William L. Gobert

William L. Gobert, 80, of Stevensville died Thursday at Rush University Hospital, Chicago after a three-year battle with cancer. A Celebration of Life Eternal will be held 10:00 A.M. Tuesday at Stevensville United Methodist Church, 5506 Ridge Rd., Stevensville, with Rev. Gordon Barry officiating. Burial will follow at Hickory Bluff Cemetery, Stevensville, with graveside military rites conducted by Stevensville American Legion Post #568. Friends may call from 5:00 until 8:00 P.M. Monday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Stevensville United Methodist Church or the American Cancer Society. Those wishing to sign Bill's Memory Book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Born in Tarentum, PA on March 23, 1930, he was the son of Lee and Freda Gobert. After graduating from Tarentum High School he joined the Marine Corp with three other classmates and served with the Marines for four years. Thirteen months of that service was in Korea with Recon Co. of the First Marine Division. He was proud to have survived the Chosin Reservoir Battle and earned five battle stars. After his service, Bill earned his degree in Business Management from Penn State University. He worked with Talon Inc. as Manager of Management Development until being transferred to Paramont Die Cast in Stevensville. There he served as Personnel Manager, Safety Director, and Purchasing Director until Paramont closed in 1986. He then worked at Whirlpool Corp. for eight years, retiring in 1994. Bill was an ardent Pittsburgh Steeler, Penn State, and Lakeshore Lancer fan where he manned the sticks for over twenty years for Lakeshore football. He proudly flew his flags on the front lawn on game days. He enjoyed golf, hunting, and fishing off the sand bar. He was a member of the Wolverine Detachment of the Marine Corp League. Bill was one of five Korean Veterans who raised money to build the Korean War Veterans of Southwest Michigan memorial that now sits on the bluff in St. Joseph. He was a member of the Michigan and National Chosin Few and Stevensville American Legion. Bill was active with Boy Scouts for fifty years and earned the “Silver Beaver” award. He was a volunteer driver for the Veteran Administration and spent some of his retirement years as The Nittany Painter. Frequently you could find him trimming shrubs, cutting grass, or making pancakes at Stevensville United Methodist Church where he was an active member for forty years. Bill is survived by his wife Joan Henry Gobert to whom he was married fifty-two years, a son, Kerry “Chip” Gobert of Rockford, MI, a daughter, Karen Gobert of Mount Dora, FL, and a grandson, Keegan Gobert of Rockford. He was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Taylor Ann Gobert.