Battle Creek Enquirer from Battle Creek, Michigan • Page 8

Local Report B-2 Enquirer and News, Nov. 28, 1980 "Obituaries Longtime local florist Fund disappearance' Robert W. Coggan dies Rnhnrt fnaar, i nr artivp until spllina thp firm in 19K7 Robert W. Coesan. 76.

of 27.11 active until selling the firm in 1967. af Albion cemetery draws state scrutiny Michigan a longtime Battle Creek florist, was pronounced dead on arrival Thursday at Leila Hospital, where he was taken after being stricken at his residence. He was born in Battle Creek and graduated from Battle Creek Central High School and Argubright Business College. He was one of the original tenants of The Inn at 250 Champion St. and resided there until the building was sold earlier this year.

Since then, he had resided at the home of Sallie Stewart, a longtime employee, at the Michigan Avenue address. Coggan's father, the late Walter Coggan, entered the flower business in 1907, when he became a partner in the firm of Burt Coggan at 11 W. Michigan in the old Stone Arcade. He became sole owner of the firm in 1910 and, in 1912, moved the business to 25 E. Michigan Ave.

The junior Coggan joined his father in business in 1924. After his father's death five years later, became the owner. In 1945, he relocated the business to 13 S.W. Capital Ave. and remained He blamed the earlier deficit on the cemetery's previous owner, Tony Sussi.

"There was a deficit when I took over," Pierson said. According to Bruce, all cemeteries have a perpetual care trust fund. Money for the fund comes from 15 percent of the sale of grave spaces. Interest generated by the trust fund is used to help pay maintenance expenses at the cemetery. Some of the money in the fund can be invested by the trustee to produce additional income, Bruce said.

"The trustee should invest the money as a prudent person would invest it," he said. "It's not his money, it's the public's money. When you invest it for yourself or someone else, it's self-dealing, which is illegal." Bruce said that depending on the decision of the Prosecutor or the Attorney General, a hearing before the five-person Cemetery Commission could result. If Pierson is found in violation of the state Cemetery Act, he could lose his cemetery operator's license. The cemetery would then be turned over to the courts and placed in receivership.

"But I'm afraid the cemetery would go to weeds if that happens," Bruce said. "If a receiver is appointed, they would only have $1,000 and interest to run the cemetery." "I'd like to see him (Pierson) sued," Bruce said. An audit of Hillcrest Cemetery earlier this year by the Cemetery Commission showed $68,000 missing from Hill-crest's trust fund. Bruce said a hearing was held for Pierson after the deficit was found, and the Cemetery Commission made Michigan National Bank the trustee of the fund while letting Pierson retain ownership of the cemetery. The commission required Pierson pay back the money he owned the fund in payments Bruce said Pierson was not putting 15 percent of grave sales into the fund.

Russell O.Bryan COLDWATER Russell 0. Bryan, 62, of 59 S. Clay died Wednesday night in the Branch County Community Health Center, where he had been a patient one week. He had been ill five years. He was born in Dorset, Ohio, and moved to Coldwater in 1952 from Elyria, Ohio.

He formerly was employed by the Federal-Mogul and the Cold-water Regional Center for Developmental Disabilities, retiring in 1976 because of ill health. He was a member of Tyre Lodge 18, and the Eagle Lodge. His wife, the former Helen Acton, died in 1975. He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Donald R.

(Saundra) Clark of McHenry, and one grandchild. Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at Putnam Funeral Home. Memorial donations may be made to any charitable organization. Nora M.

Spencer Nora M. (Black) Spencer, 90, of 36 Eldred a retired schoolteacher, died Thursday in Riverside Manor, where she had been a patient since Nov. 5. She had been ill since August. She was born in Cadillac and moved to Battle Creek about 60 years ago.

She taught in several Battle Creek elementary schools, including many years at Roosevelt School, and retired in 1956 from Verona School. She was a member of the National Retired Teachers Association. Her husband, Carl D. Spencer, died in 1941. She is survived by a sister, Mrs.

Lottie Sherwood of Grand Rapids. Services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements are by Richard A. Henry Funeral Home.

Donald Bradley Donald "Butch" Bradley, 43, of 511 North died Thursday in Community Hospital. He had been ill three months. He was a lifelong Battle Creek resident. He was employed by the Eatotf4 Corp. and was a member of the Eaton Sportsman's Club.

