W. Todd Bingaman

W. Todd Bingaman died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, April 2, 2005. Known to his family and friends as loving, full of life, and quick with a joke, Todd was a husband, father, grandfather, son, brother and uncle. He worked hard and in January of 2004 achieved a lifelong career goal when he began work as the Superintendent of the Tecumseh Michigan School District. Born November 16, 1948 in South Bend, Indiana, Todd was the son of Rose Stein Bingaman (South Bend, IN) and Harry Reed Bingaman (South Bend, IN) who have preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by an older sister, Mary Jo Morrical (South Bend, IN). Todd joins the eternal to bless the lives of his wife, Sherry Pries Bingaman, sister Lori Zimmerman, three sons, Reed Paxson Bingaman (wife Jennifer), Ehren Todd Bingaman (wife Melinda), Matthew Pries, and three grandchildren Nathaniel, Darian, and Sarah. He was anxiously expecting a fourth grandchild any day. Todd worked for more than 30 years in education, starting as a special education teacher in Plymouth, IN before moving to the state of Michigan. Todd worked for the Berrien Intermediate School District, Dowagiac Union Schools, the Battle Creek Public Schools, and the Tecumseh Public Schools. Living in most of these places, Todd called Stevensville, MI his home where he and Sherry bought their dream home when they married in 1985. He was a 1967 graduate of John Adams High School (South Bend, IN) and earned a BS from Ball State University and a Masters degree from Indiana University. Todd was a proud alumni of all these institutions and encouraged life long learning, including several hours toward his PhD. He was an avid golfer and shared the sport with his sons. He enjoyed home improvement projects, being handy, good jokes, blues music, fine food, sports of all kind, and playing with his grandchildren. Taken from us by way of cancer, he lives in all of us because he touched every life he met. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations in memoriam be made to the Race for the Cure (The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 650309, Dallas, TX, 75265-0309) the Ball State University Foundation, (Office of University Development, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana 47306) the Indiana University Foundation (Indiana University Foundation, P. O. Box 500, Bloomington, IN 47402) or the Tecumseh Community in Schools, 212 N. Ottawa St., Tecumseh, MI 49286. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 P.M. Thursday at Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Friends may call from 3-5 & 7-9 P.M. Wednesday at the funeral home. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.