Ann Bucknell, 89

Angell V. “Ann” Bucknell, age 89, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 19, 2010, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis.

She was born March 31, 1921, in Trufant, a daughter of the late Henry V. and Edna E. (Robinson) Ryskamp.

Ann had resided in Sturgis since 1940, coming from Detroit.

She was first married to Ernest Bixler, who died in 1975. She later married Raymond Bucknell, and he died April 22, 1994.

Most of her working life was involved in real estate. She owned and operated AB Reality in Sturgis for 10 years, at which time the business was sold.

Ann was always a very active member of the community. Some of her involvements included membership of St. John’s Episcopal Church, past president of the St. Joseph County Board of Realtors, past president of the Business and Professional Women’s Club, past president of St. Anne’s Guild of St. John’s Episcopal Church, charter member of Sturgis Hospital Escort Guild and Interior Decorating Guild and a former member of the Tray Guild.

She is survived by two daughters, Diane (David) Wegner of Sturgis and Priscilla (Michael) Kaufmann of Issaquah, Wash.; a son, Bishop Andrew David (Joyce) Bixler of Tower, Minn.; nine grandchildren, Dawn (Corey) Kauffman of Sturgis, Donna Wegner of Fort Wayne, Ind., Rachael Byrne of Fort Wayne, Deedra (Craig) Triezenberg of Broomfield, Colo., Danielle Wegner of Houston, Synda Gaglio of Houston, Hans (Jessica) Bixler of Bensalem, Pa., Brandy Bixler (Luke) LeFeurge of Fort Collins, Colo., and Kathryn (Jordan) Lerner of Mercer Island, Wash.; 10 great-grandchildren; three brothers, Rix R. Ryskamp of Mesa, Ariz., Bruce A. Ryskamp of Metamora and Carroll Ryskamp of Foxboro, Mass.; a sister-in-law, Shirley Ryskamp of Michigan; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; four sisters, Jane Ryskamp, Edna E. Shelley, Jeanette Jackson and Henrietta Molder; and four brothers, Neil Ryskamp, Fred Ryskamp, Sidney Ryskamp and Henry Ryskamp.

The family will receive friends from 4-8 p.m. Thursday at the Hackman Family Funeral Homes Hackman Chapel, 114 S. Nottawa St., Sturgis. A Requiem Mass celebrating the life of Angell V. “Ann” Bucknell will be held at 9:30 a.m. Friday at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Sturgis. The Rev. Canon Meredith Hunt will officiate. A graveside committal will follow the service at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Sturgis.

The family suggests those wishing to make a memorial donation in Mrs. Bucknell’s memory consider Hospice of Sturgis, P.O. Box 126, Sturgis or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 6931 Arlington Road, 2nd floor, Bethesda, MD 20814.

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