Ronald Nimtz

RONALD RAYMOND NIMTZ, 59, of Watervliet, passed away at Borgess Hospital, Kalamazoo, on Sunday, December 28, 2003. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Wednesday, December 31, 10:00AM, with Pastor Phil Bubar officiating, at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Burial will follow at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Sodus, MI. Visitation will be on Tuesday, December 30, from 4:00-8:00PM, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Animal Aid of Southwest Michigan, P.O. Box 407, St. Joseph, MI, 49085, or to the Driftskippers Snowmobile Club, C/O Robert Herman, 6969 Hill Rd., Coloma, MI, 49038. Friends wishing to leave a message of condolence, or to sign the family guest book, may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com Ronald was born on January 25, 1944, in Benton Harbor, MI, to Raymond Arthur and Ada Hulda (Steinke) Nimtz. He graduated from Benton Harbor High School in 1962. On July 1, 1972, in Benton Harbor, he married Sandra Kay Carr Bettich. Together they currently owned and operated Valley-View Kennels in Watervliet. Ronald was employed with Aquila Corp. Gas Company, of Benton Harbor, for over 31 years. Ronald and his wife loved to travel. They were avid car and snowmobile enthusiasts. He was a member of the Southwestern Michigan Car Club, and a Charter Member and Past President of the Driftskippers Snowmobile Club. Ronald was a teacher of snowmobile safety to many area children. He loved people; special friends from high school days, his family-especially his grandchildren. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and brother, and will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife Sandra; two sons, Randy (Trisha) Bettich of St. Joseph, and Bret (Erica) Nimtz of Millburg; three daughters, Renee Gast of Watervliet, Rhonda Rae Nimtz of Marco Island, FL, and Wendy (Ivon) Hays of Coloma; seven grandchildren; and a sister, Virginia (Richard) Rogalski of Millburg. Preceding him in death are his parents.