Kenneth Woltman

Kenneth “Ken” Woltman, 73, of Benton Harbor, passed away Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held 1:00 P.M. Monday at Fairplain Presbyterian Church, 210 W. Napier Ave., Benton Harbor, with Dr. John Munson officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery in St. Joseph. Friends may call from 3:00 to 6:00 P.M. Sunday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to Fairplain Presbyterian Church or the American Heart Association. Those wishing to sign the Memory Book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Mr. Woltman was born February 17, 1936 in Oak Park, Illinois to George & Alice (Wiersma) Woltman. He graduated from Hope College in Holland with a Bachelors Degree. Ken moved his family to Benton Harbor in 1963 and opened Woltman Insurance Agency in Benton Harbor. The office later moved to Washington Ave. in St. Joseph, and in 2003 he merged with Insurance Management Co., where he worked as an agent until his retirement in 2008. Even though retired, Ken continued to help a few hours here & there, not wanting to give up his contact with his many friends he had made over the years. Ken was a member of Fairplain Presbyterian Church, Benton Harbor-St. Joseph Exchange Club, and Tail Draggers Flying Club, and served on the Benton Township Assessment Board, and twenty years with the Benton Harbor School Board. Ken enjoyed helping others in any way he was able, and enjoyed tinkering with and fixing his car and other things around the house. Ken is survived by his children-Jane (Mark) McDaniels of Benton Harbor, Tom (Jackie) Woltman of Benton Harbor, Chuck (Julie Smith) Woltman of St. Joseph; four grandchildren-Duron Patton, Chad Woltman, Adam Woltman & Elizabeth Blaylock; his sister Karen (John) Caldwell of Lilburn, GA; and several nieces & nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother Roger Woltman in 2005