He was an Air Force veteran. He is survived by his wife, the former Rita Coyne; his stepfather and his mother, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Mc-Nichols of Battle Creek; a daughter, Mrs. Thomas (Donna) Sedore of Battle Creek; brothers, Kenneth Bradley of Detroit, and Richard Bradley of Battle Creek; a sister, Mrs.

Otis (Jacquelyn) Burge of Rochester; and one grandchild. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Perry Funeral Home. William K. Stoffer named head of Albion Machine Tool Co.

By MARTI BENEDETTI Staff Writer ALBION Why $52,000 was allegedly found to be missing in a recent audit of the Albion Memory Gardens Trust Fund by the Michigan Cemetery Commission will soon be under scrutiny by the Calhoun County prosecutor and the state attorney general. An investigation, conducted by the Cemetery Commission, has been turned over to the Prosecutor's Office for a decision on whether criminal action will be taken against cemetery owner and trustee of the trust fund Richard Pier-son. Assistant Prosecutor Michael Bere-zowsky said he would pursue the case after the holiday weekend. George Bruce, executive secretary of the Cemetery Commission, said the Attorney General's Office has not yet looked at the case. The commission began an audit of the cemetery in September, checking the books from February 1978, when the last audit was done, to August, Bruce said.

Bruce said the perpetual care trust fund, which formerly contained $53,000, contained $1,000. Instead of the money, there were several promissary notes from Pierson that are long overdue, Bruce said. He said an investigation of the missing funds revealed they may have been loaned to the Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Jackson, bought by Pier-son in January. Pierson, owner of Albion Memory Gardens for about three years, said the money in the trust fund was accountable. "And I received no note that they (the Cemetery Commission) were done with its investigation," Pierson said.

When asked if Hillcrest Cemetery was facing financial difficulties, Pierson said, "We've had financial difficulties in the past like a lot of businesses, but they have been cleared away." Cut Rate adds to Cut Rate Super Market Inc. is offering a $1,000 reward for information causing the arrest and binding over to Calhoun County Circuit Court of anyone charged with the Oct. 31 armed robbery of the Cut Rate Supermarket at 487 Main St. The reward is in addition to one being offered by the Silent Observer Committee, which would be determined when an arrest is made. Two men, wearing ski masks, robbed the supermarket and struck a woman in the store who was taking photographs of store employees dressed in Halloween costumes.

Ronald McComb, president of the firm, said an undetermined amount of money and lottery tickets were taken during the robbery. The woman, who police said took two photographs of the armed robbers, was treated at Community Hospital for injuries suffered when one of the pair struck When Coggan first entered the florist business, charcoal braziers were used in the winter to heat delivery trucks to keep flowers from freezing and many types of flowers were not available year around. The firm was one of the first to join the Florist Telegraph Delivery Service in 1913 and also operated its own greenhouses on South Avenue until selling them in 1945 to the Battle Creek Florist Exchange. The junior Coggan was recognized as a skilled floral designer and often was called upon to be an instructor at workshops at state and national conventions conducted by FTD. He formerly was a member of the Lions Club and the Battle Creek Hunt Club and had served on the Board of Directors of Oak Hill Cemetery and the McCurdy Foundation.

He collected antique snuff bottles and in April donated his collection of 161 bottles, dating from 1700, to the University of Michigan Museum where they will be displayed in the Oriental division. Services will be held at 1 30 p.m. Saturday in Oak Hill Cemetery. Arrangements are by Shaw Funeral Home. 4 William K.

Stoffer Robert L. Herwarth Pauline Chopper the Michigan House of Representatives for her service on the Act 54 Mental Health Board. Under her chairmanship in 1973 and 1974, the board created parent training workshops under contract with KCC and funded by the state Department of Mental Health. Barry board adopts new hiring policy HASTINGS A policy that would allow hiring of a county employee only if it were sanctioned by the Barry County Board of Commissioners has been adopted by commissioners. Commissioner James Gordon, D-Thornapple Township, said Tuesday at the County Board meeting that the procedure in the policy has been used in the past by the county, but the formal policy will more strictly enforce the procedure.

"This is a way to let us have a good second look at county staffing," Gordon said. "It gives us tighter control (over employment) because we are working with a tight budget." The board also agreed to apply for a Michigan Department of Natural Resources Land and Water Conservation grant for a park in Freeport. Grants Coordinator Sylvia Dulaney will make the application. In other business, the board adopted a revised sanitary code that will go in effect early in 1981. LMiAlAll hit? it IC LelaM.

