Walter E. Siewert

Walter E. Siewert, 84, of St. Joseph, died Saturday, December 29, 2001 at South Pointe Assisted Living Facility, St. Joseph where he had resided for the last 7 months following cardiac surgery. His 10 year struggle with disease which left him a paraplegic never dimmed his quick wit and sense of humor. Funeral services celebrating his life will be held on Thursday, January 3, 2002 at 6:30 PM at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home with Pastor Paul Koehneke, a family friend officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home starting at 4:00 PM until the time of the service. Burial will follow on Friday in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Milwaukee, WI. Memorial donations may be made to the Humane Society of SW Michigan. Wally was born January 28, 1917 in Milwaukee to the late Gottlieb and Mathilda (Zuehlke) Siewert. The family moved to Michigan in 1930, residing on a Pipestone Township farm in Berrien County. In the late thirties, Wally took a job at Auto Specialties in St. Joseph, followed by employment at various local shops & factories, mastering the tool and die trade as one of the best machinists in the field. In 1968 he left Modern Plastics in Benton Harbor and founded Snapp Tool & Die on Niles Ave. in St. Jospeh. In 1987 he moved Snapp Tool to Coloma and then retired in 1997. Wally served as a Fireman 3rd class in the US Navy during WWII. He was a member of the 12th Division of the US Naval Reserve Unit, a life member of BPOE #541-St. Joseph and a member of the Benton Harbor Moose Lodge #1570. Mr. Siewert is survived by his wife of 51 years, Caroline (Haase) Siewert; a son-Robert (Donna Savage) Siewert of Loudon, Tennessee; a special daughter-Nita (Clete) Brummel of St. Joseph; 8 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren; 2 brothers-John (Sandy) Siewert of LaVerne, CA & Arthur (Janet) Siewert of Penryn, CA; & a sister-Alma Henderson of Athens, Georgia. He was preceded in death by his stepmother-Ida Ruppel in 1979, two brothers-Roger in 1983, William in 2000 and a grandson Guy Weaver in 2001.