Louise V. Undem

Louise V. Undem, 82, of Benton Harbor, passed away Friday, July 23, 2010 at Caretel Inns in St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Eternal will be held 10:00 A.M. Tuesday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, with Rev. Greg Prather officiating. Burial will follow at Crystal Springs Cemetery in Benton Harbor. Friends may call from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. Monday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Berrien County Cancer Service or Lakeland Hospice. Those wishing to sign Louise's Memory Book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Mrs. Undem was born March 24, 1928 in St. Joseph to Carl & Louise (Zuhl) Ost. She graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1946. Louise was proud of the fact that she was one of St. Joseph's “Sand Rabbits”. On December 18, 1967, she married Frederick C. Undem at St. Peter's Church in St. Joseph. She retired in 1983 from Michigan Bell Telephone Company in Benton Harbor after thirty plus years. Louise was a member of Telephone Pioneers of America & St. Peter's Church. She and Fred enjoyed traveling across the country before his death on December 25, 1991. In her spare time, Louise enjoyed concerts at the St. Joseph Band Shell, and playing cards with her family & friends. Louise is survived by two sisters-Frieda Marceau of Benton Harbor, Gertrude “Trudy” Childs of Bridgman; two step children-Mike (Rose) Undem & Nancy K. Undem, both of California; three nieces-Betty Ann Kesterke of Benton Harbor, Barbara (Warren) Sweet of Benton Harbor, Mary Holly Barra of Hawaii; two nephews-Harry Marceau, Jr. of St. Joseph, Thomas Ost of Illinois; eighteen great nieces & nephews; & thirteen great-great nieces & nephews. In addition to her husband, Louise was preceded in death by siblings Gerda Kesterke & Walter Ost.