Hyland Interment was held this morning in Gardens, Jacksonville, Fla LelS (Fiser) Hyland, 89, of Cherry Hill Manor, who died Tuesday in Lakeview General Hospital. She was born In Sarnia, Ontario, was reared in Port Huron, and moved to Battle Creek in 1909. She formerly was employed as a bookkeeper by the B.H. Clark Grocery, which became the Hawley and Fay Grocery in 1913, and she left the firm in 1932. She later was a buyer for the L.

W. Robinson Co. and moved to Florida in 1943. She returned to Battle Creek in 1965, after the death of her husband, John J. Hyland.

She was a life member of Battle Creek Chapter 355 OES, and the First Congregational Church. Local arrangements were by Shaw Funeral Home. Andrew J. Allison COLON Andrew J. Allison, 62, of 3841 N.

Blackstone died Tuesday in Ingalls Memorial Hospital, Harvey, 111., where he was taken after being stricken while visiting relatives in Harvey. He was born in Merrimac Mines, and moved to the Colon area in 1970 from Chicago. He retired from the International Harvester Co. in 1978. He was an Army veteran of World War II, and was a member of St.

Barbara Catholic Church, and Colon American Legion Post 454. His wife, the former Mary J. Jarr, died in 1978. He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Roy (Jean) Ashbrook of Sauk Village, a son, James A.

Allison of Sauk Village; four grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Frank (Betty) Kent of Hazel Crest, and a brother, Edward Allison of Sun City, Ariz. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in St. Barbara Catholic Church.

Arrangements are by Schipper Funeral Home. Walter Martinez Walter Martinez, 86, of 275 Parkway Drive, died Thursday in the Calhoun County Medical Care Facility, where he had been a patient several years. He was bom in El Paso, Texas, and was a longtime Battle Creek resident. There are no known immediate survivors. Arrangements are pending at Perry Funeral Home.

Sarah E.Wolfe EAST LEROY Sarah E. (Hendrixson) Wolfe, 74, of 4191 Road, died Thursday in Leila Hospital, where she had been a patient four days. She was born in Athens Township, resided in Battle Creek about 15 years, and moved to East Leroy in 1953. She formerly was employed by A-B Stove Co. and Kellogg Co.

and enjoyed needlework, especially crocheting and hooking rugs. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Battle Creek. She was married Nov. 2, 1929, to Frank L. Wolfe, who survives.

She also is survived by daughters, Mrs. Jay (Bertha) Shafer of Bristol Lake, Dowling, and Mrs. Maynard (Ei-lean) Mitchell of East Leroy; sons, Wendell L. Wolfe of Battle Creek and Duane Wolfe of Union City 10 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren, and brothers, Donald Hendrixson of Battle Creek and Harry Hendrixson of Se-bring, Fla. Services will be held at 2 p.m.

Sunday at Spencer Funeral Home, Athens. Births BATTLE CREEK COMMUNITY Mr. and Mrs. Bing Robinson, 21700 Division Drive, Marshall, a daughter Nov. 25.

Mr. and Mrs. Larry Bothwell, 14543 6-MUe Road, a daughter Nov. 26. Mr.

and Mrs. David Saunders, 23 Cornwell a daughter Nov. 26. Mr. and Mrs.

Edward Graham, 69 1st a daughter Nov. 27. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Peet, 7080 Drive a son Nov.

27. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Lyon, 166 Summer a daughter Nov. 27.

Mr. and Mrs. Allen Watson, 558 On Campus Diana Johnston, a junior at The College of Wooster in Ohio, has been studying at Richmond College in London, England, during the fall quarter. She is a biology major at the college, which en Japanese Then comes writing practice. Each child pencils the 48 Japanese hiragana characters in the traditional writing order.

Then the older students go on to learn kanji characters, which are much more complex than the hiragana. Sometimes they practice sentences by writing what they did the day before, almost like a diary. "Oji-chan, Oji-chan!" Yoko Murayama, 8, calls to Kobayashi. She proudly shows him her carefully crafted hiragana, with a row of English alphabet letters drawn Two State Police JONESVILLE Michigan State Police officers David Tomchette and Harvey Kuiper recently retired from the Jonesville post. Trooper Touchette, 35, retired with a duty disability after more than eight years of service.

