Clifford Glen Egeler

Cliff, known as Papa to his grandkids, died in Munson Hospital in Traverse City following a short illness.

He was born to Hattie (Kroupa) and William Egeler on the Egeler centennial farm in Gills Pier. He grew up working the farm with his sister and five brothers. Daily he woke up to do chores, followed by walking to Houdek School in East Leland, two miles uphill in both directions regardless of the weather or season. Always the prankster, Cliff and his brothers were known for hijinks such as putting the neighbor's horse-drawn wagon on the roof of the house, or unloading a grease gun on a neighbor boy's new white sailor suit. Later in life he found humor in cutting off his goatee and gluing it on a Santa Claus Christmas card which was mailed to his sister-in-law.

He graduated from Northport High School, not missing many days other than taking potato vacations (kids - ask your grandparents what this was). He enlisted in the Air Force immediately after graduation in an effort to get away from harvesting potatoes. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force after a short time due to severe asthma, a condition he endured his whole life. Following his discharge he spent 3-1/2 years on freighters, as an Able Seaman sailing on the Great Lakes. He then helped outfit the SS Badger car ferry, which still sails today. He was the guest of honor in 2003 at the 50th anniversary of the launching of the Badger, as he was one of the original crew members. It should be noted that even though he worked on the water, he could not swim, and would do anything to get out of taking swimming lessons, including accidentally severing his finger nearly off.

He attended Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City where he met the love of his life, Judith Marion Ziebell. His future father-in-law, E J "Dino" Ziebell determined that Cliff better have a decent job if he was going to marry his daughter, so he hired him at the Leelanau Enterprise and Print Shop in Leland. Eventually he became co-publisher, and served in that role until the business was sold to R C Kerr in 1975. He was probably the fastest two finger typist in the age long before computers.

Cliff and Judy married in 1955 in the Leland United Methodist Church, where he was proudly a member of the 'Back Pew Gang". Although Cliff couldn't carry a tune if it was in a basket with handles on it, he still enjoyed belting out hymns and other songs. Cliff loved polka dancing with Judy to live music.

They had five children, Susan, Daryl, David, Daniel and Gayle, in that order. Cliff was active in their childhood activities including scouting, baseball and chasing them around the house with the yard stick (well-deserved, for the record).

He proudly served the Leland community for over 50 years as a member of the Leland Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad. Like so many others, he would answer the emergency call all hours of the day, and return home only to continue working on whatever task was interrupted. It should be noted that he died in Munson Hospital the day after Christmas, a holiday that he spent at the hospital regularly, as he was always transporting community members there on holidays in the ambulance. Amazingly, even though Cliff was routinely seeing people at their medically-worse condition, he was unable to prevent himself from passing out when his own son was receiving stitches for a laceration over an eye.

Cliff also volunteered with the American Red Cross as a first aid instructor, training many of the members of the local rescue squads in the needed first aid skills.

Cliff was a hard worker, only taking breaks every evening after dinner when he would usually fall asleep on the chair in the living room with the television on. He was the Leland Township treasurer for 20 years, going door-to-door to get elected. The job caused him untold stress, as each year he needed to figure out how to enlist the assistance of his family with stuffing the tax statements into envelopes. Cliff also drove school bus part-time, and was very proud of occasionally taking underprivileged children to breakfast (his treat). Cliff enjoyed cutting trees down and chopping the wood for the stove in the basement. His particular expertise was in burning the stumps that were left behind. Usually, he would pull the family members away from stuffing the tax bill envelopes to assist with the stump burning. He also took pleasure in woodworking, and in later years made wobbly end tables that he gave to his children and closest friends. Cliff was able to laugh at his own mistakes, including a failed worm farm business venture. But what he may have lacked in financial riches, he more than made up with the wealth from his community spirit and generosity.

He was preceded in death by his parents, William H. and Hattie Egeler, his sister Evelyn Potts, and several grand dogs including one affectionately known as "Short Bus".

He is survived by Judy, his wife of 59 years, daughters Susan (Bob) Decker of Grandville and Gayle Egeler of Maple City, and sons Daryl of Naples, Florida, David of Ypsilanti and Daniel (Janet) Egeler of Dexter. To the best of his failing memory, there are eight grandchildren - Adam, Jeremy and Jordan Wurm; Katherine, Michael and Mitchell Decker; and Matthew and Meredith Egeler. There are also eight grand dogs. He is also survived by his five brothers - Theodore, Ralph, Orville, Perry and Arthur.

Memorial contributions can be made in his honor to the Leland Volunteer Fire Department or the Alzheimer's Association of Michigan.

A memorial service will be planned for the Spring of 2015.

Please share your favorite memories of Cliff with his family by way of his online guest book at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com .

The family is being served by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services.