Leon E. Hartwig

Leon E. Hartwig, 87, of St. Joseph, MI, passed away Monday, May 16, 2016 at Royalton Manor in St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held 11:00 A.M. Friday, May 20, 2016 at Washington Ave. Church of God, 4051 Washington Ave. in St. Joseph with Pastor Andy Hannich officiating. Burial will follow at Ruggles Cemetery in Baroda. Friends may visit from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Thursday, May 19, 2016 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel and Cremation Services, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave., 7th fl. New York, NY 10001 or to the American Stroke Association, 9707 E. Ester Lane, Suite B, Centennial, CO 80112. Those wishing to sign Leon’s guestbook may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Leon was born to Gustaf and Rose (Ertman) Hartwig on March 6, 1929 in Eau Claire, MI. On July 13, 1947 he married Marilyn Miller in Benton Harbor. Leon devoted his life to the work of the Lord.  He started the Baroda Church of God in Baroda in 1957 and was instrumental in building three more churches in South Carolina, Virginia and Ohio. After retirement he enjoyed flying model airplanes, building grandfather clocks and other woodworking crafts.  His greatest joy was when his family would come to visit. Leon is survived by his wife Marilyn; his children, Leon Evertt Hartwig Jr. of Baroda, Terri (Dennis) Swanson of St. Joseph, Lynn (Jeff) Richardson of Marion, Virginia and Lisa (Brian) Wagner of Midlothian, Virginia; five grandchildren, Leon E. (Betty) Hartwig III, Nicole (Kurt) Muenchow, Sandra (Shawn) Osburn, Trent (Tamara) Richardson and Nathan Wagner; six great-grandchildren, Ashley and Mya Osburn, Abby and Sawyer Muenchow and Lillian and Beauregard Richardson; step-grandchildren, Michael (Elizabeth) Swanson and Julie (Mark) Borah; his siblings, Natalie Shearer, Nylor (Clara Jean) Hartwig and Arbeautus Zwar. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Edmund Hartwig.