Sgt. Kuiper, 47, retired after serving the State Police for 24 years. Touchette's disability status is due to injuries he received when struck in a hit-and-run traffic accident in Detroit in ALBION William K. Stoffer, the grandson of one of the founders of Albion Machine Tool has been named president of the firm. The Board of Directors also has named Robert L.

Herwarth, of 239 N. Chapel Hill Drive, Battle Creek, as the firm's vice president and Pauline Chopper, of 1006 N. Monroe as buyer. The appointments were announced today. Stoffer's father, William R.

Stoffer, was president of the company until his death on Sept. 13. The company was founded in 1927 by Herman C. Stoffer and the late AlBeatty. William K.

Stoffer, of 420 Elizabeth has been an Albion resident most of his life. He holds a master's degree in administration law from the University of Northern Colorado and a B.S. degree in psychology from Albion College. He is a 1970 graduate of Albion High School. Stoffer is president of Junior Achievement of Albion, a member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Albion Chamber of Commerce and a member and past chairman of the Calhoun County Economic Development Corp.

Herwarth is a graduate of Kellogg Community College and attended Western Michigan University. He is chairman of the Calhoun County Parks and Recreation Commission. He also is a past chairman of the Calhoun County Metropolitan Planning Commission, of which he has been a member since 1974. Mrs. Chopper has been active in the Albion Historical Society and the Greater Albion Scholarship Fund.

She is a member of the Business and Professional Women's Association and is a former president of the Albion Board of Education. She was cited in a special tribute by Police and Fire Fire caused an estimated $8,000 in damage Thursday to the home of Marilyn McKeever at 46 W. Goguac St. Damage to the contents was estimated at $4,000. The blaze, which started in the living room, was discovered when the family returned home about 3:45 p.m.

Battle Creek firefighters said the cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The fire spread into the dining area and up an open stairway before it was brought under control about 5 p.m., said a Fire Department spokesman. Immunization clinics scheduled next week Immunization clinics will be held Monday at the Barry-Eaton District Health Department in Hastings and Wednesday in Charlotte. Both clinics will be held from a.m. and 1-4 p.m.

The Health Department office in Hastings is at 220 W. Court St. The office in Charlotte is at 528 Beech St. Jaycees want more nominations robbery reward If you have facts which could help solve a crime, you might earn a reward. Call 964-3888, and say you want to be a "Silent Observer." You need not give your name.

her on the face with his pistol. They grabbed the camera before fleeing the supermarket. Persons with information about the robbery should contact the Silent Observer program by calling 964-3888. Year award is presented to an individual exhibiting outstanding leadership capabilities, response toward employees and civic involvement. Nomination forms are available from the Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce or by contacting Fred Bach-man at Hebble's Funeral Service.

Bach-man is the chairman of the annual event. 10th Grade Susan Bates, Mary Bonifer, Mary Buckingham, William Bush, Charles Dougherty, Kathy Faber, Anthony Hagelgans, William Johnson, Steven Lemaire, Ronald Marinch, Tom Miller, Patrick O'Brien, Kim Patrick, Laura Poirier, Sharon Romary, Debbie Salerno, Julia Spitz, Michael Williams. th Grade Kathleen Bond, Laura Bonifer, Denise Hagelgans, Mary Ann Martin, Beth Morris, Julie Palmer, Jennifer Schmitt, Katherine Schulte, Susan Sokolowski, Loria Stamp, Jessica Sullivan. tth Grade Theresa Abbey, Leigh Albaugh, Kristin Gi-rardot, Diana Huggett, Kellie Krzyanski, Kathy Ryan, Rita Smith, Cheryl Sokolowski, Tony Wawzysko, Kristine Wheaton. TthGrede Barbara Barnes, Mary Beronja, Christine Bond, Steve Cobb, Kellie Daum, Lisa Geesin, Tim Hayes, Elizabeth Mangan, Gregory O'Da-niel, Vincent Sadowski, Mary Sweet, Marie Thiessen, Tom Trusook, Scott Voightmann.

FT Silent i Observer 3Bf Several nominations have been made for the Battle Creek Jaycees' annual awards for Outstanding Young Man, Boss of the Year and Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year, but the service club is encouraging others to return their nominating forms by the Dec. 3 deadline. The Young Man and Young Farmer awards are open to individuals between the ages of 18 and 35. The Boss of the OtildaM.Belden MENDON Otilda M. (Lund) Bel-den, 84, of 305 S.

