Sharon Lorraine (Robinson) McGrail

There are women who spend their lives building houses. Sharon Lorraine McGrail spent hers building a home, not simply one made of walls and a roof, but one built with laughter echoing through every room, card games that lasted for what felt like forever, coffee brewing before the sun came up, magical Christmas mornings, summers at the lake, overflowing dinner tables, and traditions so deeply rooted they became part of who we all are. If you walked through her front door, whether you were family, a friend, or a complete stranger, you quickly became one of her own. You never left hungry, and you almost certainly left carrying leftovers in a Tupperware container (that you were expected to return) or a large Ziploc bag.

More than anything anyone could say about Sharon, one truth stood above the rest: she wasn’t just someone’s wife, mother, or Mimi, she was a force. The kind of woman who could make you laugh, make you mad, and make you feel like you belonged the moment you walked through her door. Those are the people who leave the biggest holes when they’re gone.

Born on May 18, 1944, in Flint, Michigan, to Robert and Loretta Robinson, Sharon was the third of five children. She graduated from Lee High School in Wyoming, earned her cosmetology license, and later retired from Notions Marketing. Although she lived throughout Michigan and spent many winters in Florida, Kentwood became the place where she and her beloved husband of more than 50 years, James Patrick “Jim” McGrail, built the life they always dreamed of together.

Together they raised seven children: Victoria (Vickie) & Tom Stoffer; Pamela (Pam) & Chris Brown; Kimberly (Kim) & Robert (Bob) Schermer II; Colleen & Michael (Mike) Kohlhaas; Kylyn Villa; Kirk Kozminski; and Kimara & Craig Pickens.

Their family became Sharon’s greatest accomplishment. She delighted in watching it grow through every new marriage, every grandchild, and every great-grandchild. She is lovingly remembered by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren:

Patrick (Patches) & Taylor Rost (James, Lilly, Cain, and Eli); Amber & Corey Melton (Leo); Shannon Stuban (Isaiah, Ethan, and Xavier); Saxon & Chelsea Smith (Elsie, Nora, and Oliver); Samantha & Alex Wesseldyke (James, Leo, and Cameron); Robert (Robbie) & Talia Schermer (Robert “Resi”); Christopher (C.J.) & Christine Schermer (baby girl on the way); Kymberlyn & Kristofer Dukart; Mikala & Max Middendorf (Cecelia “Cece”); the late Konner Kohlhaas; Kurtis Villa (Isaiah and Maddison); Josh Villa (Trinity, Jaden, and Genesis); Blake Hinds; Chelsea & Johnny Brann (Jason “Blue” and baby boy on the way); Mitchell Kozminski; Cassidy Kozminski; Skylor & Xochitl Kozminski (Kingston and Jeanette); Alexsis & James Peterson (Skipp “S.J.”, London, Leonie, and the late Arlo); Aubrianna (Abbie) & Stephen Lewis (Kimaya, Nayvii, and Aalayah); Carter Pickens; and the youngest grandchild, Taitum Kozminski.

Sharon loved trying new recipes, even though the stack of recipe magazines waiting to be made somehow grew taller every year. She looked forward to family happy hours at Florentine’s, annual shopping trips to Birch Run with her sisters, winters in Florida, and summers at the family cottage. She loved card games, especially Left, Right, Center even if Mitchell somehow always managed to win.

A devoted Catholic, Sharon’s faith quietly guided every part of her life. Her rosary was never far from her hands, Fridays during Lent always meant fish for dinner, and music always filled her home. Motown, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, The Four Tops, and Celine Dion could instantly lift her spirits.

More importantly than anything she loved, Sharon created the place everyone came home to. Their home became the heart of the family, a safe place where birthdays, holidays, laughter, tears, and life’s biggest milestones were celebrated together. It wasn’t just their children who found comfort there. Spouses, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, cousins, neighbors, and lifelong friends all knew there would always be a seat waiting for them at Sharon’s counter.

She was stubborn as a mule, strong-willed, and undeniably bullheaded and she’d probably smile hearing us say it. She spoke her mind without apology, stood her ground, and if you found yourself on her bad side, you knew it. But if she loved you, she loved you fiercely. She showed up when you needed her, protected the people she loved without hesitation, and gave of herself without expecting anything in return.

She wasn’t the sweet little grandma from storybooks. She was Mimi. She was fashionable, always dressed better than the rest of us, loved looking her best, and would happily bake you cookies with a Tito’s and cranberry sitting nearby.

Of every title she carried...daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, cousin, and friend, the one she treasured most was Mimi. Her grandchildren were her whole heart. Summers spent at the cottage with Mom/Mimi and Dad/Pipi became the backdrop for generations of treasured childhood memories. Christmas was pure magic because Sharon made it that way. Having grown up with very little, she made sure every child and grandchild experienced the wonder and joy she had always imagined as a little girl. She became the keeper of traditions, the magic behind Christmas, and the glue that held her family together.

Nearly ten years ago, Sharon unexpectedly lost her eyesight, but she never lost her determination. She continued living life on her own terms. After losing Jim on September 16, 2025, she spent her final months surrounded by the love and care of her daughter Kimara and son-in-law Craig, already looking forward to another summer at the cottage.

On July 13, 2026, Sharon peacefully went home to the Lord, surrounded by some of the people who loved her most. As she left my house, I made sure the sun warmed her face one last time. She left this world exactly the way she lived in it surrounded by love and, of course, wearing the perfect outfit, with her hair brushed just the way she liked it and her eyelashes in place.

Sharon wasn’t perfect, but she was unforgettable. She was the heart of our family, the keeper of our traditions, the queen of leftovers, the loudest laugh at the card table, and the woman who taught us that home is not a place fit is a person.

There will never be another Sharon, and oh, how lucky we were that she was ours.

Sharon was preceded in death by her beloved husband, James Patrick McGrail; her parents, Robert and Loretta Robinson; her brother, Robert “Bobby” Robinson; her sisters, Mary Russell, Jeanette Brandel, and Loretta Nowakowski; her brothers-in-law, William Thomas, Bob Russell, and Ward Brandel; her grandson, Konner Kohlhaas; and her great-grandson, Arlo Peterson.

Please join us to celebrate her:

August 1, 2026 Saturday

Saint Mary Magdalen Church

1253 52 street SE, Kentwood, MI 49508

10:00 am visitation

11:00 am Mass