Ruth A. Machacek

Ruth Adeline Damaske Machacek, 80, of St. Joseph died peacefully in her sleep on February 5th, 2003 at Lakeland Hospital with members of her family present. Visitation will be held on Friday February 7th from 5 P.M.until 8 P.M at Starks and Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph, MI 49085. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:00 A.M. Saturday Feb. 8th, 2003 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 715 Market St., St. Joseph. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery on Niles Road in St Joseph. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church or to a charity of the donor?s choice. Friends wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Ruth Machacek was born on November 7th, 1922 in St Joseph to the late Gustave A. Damaske Sr. and his wife Anna (Tilly) Damaske. Ruth attended and graduated from Trinity Lutheran School, St Joseph High School, and Twin City Business College. She worked for Holly?s restaurant. When her brothers Gus Jr., and Albin were called into military service during World War II, Ruth then worked for the Damaske Grocery Store. Ruth met Clifford Machacek on July 8th, 1945 and they were married on July 7th, 1946. This union was blessed with five children. From1947 until 1951, Ruth and Clifford made their home in East Lansing as she worked to help him complete his teaching degree at MSU. They moved back to St Joseph in 1951 when he began to teach for Benton Harbor Area Schools. Ruth was a devoted full-time homemaker to her husband and mother to her children. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church her entire life, singing in the church choir and participating in church organizations as her time would permit. Ruth Machacek is survived by: her husband Clifford; her sons – Steven (Shelley) of Farmington Hills, MI; Gary of Benton Harbor, and James (Tina) of St. Joseph; daughters ? Cheryl of Schwenksville, PA, and Joann (Sean) Chayer-Machacek of Portsmouth, RI; sister Dorothy Anna Damaske of St Joseph; brother – Gustave A. Damaske Jr. of St Joseph; seven grandchildren ? Amy, Alison, Lindsey, Jonathan, Thomas, Andrew and Ashley Machacek. Mrs. Machacek was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers- Arnold Damaske, Edwin Damaske and Albin Damaske all of St Joseph.