Morris Wendell Hohnstein

Morris Wendell Hohnstein of Stevensville, MI, 86, passed away Sunday, April 3, 2011 at home in the loving care of his devoted wife and family after battling a long illness. Morris, also called Moose by his friends, was born on December 25, 1924 to Henry and Emma (Pauley) Hohnstein. His father's german family emigrated to the U.S. from Russia and he was raised on his family's farm near Akron, Co. Morris is preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Marion (Frank) Ford, and Ruth (Jim) McKenney; two brothers, Warren (Mary Jane) Hohnstein and Herbert (Donna) Hohnstein; and by his former wife Patricia Hohnstein. Morris was a veteran of WW II. He enrolled at the University of Colorado in 1942, but left school in 1943 to serve in the Navy. His tour of duty in the Pacific took him to Pearl Harbor and to Japan, Korea, and China. His military service was the beginning of his lifelong passion for travel. He returned to the University of Colorado in 1946 and graduated in 1949 with a BS degree in Civil Engineering. His work for the U.S. Inter-American Geodetic Survey after college took him on survey trips to Columbia, Peru, and Panama. He also traveled extensively doing mapping and survey work of oil fields for Texaco in Houston, TX. Morris began his career in heavy equipment engineering in 1954 when he joined R.G. LeTourneau in Longview, TX as field test engineer for its logging and earth moving equipment. In 1962, Morris joined Clark Equipment in Benton Harbor, MI as an attachment and sales engineer. His work in designing and coordinating new earth moving equipment took him to Russia, Mexico, South Africa, Australia and Guatemala. He retired from Clark Equipment in 1986. Morris married his wife, Joan (Krajecki) Hohnstein in 1982. They loved each other dearly, and traveled together, served their church together, and together loved their families. Morris is also survived by his children, Michael W. (CindyRae) Hohnstein, Stevensville, MI; John P. Hohnstein, Rochester, MN; Valerie P. (Jeff) Crafts, Paw Paw, MI; David (Kathy) Krajecki, Denver, CO; Karen (John) Hubben, Mooresville, NC ; and by his grand-children, Alicia Sedillo; Kevin and Jessa Hohnstein; Elise and Nicole Crafts; Alissa and Brenna Krajecki; and Alex Hubben. For Morris, family was everything, and his family knew him as a wonderful and loving husband, as a very special father, as a man who was passionate about his work, and as a Christian who faithfully served the ministries of his church. He loved golf and taught his sons to play. He was a skilled woodworker and mechanic, spoke German and Spanish, and had a lifelong enthusiasm for the world he traveled. Arrangements for Morris are by Starks and Menchinger, St Joseph, MI. A Celebration of Life memorial service will be held for him on Saturday June 25th at the First Church of God: 2627 Niles Ave St Joseph, MI 49085-1991(269) 983-1524. Memorials in Morris' name may be made to: a) Heartland Hospice, Kalamazoo, MI, http://www.hcr-manorcare.com/heartlandhospice/KALAMAZOO b) Day Services for Seniors of SW Michigan, Benton Harbor, MI, http://www.cfsswmi.org/id3.html c) First Church of God, St. Joseph, MI., http://www.myfirstchurch.com/