Railroad died Wednesday in Marshall at the home of a relative. She was born in Appleton, and moved to Mendon in 1947. She owned and operated Ruth Ann's Beauty Shop for many years. She was a member of the VFW Auxiliary. Her husband, Ralph Belden, died in 1978.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Eickhof Funeral Home. Sadie Miller HASTINGS Sadie Miller, 78, of 2986 Heath Road, died today in Pennock Hospital. Arrangements are pending at Leonard, Osgood and Wren Funeral Home. Lakeview a son Nov.

28. LAKEVIEW GENERAL Mr. and Mrs. Terrence Synder, 704 Canal Three Rivers, a daughter, Nov. 26.

PENNOCK, HASTINGS Mr. and Mrs. Steven Graham, 504 S. Main Nashville, a son Nov. 27.

ALBION COMMUNITY Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Hackett, Homer, a son Nov. 26. courages students to enrich their undergraduate experience through off-campus study programs.

Miss Johnston is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph E. Johnston of 92 Shadywood. Continued from B-l 85 make honor roll at St.

Philip EiehtV-five St. Philin Cathnlir fn- tral High School students have been named to the school's honor roll for the first quarter. To earn a place on the honor roll, students must have a grade-point average of at least 3.0. Those named to the honor roll are: 12th Grade Lizbeth Amundson, Peter Anderson, D'Anne Armaninl, Gregory Barnes, Margaret Downey, Theresa Hayes, Gaylord Huggett, Darlene James, Carolyn Jereck, Jean Marie LaPierre, Gary Mulgrew, Patricia Otis, Martha Schoder, Mary Schoder, Angela Spitz, Paul Steinbrunner, Troy Zukowski 11th Grade Kristin Adams, Michael Allard, Martha Beas-ley, Alicia Davis, Joan Faber, Michael Jaco-nette, Diane Kosak, David Mangan, Timothy Martin, Teresa Medich, Brenda Parker, JoAnn Romary, Daniel Schulte, Mary Theissen, Linda Wathen. WHU JA Ub BE SCHULER'S alongside.

Few of the students call for "Kobayashi-Sensei." To them he is simply "Oji-chan" (grandfather). "It's a term of familiarity. Young children use it," Kobayashi says, smiling. As classtime dwindles, he picks up a book. It is story time.

Although the children don't realize it, this is probably the most important part of the class. Kobayashi begins to read aloud and 7-year-old Hiroko Yoshinaga quickly puts down her own book to listen. THE HOST! HOLIDAY PARTY kWMLUUeUUUCaU Banquet rooms, catering and that snprial rrpnr for frienfk. ii It's a story about a "Ghost of Fire," a story that makes the eyes of Yoko Murayama forsake a book about Mickey Mouse to listen to the folk tale. The telling of folk stories is an integral part of the Japanese classes.

It is one of the few ways Kobayashi has of exposing the children to the Japanese culture they have left behind, but to which they will someday return. The class period draws to a close, and the children say their goodbyes. "They are very eager to come to class, and that makes me happy," said Kobayashi. "Students from other cities such as Kalamazoo will come, I don't know exactly when. I'm afraid that the class will be bigger and bigger.

"It's rather hard to teach children of different ages. I hope one more teacher is found, but it is very difficult to find teacher proficient in Japanese." After noon, when classes were over for another week, he opened a gift from a student's family. It was a plate of sushi, a Japanese dish made with pickled rice that is standard fare for a quick lunch in the Far East. "I haven't had this since I left Japan," Kobayashi said, reflecting on the year and five months that he has been in America. officers "retire Wrl lilJeTiT EHl'lii'i ens? mzm 1 'XiliJMr tiUM 'ia June 1978 while he was investigating another accident.

After two years as a Detroit police officer, Touchette served at the Jackson post and was transferred to the Detroit freeway post in March 1978. He was assigned to Jonesville last September. Kuiper was assigned to the Niles post in 1956 and was transferred to Flint four years later. In 1966, he was promoted to corporal and assigned to Jonesville, where he has served since. He was promoted In 1971 and 1976.

71 MARSHALL i.i.i:t.M:yf.ni:HM:Mi:ia:.i:i.