Daryl William Hacker

Daryl William Hacker, 61, of Eau Claire, MI took Jesus hand and went to his heavenly home on Tuesday, August 2, 2011. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:30 A.M. Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, MI with Eduard Schmidt officiating. Burial will follow at Spring Run Cemetery. Visitation will be held Monday from 5:00 until 8:00 PM on Monday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to American Heart Association or Fresh Hope Produce, Inc. @ www.freshhopeproduce.org. Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Daryl was born on June 29, 1950 in Benton Harbor to Leroy and Geraldine (Deutscher) Hacker. He attended Trinity Lutheran Grade School and graduated from Lakeshore High School in 1968. Daryl earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in education at Central Michigan in 1972. Daryl has always had a passion for sports especially basketball, and so truly enjoyed being a P.E. teacher and coach for St. Joseph Public Schools for many years. As Daryl's life moved forward he began farming and literally could always be found “out-standing” in one of his fields or orchards. You will never meet a harder working man than Daryl. He climbed mountains on a daily basis and worked through problems always figuring a plan that would work. He didn't complain and he never quit or gave up. On November 14, 1982 he married Penny Stevens of Benton Harbor, MI. Their family was complete with the birth if their daughter Ashlee Brit, 26, on February 24, 1985. Ashlee was truly the apple of Daryl's eye. He always attended her many high school and college sports activities, watching with great pride. He was able to witness Ashlee's earning a BS in Athletic Training at Western Michigan University. She is currently working as an athletic trainer for Benton Harbor High School and completing her masters at Western Michigan University in 2011/2012. Daryl was a loving husband, father and son. As an employer he took quality seriously and cared that he could keep jobs for his employees in these financially trying times. Daryl leaves behind to celebrate his life and cherish his memories, wife Penny, daughter Ashlee, mother Geraldine Hacker, a brother Larry and wife Nancy, many relatives, friends, employees, work associates, plus a ton of family pets who all loved him. He was preceded in death by his father Leroy Hacker in 2000.