Goldie M. VanDeWarker

A Celebration of Life Eternal will be held 10:00 A.M. Monday, January 21, 2013 at St. Augustine Episcopal Church 1753 Union St, Benton Harbor, with Reverend Dan Scheid officiating. Burial to follow at Riverview Cemetery in St. Joseph. Friends may visit from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. Sunday, January 20, 2013 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to St. Augustine’s of Canterbury Church. Those wishing to share a memory of Goldie may do so online at www.starks-menchinger.com. Goldie was born October 4, 1916 in Viola, WI, to Charles & Merle (Shreve) Witzel. Goldie graduated from Wisconsin Adventist Academy and attended what is now Andrews University. She married Merle M. VanDeWarker on April 2, 1938 in Viola, WI. Goldie was a full time homemaker who kept a busy schedule caring for her family. She was a member of the Fairplain Garden Club, she was a former member of the Berrien County Extension Club, and served many years as a judge in the home economics building at the Berrien County Youth Fair. In Goldie’s spare time she enjoyed bowling, needlework, cross stitching, and oil painting. She was an avid golfer and a honored Gold Star Mom. The light of her life was her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, we will all miss Nanie very much. Goldie is survived by her son Richard (Jenny) VanDeWarker of Eau Clarie; grand children Jason (Tasha) VanDeWarker of Eau Claire, Stephanie (Mark) Petersen of Grand Rapids, Jackie VanDeWarker of Eau Claire and Cherie VanDeWarker of San Diego CA; great Sara, Kristina, Noah, Damien and Elizabeth; brother Ray Witzel of Berrien Springs and many nieces and nephews. She was warmly know as Mom and Grandma Goldie to her second family; Don and Sharon Gillespie of St. Joseph, Tom Gillespie of St. Joseph, Katie Gillespie of Berrien Springs, Cara Gillespie and her husband Michael Sladen-York and their children Jackson and Bella Rose of St. Joseph. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, son Richard VanDeWarker, brothers; Harley, Albert and Clifford Witzel and sister Bernice Smith.