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Dorothy (Dot) Golze
THE WOODLANDS, Texas - Dorothy (Dot) Golze, 83, of The Woodlands, Texas, died Friday, Aug. 7, 2009.
Dot was born on Oct. 12, 1925, to Jack and Francis Kapel of Detroit. In 1950, she married Roy Golze and lived for many years in Bloomfield Hills. Dot directed the Bloomfield Hills Teenage Employment Office and the Teenage Tutorial Program at two Boys' Clubs in Pontiac, receiving the "Woman of the Year" award for her efforts.
Dot and Roy moved to St. Joseph in 1981, where she served as president of the Michigan State Division of the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA). Dot initiated an Adopt-A-Minefield Project in Croatia, sponsored by the Berrien County UNA-USA Chapter, and helped found the Southwestern Michigan Women's Political Coalition.
After the passing of her husband, Dot relocated to The Woodlands, Texas, in 2004 to be with her grandchildren.
Dot is survived by her son, Roger Golze and his wife, Dania of Atlanta, Ga.; daughter, Lori Golze and her husband Dan Ball of Pendleton, Ore.; and son, Gray Golze and his wife Liz, and their two sons, Christopher and Jeffrey, of The Woodlands.
No memorial service has been planned at this time. Donations are welcome to the United Nations Association of The United States of America, Berrien County Chapter, P.O. Box 964, St. Joseph, MI 49085.
Edward E. Wiessner II
STEVENSVILLE - Edward E. Wiessner II, 48, of Stevensville, passed away unexpectedly Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009, at his home.
A Celebration of Life Eternal will be held 11:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 17, at Stevensville United Methodist Church, 5506 Ridge Rd. in Stevensville. Burial will follow in Riverview Cemetery in St. Joseph. Friends may call from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home in St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to Stevensville United Methodist Church or to LADD (Life Long Activities for the Developmentally Disabled) located in Niles, where Ed's niece, Melissa attends.
Ed was born April 15, 1961, in St. Joseph, to Edward E. and Helen G. (Cronkright) Wiessner. He graduated from Lakeshore High School in 1979, attended Lake Michigan College and graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in business administration in 1983. Ed had been employed at the Herald-Palladium, Conran's Stained Glass, and Whirlpool Corporation in St. Joseph, and was currently employed at Meijer in Benton Harbor as the manager of the meat department. He played football while attending Lakeshore, and served as president of the student council at LMC. In his spare time, Ed enjoyed water skiing and boating, snow skiing, tending to the flowers around his home and working with stained glass. Many friends and family have some of his beautiful pieces of stained glass artwork. Ed was a friendly, outgoing man who never met a stranger. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
Ed is survived by his mother, Helen Wiessner of St. Joseph; his sister, Janet (Brad) Carroll of St. Joseph; four nieces - Jill (Rick) O'Daniel, Joy (Ken) Rathman, Melissa Carroll and Amy Carroll; three great-nieces; three great-nephews and many, many friends.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Sheryl Poschke in 1978, and by his father, Edward Wiessner on Feb. 15, 2008.
Ida May (Landess) Riegel
ST. JOSEPH - Ida May (Landess) Riegel, 82, of St. Joseph, passed away on Friday, Aug. 14, 2009, at her home surrounded by her family.
A funeral service celebrating her life will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 17, at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph. Burial will follow in Hickory Bluff Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Sunday, Aug. 16, from 3 to 5 p.m.
Ida was born on March 4, 1927, in Portland, Ind., to Charles and Dorothy (Lee) Landess. Ida later married Robert Riegel on Dec. 21, 1946, in Redkey, Ind. She retired in 1992 from Hughes Plastic after 23 years of service.
