Darwin Kipker

Darwin D. Kipker, age 77 years of Niles, Michigan died at 2:27 p.m. on Tuesday, October 14, 2014 at the Hospice House of the Center for Hospice Care in South Bend, Indiana following an extended illness.

He was born on August 5, 1937 in Three Rivers, Michigan to Gail and Dorothy (Egmer) Kipker. He was graduated from Niles High School and has lived here most of his life. He had a forty-four career with the former Garden City Fan Company, retiring from its successor, ABB Flakt.

Darwin was a former member of the First Baptist Church in Niles. He was a retired member of the Company A, 246 Tank Battalion of the Michigan National Guard, now based in Dowagiac, Michigan. As a young man, he was active on the Garden City Fan bowling league, and enjoyed hunting. He also enjoyed home repair.

On April 19, 1959 at First Baptist Church he married the former Patricia Ann Quick with whom he celebrated in April the Fifty-fifth anniversary of their wedding.

Surviving family includes his wife, Pat Kipker and their daughter, Deborah Diane (& Terry) Stough of Cassopolis, Michigan; grandsons, Matthew Rose, Chase Stough, Adam Stough, and Hunter Stough; Darwin’s sisters, JoAnn (& Robert) Hill of Tippecanoe, Indiana, Marilyn (& Tom) Beal of East Lansing, Michigan, and Phyllis (& Warren) Tase of Three Rivers, Michigan; Pat’s father, Garold Quick and brother, Jerry (& Jacki) Quick; and several nieces and nephews.

Darwin was preceded in death by his parents and by a grandson, Steven Robert Rose who died on December 31, 1991; and Darwin’s brother, Richard Kipker and sisters, Donna Root and Sharon Herschleb.

The funeral service for Darwin Kipker will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 20, 2014 at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with the Rev. Ron Smith, Visitation Pastor of Hope Community Church officiating. Committal will follow at Mission Hills.

The family will receive relatives and friends at the funeral home on Sunday from 2:00 until 5:00 p.m. Contributions in memory of Darwin may be made to Hope Community Church, or to the American Heart Association, or the American Diabetes Association.

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