Mervin T. Cripe, Jr

Cripe, Mr. Mervin T., Jr.
Kalamazoo, Michigan Died Friday evening March 21, 2008. Mervin was born August 11, 1921 in Nappanee, Indiana a son of Mervin T. and Nina Abonte Cripe, Sr. During WWII, he served with the U.S. Army 346th Field Artillery in Italy. He had been a Kalamazoo area resident most of his life and was employed with the Upjohn Company for 31 years, retiring in 1977. He was preceded in death by his parents; a grandson, Paul; 3 brothers, Guy, John and Edward; and 2 sisters, Lucille and Elizabeth. On September 5, 1942, he was united in marriage to Maxine E. Doster Cripe who survives. Also surviving, 2 sons, Mervin R. Barb Cripe of Plainwell and James A. Patricia Cripe of Bellevue; 5 grandchildren, Jeffrey Lynn Cripe, Pamela Kevin Thorne, Joan Doug Skrzyniarz, Jennifer Mike Jura, and Jeremy Tanveer Stoepker; 5 great-grandchildren, Samantha, Emily, Jack, Alydia, and Avery; and several nieces, nephews, and special friends. Services will be held 11 o'clock Wednesday from the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 622 S. Burdick St. Visitation will be 2-4 and 6-8pm Tuesday. Interment will be in East Cooper Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the Michigan Heart Fund or Rose Arbor Hospice.