Ida is survived by her two sons, Larry Riegel of St. Joseph and Carl (Julie) Riegel of Stevensville; her two daughters, Tamara (Kirk) Oisten of Allegan and Rhonda Riegel of Albuquerque, N.M.; three brothers - Harry (Carol) Landess of Atheu, Tenn., Glen (Peggy) Landess of Lynnfield, Mass., and Kenneth (Jane) Landess of Atlanta, Ga; two sisters, Mabel Newlin of Matthew, Ind., and Mary Helen Sandefur of Madisonville, Ky.; two grandchildren, Julia May Riegel and Tony Riegel; two great-grandchildren, Nathaniel and Michael Rudolph, and a sister-in-law, Wilma Grissom of Muncie, Ind.
Ida was preceded in death by her husband, Robert in 2002.
As expressions of sympathy, memorial contributions may be directed to Hospice at Home.
Ralph L. Springer
PLYMOUTH, Ind. - Ralph L. Springer, 70, of Plymouth, Ind., died Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, at his home surrounded by his loving family.
Ralph was born Sept. 19, 1938, in Lakeside to Lawrence and Verilla (Brown) Springer. He graduated from New Buffalo High School and served his country in the U.S. Air Force. Ralph continued his education at the Air Force Extension College of the University of Missouri and at the Electrical Hydraulic Air Frame Communication Systems in Texas. On May 14, 1997, Ralph married Jacquelyn Koscho in Maui, Hawaii. He was employed by Joy Manufacturing, Michigan City, Ind., Buchanan Steel Corporation and the Westville Correctional Center, retiring in 2003. Ralph enjoyed playing the guitar and organ. He loved to hunt, fish and cook.
Survivors include: his wife, Jacquelyn; children - Lawrence (Julie) Springer of South Bend, Ind., Kimberly Ruth (Scott) Stanley of Warsaw, Ind., and Bonnie Lynn Bauknecht of Hammond, Ind.; grandchildren - Michael, James, Ian, Marlene, Mark and Garrett; great grandsons, Eli and another on the way; sister, Maureen Lubke of New Buffalo; and brothers, Daniel Springer of Manito, Ill., and Victor Springer of Galien.
Ralph was preceded in death by his parents; his infant son, Mark; brother, Phillip Springer; and his sister, Darlene Suberlak.
Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 17, at St. Agnes Church in Sawyer, with the Rev. Father Leon Mertensotto as celebrant. The Edward C. Sexton American Legion Post 169 of New Buffalo will present Military Honors. Cremation will follow. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. at Pobocik Funeral Home, Three Oaks, where the Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. Visitation will also be on Monday at the church beginning at 10:30 a.m. Memorials may be made to the Center for Hospice, 111 Sunnybrook Ct., South Bend, IN 46637 or to the American Cancer Society, 601 W Edison, Mishawaka, IN 46545.
Gordon Bruce Jackson
ST. JOSEPH - Gordon Jackson passed away peacefully at his home on Aug. 11, 2009, after courageously battling ALS.
Gordon grew up in Michigan and received a bachelor's degree in music education from Eastern Michigan University in 1954. Following two years of military service, he received a master's in music education from Oberlin College in 1959.
Gordon then moved to Port Jefferson, N.Y., where he taught junior and senior high school bands in the Comsewogue School District for 28 years. Gordon contributed in many ways to Troop 45 of Boy Scouts of America and the First Presbyterian Church in Port Jefferson.
Upon retirement, he moved to St. Joseph, where he played trombone with Andrews University Symphony Orchestra and Andrews Trombone Ensemble, the St. Joseph Municipal Band, Dynabones and other ensembles. He continued to contribute to the First Presbyterian Church in Benton Harbor musically and in leadership positions. Gordon lived his life to the fullest, actively participating in music, teaching, bicycling, and serving in the church, particularly as a mentor to young people.
He is survived by his wife, Isabel, five children, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3, with visitation preceding at 10 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 475 Green Ave., Benton Harbor.
Donations in Gordon's memory may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Benton Harbor Food Bank, Wycliffe Bible Translators and the Eastern Michigan University music scholarship fund.
William 'Bill' Potter
SOUTH HAVEN - William G. "Bill" Potter, 82, of South Haven and formerly of Ames, Iowa, died Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009, at South Haven Community Hospital.
