Edwin John Machota

Edwin ‘Ed” J. Machota, 73, of Benton Harbor passed away Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at Caretel Inns.  A private family service will be held. Ed will be laid to rest at Riverview Cemetery on Monday, September 26, 2016 at 12:00 P.M. Memorial contributions may be made to New Life Church, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, or St. Joseph Indian School www.stjo.org/dreams. Arrangements entrusted to Starks & Menchinger Chapel & Cremation Services. Ed was born July 11, 1943 in East Chicago, IN to Walter & Lottie (Janicki) Machota. He was a 1951 graduate of Bowen High School. On September 13, 1997 he wed Lola McElyea. Ed worked as a pipefitter for Bosch for 17 years before retiring. He was an active member at New Life Church where he served as a Deacon, and a proud lifelong member of the NRA. Ed loved spending time with Lola. They enjoyed gardening, cooking, traveling, going to estate sales and riding their Harley Davidson motorcycle. Ed is survived by his loving wife Lola; daughter Jen (Brian) McMahan of New Carlise, IN; Lola’s daughters, Patty (Piet) Keegstra of Eau Claire, Connie Schreiber of Happy Valley, OR and Cathy Will of Benton Harbor; grandsons Jake (Natalie) McMahan, Justin (Chris), Brett (Amy), Kyle (Tina), Nathan and Matthew (Charlie Marie); great grandchildren Sofia, James, Gracie, Sadie, Maesy, Hunter and Riley; sister Patricia Meder of Lombard, IL and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandson Nate McMahan in 2007, son-in-law Dennis Schreiber, brother-in-law Wayne Meder and brothers Walt Machota and Gene Machota.