Richard Jeschke
March 18, 1943 — February 28, 2017
Richard Dale “Dick” Jeschke, age 73 years of Niles, Michigan died peacefully at 3:13 a.m. on Tuesday, February 28, 2017 at his home.
He was born on March 18, 1943 in Niles to William and Frieda (Laukus) Jeschke. He was graduated from Berrien Springs High School, and joined the United States Marine Corps. He was honorably discharged as a Corporal and a Veteran of the Viet Nam Era. He earned both a Bachelors degree and Masters degree in Business Education from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. He began his career in the Berrien Springs Schools where he established their Vocational Cooperative program. His greater tenure was with the Van Buren Technology Center where he specialized in Job Placement. He also served as an adjunct professor at Southwestern Michigan College.
He has lived on the family farm all of his life, and in retirement enjoyed winters in Mesa, Arizona.
Dick had been a member and elder of the former Church of the Savior in Niles, and has been active at Hope Community Church since its inception. He was a member of the American Legion Post #225 in Lansing, Michigan, and was active in the local and state levels of Business Educators’ associations.
He enjoyed maintaining the Sandy Hill Farm, cultivating the peach orchard and the vineyard, and cutting and splitting wood. He also enjoyed traveling with his family, camping throughout Michigan, and hunting and fishing.
On September 29, 1969 in Decatur, Michigan he married the former Susan “Susie Jo” Weiss with whom he celebrated last year the forty-eighth anniversary of their wedding.
Surviving family includes his wife, Susie Jeschke and children Randy (& Dawn) Luthringer of Niles, Rhonda (& John) Kinahan of North Muskegon, Michigan, and Jeffrey Jeschke of Niles; and grandchildren Allen Kinahan, Ryan Kinahan, Caleb Luthringer, and Katie Kinahan.
The funeral service for Richard Jeschke will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 3, 2017 at the Hope Community Church in Niles with the Rev. Michael Smith of the church officiating. Committal will follow at the Union Cemetery in Berrien Center, Michigan and will conclude with the Full Military Honors by the United States Marine Corps Honor Guard and American Legion Post #51 of Buchanan, Michigan.
The family will receive relatives and friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Thursday at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home in Niles. Contributions in memory of Dick Jeschke may be made to the Hope Community Church.