Mary Jo Gilbert died Sunday, December 28, 2008. She was the wife of Charles W. Gilbert (G-75-12) of the Wenzel Gruner family. She was a very dear family member to all of us and will be sorely missed. Below is the link to the obituary in the Tuscumbia, Alabama Times Daily. You can see and sign the guest book at:

http://www.legacy.com/Link.asp?I=LS000121968845X
Click on the above link or cut and paste the url into your browser's address bar.

Mary Jo Gilbert

Mary Jo Gilbert, 84, Tuscumbia, Ala., passed away Sunday, Dec. 28, 2008, after an extended illness.

Visitation will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel, Tuscaloosa, Ala., with the funeral following at 2 p.m. at Tuscaloosa Memorial Park Chapel.

Mary Jo Gilbert graduated from Holt School in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and was an airplane mechanic during World War II.

She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Charles W. Gilbert, Tuscumbia; sons, Charles W. (Chuck) Gilbert Jr., wife, Marty, Tuscumbia, Ala., and Mark A. Gilbert, wife, Mary, Denver, Colo.; grandchildren, Keith Gilbert, wife, Stacey, Killen, Ala., Kim Gilbert, Birmingham, Ala., Melanie Gilbert Blum, husband, Ari, Denver, Colo., Julie Gilbert Frahm, husband, Mark, Boston, Mass., Dr. Katie Gilbert Spear, husband, Carl, Pensacola, Fla., Matthew Gilbert, Glen Gilbert, Christian Gilbert, wife, Jamie, all of Denver, Colo.; nine great-grandchildren; sisters, Virginia Clayton Roper, (Paul), Las Vegas, Nev., Carolyn Clayton Wilkerson, Milton, Fla.; brother, Charles Clayton, Astor, Fla.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Roy Ford Clayton and Myrtle Smith Farris, and brothers, Wade Farris, Robert Farris, Jody Farris and Roy H. Clayton.

She was a very talented artist and left many many beautiful paintings for her family and friends. She was a loving mother, grandmother and mother-in-law and will be missed by all.

Submitted by Marian Zang with obit from the local newspaper.

Howard H. Campbell 1922 - 2008

Howard Herman Campbell died on July 6, 2008 in Battle Creek, Michigan at the age of 85. He had been in ill health for several years and had been recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. He was formerly married to Geraldine (Gerry) Sherburne (G-75-43) who now resides in Bardstown, Kentucky.

Survivors include four children, Philip Howard Campbell of Sturgis, MI, Nancy Katherine (Milburn) of Chaplin, KY, Anne Elizabeth (Noble) of Bellevue, MI and Rebecca Jean (Morton) of Grand Rapids, MI. There were ten grandchildren, nine of whom survive, and several great-grandchildren. After his divorce in 1960 he remarried and he and Kate have a son Robert, who also survives. Howard was born in Battle Creek on September 14, 1922, the son of Clarence Herman and Ella Elizabeth (Siefert) Campbell. He graduated from Battle Creek High School in 1941 and began working at the Eaton Manufacturing Company there. He and Gerry were married in 1942. He was drafted into the Army later that year and served in the Pacific Theater during WW-2. After his discharge at the end of the war, he returned to Eaton’s and became a tool and die maker, retiring in the 1980’s.

After a Visitation on Tuesday, July 15 and a brief evening memorial service at the Royal Funeral home in Battle Creek, he was laid to rest in the Ft. Custer National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations be sent to the Good Samaritan Hospice, 166 E. Goodale, Battle Creek, MI. 49017 in memory of Howard Campbell.

May he rest in peace.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,
Through the mercy of God,
Rest in peace

Submitted by: Marian G-75-42

Marjorie Ann [Copeland] Morrison G-45-41

Marjorie Ann Morrison, 89 of Coldwater died Thursday March 6, 2008 at the Battle Creek Health System. She was born June 8, 1918 in Coldwater, MI to Robert Lee and Mary Jane (Hollister) Copeland. She married Donald C. Morrison April 21, 1940 in Detroit, MI he preceded her in death November 22, 1997.

Marjorie was a member of the Coldwater Wesleyan Church, and Ladies Friendship at the church. She was a life long resident of the area and was engaged in farming most of her life. She also was employed by Shaw Shoe Co. for many years. She loved doing for others less fortunate, making a large vegetable garden nearly an acre in size and giving away the produce to neighbors, friends, and relatives. She loved to fish especially through the ice in the winter with her husband, family, and friends. Marjorie was always baking pies & cookies not only enough for the family but always a lot of extra to give away.

Survivors include Daughters: Linda Lee Morrison (Blaire) Matthews of Coldwater, Sinda Sue (Dennis) Wortinger, East Leroy, MI. Grandchildren: Becky (T.J.) Gossard and Bethany (Chad) Green; Great Grandchildren: Paul & Aaron Green; sister-in-law: Gene Copeland; Preceded in death by Brother Arthur Lee Copeland and Sister Alma Turner.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Monday March 10, 2008 at the Gillespie Funeral Home, Coldwater with Rev. Dan Wheeler, and Pastor Marv Savola officiating, burial will be a Oak Grove Cemetery Coldwater, MI. Visitation will be held Sunday March 9, 2008 from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Diabetes Association or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Association.

Information provided by: Coldwater Daily Reporter
Charley Gruner G-23-31
and Marian Z. G-75-42

Richard W. Tappenden (G-74-14-Sp)

1924 – 2008

We have been notified of the death of Richard Willis Tappenden, husband of Winifred Pauline Gruner (G-74-14), on February 8, 2008 at Burgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He was a lifelong resident of Branch County, Michigan.

Richard, or Dick as he was usually called, was born March 1, 1924 in Girard, Michigan to Charles and Ruth (Merlin) Tappenden. He was a graduate of Coldwater High School, served in WWII and was a member of the US Air Force and belonged to the American Legion Post #52. In addition to farming, he helped manage the Coldwater Recreation Bowling Alley for 20 years and was an avid outdoorsman and fisherman who enjoyed hunting and tending to his garden. He liked to bowl, play golf and “tinker” in his large workshop.

He married Winifred Pauline Gruner (G-74-14), daughter of Karl and Pauline (Buck) Gruner on June 20, 1945 and soon afterward they bought their farm on Miller Lake Road, located about a mile west of the Anton and Wenzel Gruner homesteads. Their farm is featured in the “Early Gruner Farm Homes” booklet. At one time he and his sons operated a saw mill on the farm.

Dick is survived by his wife Winifred (Winnie), sons David and Stephen, both of Coldwater, two brothers, Roy and Earl, grandchildren Linda Nichols of Bronson, Rebecca Kissinger of Fremont, IN and Benjamin Tappenden of Kalamazoo, also two great-grandchildren, Dustin and Emily Kissinger and Matthew Nichols.

Services were held on February 9 at the Dutcher Funeral Home in Coldwater with Pastor David Anderson from the First Baptist Church officiating. Interment followed at Oak Grove Cemetery in Coldwater.

Memorials may be directed to the American Legion Post #52 in Coldwater


Information provided by Marian Z. G-75-42