He was born April 29, 1927, in Davenport, Iowa, to George L. and Margaret (Schott) Potter. He graduated with his bachelor of science degree from Iowa State University and did graduate work at Harvard Business School.
Bill served his country in the U.S. Navy. He married Nancy Ham in Nov. 5, 1954, in Arlington, Mass. Bill worked as an engineer for several corporations before starting his own consulting business, WG Potter and Associates. Bill and Nancy semi-retired and moved to South Haven in 1996, where they became members of the Hope Reformed Church.
He is survived by his wife - Nancy Potter of South Haven; four daughters, Carin (Clayton) Bergen of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, Kristen (John) Jacobs of South Bend, Ind., Gretchen (Jerry) Houser of Ames, Iowa and Carolyn (Peter) Thompson of Sun Prairie, Wis.; 12 grandchildren; one great-grandson; and brother-in-law, Don Nicksay of Ventura, Calif.
Bill was a man of faith and loved the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. He took great delight in serving God through teaching, prayer, leadership and counsel. He enjoyed being involved with his local church, Habitat for Humanity, Promise Keepers and a South Haven prayer group. It was his desire that family, church and his community would grow deeper in their relationship with God.
Visitation will be from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug.16, at the Hope Reformed Church. Funeral services will begin Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the church with the Rev. Curry Pikkaart officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Hope Reformed Church Building Fund. The family is being helped by the Filbrandt Family Funeral Home of South Haven.
Dasie M. Johnson
BANGOR - Dasie M. Johnson, 75, of Bangor, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, Aug.11, 2009, at her home.
The family will meet friends during Family Hour from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday at the New Jerusalem M.B. Church, 22857 CR 681, Bangor with masonic services during that time. Funeral services will begin at 12 p.m. with Pastor Maurice Reynolds officiating. Interment will follow in Monks Cemetery, Geneva Township. Arrangements by Bangor Chapel, D. L. Miller Funeral Home.
Dasie was born Feb. 25, 1934, in Wabash, Ark., one of 13 children born to John and Selener (Marshall) Stormer. Dasie was a very supportive and dutiful wife of an Army career man. She had lived in the Bangor area since 1962, and had worked at Adams Electronics. Dasie was a member of the New Jerusalem M.B. Church, Bangor since 1972, and served as an usher, missionary, choir member and as a Mother of the church until her passing. She was also a member of the Elnora Williams Chapter 254 OES, Covert where she was past Worthy Matron and also past council president of District Five. Dasie was truly a child of God and loved her church, Eastern Star, and most of all, her family.
Surviving are her husband, Joe Johnson Sr., whom she married Nov. 25, 1950, in Helena, Ark.; four daughters, Dorothy Coates, Marilyn Johnson, Cynthia Johnson, all of Bangor, Barbara Johnson of Otsego; seven sons, Joe (Duffy) Johnson Jr. of Benton Harbor, Dusty (Valerie) Johnson of Cleveland, Ohio, Carl Johnson of Muskeon, Mich., Raymond Johnson of Frankfort, Ky., Bernard (Terika) Johnson of Bangor, Kenneth (Debbee) Johnson of Allegan, Timothy (Angie) Johnson of Grand Junction; 43 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; one sister, Susie Stormer of Cleveland; four brothers, Johnny Stormer of Lawton, Okla., Gus Stormer of Cleveland, J B Stormer of Bedford, Ohio, Theodis Stormer of Bangor; in-laws, Edna Dukes of Bangor, Eddie Johnson of Flint, Cleve Johnson of Derma, Miss., L. B. Nichols of St. Louis, Mo., Barbara Stormer of Chicago, Nora Stormer of Jackson, Miss., Rose Stormer of Cleveland, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Selener "Nig" Stormer; six brothers, Henry, Joe, Duster, James, Aaron and Willie D. Stormer; a grandson, Bobby Johnson; a sister-in-law, Nesie Wright; and brothers-in law, Edward and Frank Johnson.
