Garfield Baskin

Garfield Baskin, 82, of Benton Harbor, passed away Thursday, August 05, 2004 at Orchard Grove Extended Care Centre in Benton Harbor. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:00 A.M. Wednesday at First Assembly of God, 3084 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Burial will follow at North Shore Memory Gardens, Coloma with Military Rites conducted by Coloma American Legion Post 362, VFW Post 1137 of Benton Harbor, and VFW Post 6803 of Watervliet. Friends may call from 5-8 P.M. Tuesday at Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to the First Assembly of God. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Mr. Baskin was born August 12, 1921 in Casa, Arkansas to Marion & Ruth (Wallace) Baskin. On October 14, 1939, he married the former Bessie Emerson in Hayti, Missouri. He moved to Michigan to take a job with Benton Harbor Mallable. Garfield was employed there until their closing when he took a position with Advance Products from where he retired. He served his country in the US Army during WWII stationed in Okinawa and the Philippines. Garfield was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. He was a member of the First Assembly of God where he taught Sunday School for many years, and often played the guitar & sang. He was preceded in death by his wife Bessie in 1991. On August 5, 1993 he married the former Carrie Walker Broadwater in St. Joseph. Garfield loved to travel and spend time with his family. Mr. Baskin is survived by his wife Carrie; three sons-Ronnie (Darcy) Baskin of Benton Harbor; Jerry (Sandy) Baskin of Sodus; Curtis (Cindy) Baskin of Sumnerville, MI; a daughter-Marcella (Craig) Rudell of Berrien Springs; three step-sons-Bob (Joan) Broadwater of AZ; Richard (Diane) Broadwater of TX; John (Debbie) Broadwater of Dorr, MI; thirteen grandchildren; seven step-grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; six step-great-grandchildren; and a sister-Sarah Evelyn Zielke of Benton Harbor. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife Bessie; a son Bruce Baskin in 1971; and a brother Carl Stacey in 1991.