George Gust Graber

George G. Graber passed away on Monday, November 26, 2018. A celebration of life will be held at 10:30 AM on Friday, November 30 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 2673 W. John Beers Road, Stevensville, Michigan, with Pastor Brett Ehlke officiating. Burial will be at 1:15PM at Ruggles Cemetery, Baroda, Michigan. Visitation will be 4PM – 6PM on Thursday, November 29 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel & Cremation Services, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to St Paul’s Lutheran Church, New Life Lutheran Church or Caring Circle Hospice. Those wishing to leave a message of condolence for the family may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. George Gust Graber was born on the family farm on Britain Avenue, Benton Harbor, on July 1, 1926, to Gust and Olga (Freier) Graber. He started his education at Boynton School before finishing 8th grade at St. Matthews Lutheran Grade School in Benton Harbor and was confirmed by Pastor Haase at St. Matthews. George graduated from Benton Harbor High School in 1944. One of the memorable statistics he was most proud of was his graduating class’ football team scoring a record 245 points against their opponents’ season total of six points. George also attended Michigan State College, specializing in Commercial Fruit Production. He served his country as an MP in the Army from 1945-46 on the atomic bomb project in Las Alamos, New Mexico. It was during this time that his high school sweetheart, Virginia Balow, took a train to New Mexico, and George and Virginia were married in Albuquerque. They honeymooned on a 3-day pass and lived in Santa Fe, 35 miles from Las Alamos. After returning from service, George turned the family farm (one-half mile east of the House of David) into Blossom Trails Golf Course, opening the first nine in 1957, the second nine in 1960,   and in 1963 the three-par “Little Bud” was opened. After selling Blossom Trails in the 1970’s, George sold real estate until retirement. George was a devout Christian with a strong belief in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He served on the board of education, board of trustees and as chairman of the congregation at St. Matthews Ev. Lutheran Church. George and Virginia spent 32 winters in Sebring, Florida, where he helped build and was a charter member of New Life Lutheran Church. George and Virginia transferred membership to St. Pauls Lutheran Church in Stevensville after selling Blossom Trails Golf Course and moving to Baroda. Mr. Graber was a lifelong member of the Berrien County Farm Bureau and the Michigan State Horticultural Society. He served as president of both the Michiana and the West Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association. He was a member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and one of the first to earn the title of “Certified Golf Course Superintendent of America”. George had only one “hole-in-one” in a lifetime of golf! George loved to golf, fish and hunt, and especially looked forward to annual deer hunting with the “Bainbridge Gang”—the Barchetts, Sonnenberg, Bujack and Weber—for over 25 years near Bergland, Michigan. Virginia passed away in 2009. A year later George married Thelma Stubelt, whose husband also passed away in 2009. George leaves two daughters, Fern (Phil) Gaddie of Berrien Springs and Connie Graber of Niles, Michigan; brother Dr. Elmer Graber of South Bend, Indiana; niece Cynthia (John) Schroeder of Granger, Indiana; grandnephews Robert and David Schroeder and grandniece Gwenlynn Ortman. George also leaves wife, Thelma; stepson Tom Stubelt; stepdaughters Amy (Mike) Brenner and Joan (Len) Veine and a wonderful family of step-grandchildren and great grandchildren. After a great journey on earth, George was looking forward to being with his Christian family in heaven.