack and her daughter Sheila. She is survived by numerous siblings, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral events were held Nov. 7-8. Instead of flowers, memorial tributes are encouraged to the Jeanne M. Stine Family Park Fund at troycf.org/donate/jeanne-m-stine-family-parks-fund. One can also plant a tree in her honor.