Jay Haubenstricker

John Lorenz Haubenstricker Jr., known to all as Jay, of Plymouth, Michigan, died peacefully in the arms of his loving wife, Jodi, on July 4, 2026, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 56. Jay grew up in East Lansing, Michigan and received his Bachelors in Engineering at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, where he was a member of the dive team. He once described himself simply as “a nice guy and a good athlete.” It was a modest description, and a true one. Those who knew him would add many more words: kind, positive, generous, curious, capable, loyal, and steady. His friends, family, and coworkers were drawn to his warmth, his Christian faith, and his unfailing good attitude. Anyone who ever played a sport with him knew he had a natural gift for athletics; whatever the game, Jay seemed to understand it quickly and play it well. He was a devoted husband and father, and a wonderful role model for his daughter, Sydney. He mentored her in athletics, engineering, and, most importantly, in the joy of learning. Jay had a mind that wanted to understand how things worked, and a heart that wanted to help others. Whether teaching, fixing, building, coaching, or simply listening, he gave people his full attention. A gifted handyman, Jay owned and operated a successful remodeling business for seven years and enjoyed woodworking, creating beautiful furniture for family, friends, and clients. This year, after 22 years at Ford Motor Company, Jay retired. He was an Additive Manufacturing Engineering Supervisor where he cared deeply for his coworkers and often spoke of them as family. Throughout the last year and a half of his illness, Jay met cancer with courage, ingenuity, and a fierce love of life, always remaining grateful and engaged. The outpouring of love from so many friends during this journey is a testament to the accepting, generous way he lived. Jay is survived by his wife, Jodi; his daughter, Sydney; his mother, Beth Haubenstricker; his brother, David Haubenstricker and his wife Gabriele; his sister, Amy Lester; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, John Haubenstricker. Visitation will be held on Friday, July 10th from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Vermeulen-Sajewski Funeral Home, 46401 Ann Arbor Road West (between Sheldon and Beck) Plymouth, MI 48170. A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, July 11th, at 11:00 a.m., with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m., at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, 47650 North Territorial Road (at Beck) Plymouth, MI 48170. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota, please make checks to: University of Minnesota Foundation, P.O. Box 860266, Minneapolis, MN 55486-0266 or donate online at cancer.umn.edu/donate , or to the Rare Cancer Research Foundation, 703 Foster Street, Durham, NC 27701, or donate online at rarecancer.org/donate, or to a charity of your choice. To share a memory, please use the share a memory tab on this webpage.

Jay Haubenstricker

March 13, 1970 - July 4, 2026