Raina J. Sperbeck Witkowski

Raina J. Sperbeck Witkowski passed away Tuesday May 6th, 2014 at Woodland Terrace in Bridgman. A celebration of life service will be held at 11:00 am Saturday at Starks & Menchinger Chapel & Cremation Services, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph, Michigan.  Pastor Glenn Rosenbaum of Grace Lutheran Church, St. Joseph will officiate. Visitation will be held from 5-7 pm Friday at the funeral home. Her final resting place will be at North Shore Memory Gardens, Coloma. Those wishing to share a memory of Raina may do so on the guest book at www.starks-menchinger.com. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice at Home or Grace Lutheran Church.  Raina was born October 28, 1924 in St. Joseph to Carl E. and Mabel D. (Kittel) Phillips.   She married Merlyn “Bud” Sperbeck September 13th, 1944 who preceded her in death and they had three sons who survive her: Jack (Janet) Sperbeck of St. Joseph, James (Kathy Osborn) Sperbeck of Cincinnati, Ohio and Jerold (Sue) Sperbeck of Spring Hill, Florida. Grandchildren Brad of Kalamazoo& Jeremy of Spring Hill, step grandchildren Rhonda (Robert) Laureys-Carlson of Davenport, Fl and David L. (Heike) Powers of Bridgman.  Raina later married Donald Witkowski July 11th, 1998 who also preceded her in death and is survived by stepchildren Bret (Amie) Witkowski of St. Joseph and Mark (Joetta) Witkowski of Swansea, Illinois and step grandchildren, Elizabeth, Emily, Thomas (Meghan), Peter (April), Christina, James and Andrew.  Raina retired from a job she loved at Heath/Zenith Company after 32 years of dedicated service as an Executive Secretary. Most of all she loved her family and took great pride in her home.  She also enjoyed playing cards with her family &friends, ballroom dancing, listening to Big Band music, working in her yard, going to yard sales and volunteering at the church of which she was a long time member.  Besides her children and grandchildren she is also survived by a sister, Margie Lange of Berrien Springs and a special sister-in-law, Barbara Phillips of Stevensville and several nieces and nephews.  Raina was preceded in death by her parents, first husband Merlyn and second husband Donald, brothers, Donald Phillips, Richard Phillips and sister Vivian Watt Kasischke.