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Hitchcock, Robert
Lansing, MI
Age 82, went to be with the Lord on August 20, 2002. He was born on July 26, 1920 in West Branch, MI to Lizzie and Howard Hitchcock. A lifelong resident of the Lansing area, he graduated from Okemos High School in 1940 and entered the Army in 1942. He married Lora L. Tippit of Temple, TX on August 5, 1945. Bob was employed for 33 years with Fisher Body, from which he retired in 1975. He was a member of Messiah Lutheran Church of Holt, U.A.W. Local #602, and the American Legion Post #183. Robert was a loving husband, father, and grandfather who understood and taught the golden rule. Witty and fun-loving to the very end, he enjoyed golf, bowling, the outdoors, stamp collecting and time with his children and grandchildren. He is survived by: his wife of 57 years, Lora; daughters, Renee (Michael) Arens and Betty (Robert) Strayer; 4 grandchildren; 1 great granddaughter; and sister, Laura Ewers. The family would like to extend a special thanks to the caring staff of Sparrow Hospice. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, August 23, 2002 at Messiah Lutheran Church, 5740 W. Holt Road, Holt, with the Rev. John A. Schinkel officiating. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m., on Thursday, August 22, 2002 at the Estes-Leadley Holt/Delhi Chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Melzow, William "Bill"
Holt, MI
(Formerly of Flint and Lapeer)
Age 81, was called home to his Lord on Sunday, September 30, 2001. Bill was born on December 6, 1919 in Flint, the son of William H.F. and Gustava (Yager) Melzow. Bill received his BA and MA from the University of Michigan, where he played football in '39, '40 & '41. He was a teacher, coach, principal and counselor in the Flint area for four decades, before retiring in 1982. Bill is survived by: his loving wife of 59 years, Virginia of Holt; sons, Ward (Sally) Melzow of Ball Ground, GA, Mark (Pam) Melzow of Garland, TX and Bruce Melzow of Woodstock, GA; daughter, Marsha (Roger) Numerich of Haslett; grandchildren, Erik, Sarah, Aryn, Kira, Amanda and Jennifer; great granddaughters, Morgan, Sydney, Kendall and Skylar; brother-in-law, Mott (Beth) Groom; sisters-in-law, Georgianna (Richard) Morley and Joan Melzow; and several nieces and nephews. Bill was preceded in death by: his parents, 2 brothers, and 2 sisters. Funeral services were held at 11:30 a.m., Friday, October 5, 2001 at the Estes-Leadley Holt/Delhi Chapel with the Rev. Robert Palmer of Great Lakes Christian Home officiating. Interment followed in Evergreen Cemetery in Grand Blanc, MI. The family received friends from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m., Thursday, October 4, 2001 at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or to Martin Luther Holt Home.
Hitchcock, Cecelia “Bev”
Lansing, MI
Age 76, passed away on Sunday, July 13, 2003 at Hospice House of Mid-Michigan. She was born on February 23, 1927 to Charles and Blanche (Palczwska) Aldrich in Lansing. She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer “Clayt” Hitchcock and son, Donald Blatt. Surviving are her children, Linda (Jim) Moots and Robert Blatt; grandchildren, Heather Moots, James (Kylie) Moots and Penny (Phil) Woodruff; 3 great grandchildren; sisters, Onita Enright and Ella Harris; and several nieces and nephews. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m., at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens on Friday, July 18, 2003. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to Hospice House of Mid-Michigan in memory of Mrs. Hitchcock. Arrangements by the Estes-Leadley Greater Lansing Chapel.
Hirshman, Lorena G.
Lansing
Age 91, went to be with her Lord on April 19, 2003. She was born on August 3, 1911 in Nashville, MI, and has lived in the Lansing area most of her life. Mrs. Hirshman was a longtime member of South Baptist Church. She is preceded in death by her husband, George in 1988, and her daughter, Nancy in 1998. Surviving are: son, Gerald (Janet) Hirshman of Lansing; 2 grandchildren, Amy Hirshman of Lansing, and Andrew (Dwana) Hirshman of Lake Zurich, IL; 2 great grandchildren in whom she delighted, Alyssa and Miles Hirshman, as well as nieces, nephews and many loving friends. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, 2003, at the Estes-Leadley Greater Lansing Chapel, with The Rev. Desmond J. Bell officiating. Interment will follow in Deepdale Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 1:00 p.m. until service time on Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Greater Lansing Child Evangelism Fellowship, in memory of Lorena Hirshman.
Hill, Martha Van Schelven
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Martha Van Schelven Hill, 89, died peacefully March 31, 2003 as friends were gathering to attend the Peace Circle she founded at Wyndham West of the Heritage Community. Born during the First World War, on April 24, 1913 in Chicago, Illinois, to Aagje and Cornelius Van Schelven, Martha was committed to peace all of her life. At the time of her death, Martha said that her only regret was that, in spite of all her efforts and those of her husband, the Rev. William S. Hill, the world was as far from peace today as it was the day of her birth. Martha had been a member of WAND, Women’s Action for Nuclear Disarmament in Ann Arbor.
