Harlan Quardokus

Harlan Quardokus, 77, of St. Joseph lost his fight to cancer, Sat., April 28, 2012 at Caretel Inns of Lakeland. A Celebration of Life Service will be held 2pm on Wed., May 2, 2012 at Starks and Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph with Pastor Phillip Quardokus officiating. Burial will follow at Lincoln Twp. Cemetery. Friends may visit from 12 pm until 2 pm on Wed. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Berrien County Historical Assoc., Friends of Oak Ridge Cemetery, Buchanan, and Arthritis Foundation. Harlan was born Aug 30, 1934 in Stevensville, the youngest of five children to Harry H. and Hattie B. (Herman). In 1937 Harlan and his family moved to a small farm in Lincoln Twp. where he continued to live and graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1952. On Aug 4, 1962 he married Constance (Connie) Zalenski. They raised three sons, two of which live on adjoining properties. With 40 years’ experience as a self-employed Masonry contractor, the state of Michigan hired Harlan to help update and revise testing standards for masonry licenses. As a genealogy buff, Harlan found he was a direct descendant of four Mayflower passengers, three revolutionary war soldiers and two civil war veterans. His father was in WWI and his brother Fay in WWII. Harlan served his country in the U.S. Army from 1954-56. He was a member of The General Society of Mayflower Descendents, The Berrien County Historical Assoc., Friends of Oak Ridge Cemetery, and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. In his spare time he enjoyed sports and teaching his children and grandchildren to play baseball. Most of all Harlan’s love was living on the farm with his wife and having his sons and their families close by. Harlan is survived by his wife Connie of St. Joseph; sons Gene (Laurie) Quardokus of St. Joseph, Stanley (Julie) of St. Joseph, and Kurt (Theresa) of Plymouth, IN; Grandchildren Hattie, Frank and Scott; Step-grandchildren, Damon and Tyler Ewen, Jenny, Libby, Jared and Jordan Knapp; sister Jane Elson of AZ; many nieces and nephews; and his best friend Dwight (Whitey) Riemersa. Harlan was preceded in death by his parents, sister’s Jackie Reitz, Claire Black, and brother Fay Quardokus.