Edwin E. Geipel

Edwin E. Geipel, 81, of Stevensville, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, at Lakeland Hospital on Thursday, May 9, 2002, following a brief illness. Friends may call from 5 to 9 p.m., Friday, at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Celebration of Life Service will be held 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Stevensville United Methodist Church, 5506 Ridge Rd., Stevensville, with Rev. Eugene Lewis officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Stevensville United Methodist Church. Friends are invited to send a condolence message to the family at the guest book at www.starks-menchinger.com Ed was born to Ernest W. Geipel and Lillian (Nielsen) Geipel in Chicago, Illinois, on June 23, 1920. He moved to the Stevensville area with his family in 1936, and was proud to be a Stevensville High School Cardinal, graduating in 1939. He entered the Army in 1941, during World War II, serving in the South Pacific with the 476th AAA Battalion. In recent years, he served as Vice Chairman of their annual Battalion reunion. He was employed by Western Electric as an Installer from 1941 to his retirement in 1981. On January 26, 1946, he married Ruth (Hauch) Geipel in Bridgman, Michigan. She preceded him in death on April 16, 1971. On August 23, 1980, he married Martha Hornack in Stevensville. Ed was a charter member of Stevensville American Legion Post 568, and served in many capacities during his 54 years of membership, including marching in the annual Stevensville Memorial Day parade each year. He was also a member of VFW Post 1137, the Telephone Pioneers, and Stevensville United Methodist Church. He was also proud to be an avid and lifelong Chicago Cubs fan. He & Martha enjoyed spending the last 22 winters in Naples, Florida. He is survived by his wife, Martha, daughter Joyce (Dale) Gano, of St. Joseph, son James (Kathy) Geipel, of Stevensville, stepdaughter Rosemary (Richard) Bell, of St. Joseph, six step-grandchildren, and nine Step-great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his aunt Adeline (Geipel) Sheldon, of Three Oaks, sister-in-law Norma Geipel, of St. Joseph, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. His parents and a brother, Stanley, preceded him in death.