Born of immigrants from a war-weary Holland, Martha grew up in Virginia and in Atlanta, Georgia, where she attended Agnes Scott College. She met William when she was secretary of the Episcopal Cathedral in Atlanta. Married on April 17, 1941, they hoped to work with the Quakers during the Second World War, but when Martha became pregnant with their son, Christopher, they lived in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, where William was the rector of an Episcopal Church; and where, while a conscientious objector, William ministered to the troops stationed at Fort Campbell. At the end of the war, the family moved to Cranbrook, Michigan, where their daughter Pamela was born.
In 1948 the family moved to Uniontown, Pennsylvania where William was the rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and worked with coal miners and their families. The family moved to Wilkinsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1953; and in 1959, moved to Lansing, Michigan, where William was the rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church until 1982. Martha helped to start a children’s day care center at St. Paul’s, and gave birthday parties for the children at the Michigan School of the Blind. As the secretary for the Spartan Cooperative Nursery School at Michigan State University, Martha became a lifelong champion for Head Start. When the Hills retired to Dexter, Michigan, they were members of the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice in Ann Arbor, and Martha became active in WAND, Women’s Action for Nuclear Disarmament.
Martha continued her work for peace after William died in 1992. When Martha moved to Wyndham Retirement Community in Kalamazoo in October, 1997, she became a member of the United Nations. Her greatest hope was that her grandchildren, Katrina Hill Hardesty and Jonathan Hill, who illuminated her life, would grow up in a peaceful world. She was thrilled when Chris and Kate and Jon and Jay, Kate’s husband, participated in a Peace March in New York in February.
Martha is survived by her sister, Sylvia Van Schelven Mohr, her children and grandchildren, her son-in-law, Michael Bump, and her grandson-in-law, Jay Hardesty. At the end, Martha’s family grew to include her friends and the caring staff of Wyndham West, Dr. Duranceau and his staff, Hospice, and the members of the Peace Circle, who gathered together to sing to her in her last moments, “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.” Martha is preceded in death by her husband, Bill, to whom she now returns with joy.
Friends are invited to a memorial service and celebration of Martha’s life at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Lansing, to be held on Friday, April 11th at 2:00 p.m. The family kindly asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials might be made to the Three Rivers Area Hospice or to the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Memorial Fund to help the homeless and the needy.
Malvetis, Constance (Connie)
Lansing, MI
Age 68, our most beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister and aunt quietly departed from this life on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2001 with her family and care givers surrounding her. Connie was born in Chicago Hts., IL and came to Lansing at the age of four. She graduated from Lansing Eastern High School and Lansing Business University. She was a member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church and the Philoptochos Society. She was preceded in death by an infant daughter Elaina; her father, Peter Sinadinos, and a brother, George Sinadinos. Surviving are her Husband of 45 years Anastasio (Tom) Malvetis; Children, Alec and Nancy Malvetis; Mother, Lefkothea Sinadinos; Sister, Betsy (Gus) Carantza; Brothers, James (Barbara) and Paul (Charlene) Sinadinos; Sister-in-law, Charlotte Sinadinos-Launer; many beloved nieces and nephews. The family extends many thanks to Father Mark; her care giver of many years, Gloria Palmer; and the wonderful doctors at Sparrow Hospital, especially Dr. Kursch and Dr. Ensberg. The Funeral Service was conducted by The Rev. Dr. Mark Sietsema, Priest at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, 2001 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church; 1701 E. Saginaw, with interment in Evergreen Cemetery. The family received friends at the Estes-Leadley Greater Lansing Chapel from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Thursday, where the Trisagion will be held at 7:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to her Church or to the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Hill, Duane L. “Buck”
Lansing, MI
Age 83, passed away Sept. 23, 2002. He was born in North Star, MI Jan. 10, 1919 and has been a resident of Lansing for most of his life. He was a Veteran of W.W. II, serving in the U.S. Army. He was formerly employed with REO Motor Car Co., John Bean Mfg., and retired from the City of Lansing in 1978. Surviving are: Wife, Beth; Son, Billy Duane Palmer; 2 Grandchildren, Donald and Christine; Sister, Joyce Irene Ross; nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a brother, Hubert Hill and 2 sisters, Stephanie Clark and Ellen Bolter. The funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, 2002 in the Estes-Leadley Greater Lansing Chapel with Pastor Michael Geiger of Lakeside Chapel officiating. Interment will follow in Forest Lawn Memory Gardens. Military Honors will be provided. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Wednesday. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice House of Mid-Michigan.
