Phyllis Pavel, 86

Phyllis Jean Pavel, age 86, of Sturgis, Michigan passed away Wednesday afternoon August 1, 2012 at the Methodist Hospital Southlake Campus in Merrillville, Indiana.

She was born March 4, 1926 in Pontiac, Michigan daughter of the late Bruce and Eloise (Michelow) Sutton.

Mrs. Pavel spent most of her youth in California and Michigan. On October 27, 1945 she married Louis C. Pavel in Detroit. The Pavels’s resided most of their married life in Sturgis.

She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Louis, daughters, Susan Walling and Patricia Pavel, son, Mark (Lois) Pavel, grandchildren, Alan Walling, Aimee Badtke, Aaron (Joanie) Walling and Carol White, great grandchildren, Haileigh Badtke and Selby Walling, spiritual children Ron (Marti) Marshall, spiritual grandchildren, Stuart (Angie) Marshall, William (Kendra) Jones, Gabriel (Erin) Marshall, spiritual great grandchildren, Brendon and Sydney Marshall, Kasen, Paige and Rylie Jones and Ella Marshall, cousins, Cheryl (John) Davenport and Steve Sutton. Special friends, include Marian Long, James and Lori Oman, Nan and Steve Ingle, Jan Boring and the brothers and sisters of the Sturgis Congregation, Earl and Billie Chorbagian and Rose Box, Doris and Bill Simpson, Janie Pueschel and Aunt Anna Sutton.

She graduated from John Marshall High School in Cleveland, Ohio, with a special place in her heart for Fordson High School in Dearborn, Michigan. She graduated from Wilcox College of Commerce and Business in Cleveland. She was the secretary for the cosmetics buyer for Cunningham’s Drug Stores.

Mrs. Pavel was a professional seamstress for Kreason’s School of Dance, Tribbet’s and private customers. She started her own successful business, Forget Me Not Fashions.

She was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in January, 1974 and served faithfully until she fell asleep in death.

Her special interests were breeding Yorkshire Terriers and collecting of gems. She was an avid reader and likeD writing poetry and traveling. She had visited 48 of the 50 states, and enjoyed particularly Hawaii. She also visited 5 of the 7 continents. Her favorites were traveling to Israel where she rode on a boat on the Sea of Galilee, visited near the site where David slew the giant, crossed the Red Sea and Jordan River and visited Mount Sinai. She also enjoyed visiting China where she walked on the Great Wall, visited the Forbidden City saw the Terra Cotta Warriors, rode on the Grand Canal and enjoyed Shanghai. Other favorites spots were THE Roman ruins, the Sistine Chapel and the works of Michelangelo, both paintings and sculptures, particularly the statue of David. She also enjoyed the art museums of Paris and Monet’s home and pond. She had a special enjoyment visiting Branch offices of Jehovah’s Witnesses throughout the world. She also enjoyed visiting the Disney Parks through out the world, notably the Magic Kingdom and the Country Bear Jamboree.

Her favorite restaurant was Hana Yori’s where she celebrated wedding anniversaries with family and friends and enjoyed her annual glass of plum wine.

Phyllis had a great sense of humor, a great smile and laughed a lot.

She was a devoted, loving wife and provided the needed warmth for her husband and family.

The family will receive friends from 2:00-3:00 P.M. Sunday at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 66948 S. Nottawa St. in Sturgis where a memorial service will begin at 3:00 P.M. Sunday. Mr. Ron Marshall will officiate.

The Hackman Family Funeral Homes – Hackman Chapel, 114 S. Nottawa St., Sturgis, MI 49091, 269-651-2331 is entrusted with the arrangements.

The family suggests those wishing to make a memorial donation in Mrs. Pavel’s memory consider the World Wide Work c/o: Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 66948 S. Nottawa St., Sturgis, MI 49091.

The obituary is also at www.hackmanfamilyfuneralhome.com where personal messages of support may be left for the family.