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Mitchell William “Mickey” Gregory Chrapek died Jan. 4, 2012.
He was born Dec. 25, 1938 at Mercy Hospital in Jackson, a son of Constantine W. and Lillian Chrapek.
He was a brother of Barbara and Bruce Jones, Constance and David Crandall, and Felicia and Michael Nettro; and a special beloved friend of Helena M. Pagels. He was grandson of Mitchell and Helen Degorski and Karl and Dominica Chrapek.
He graduated from St. Stanislaws Kostka in 1952 and St. Mary’s High School in Jackson in 1956.
He entered the U.S. Air Force on Sept. 12, 1956. He served in Zaragoza, Spain, from October 1957-June 1960. He was in photo recognizance and photo public relations, and had a kryptographic clearance.
Several stories Mitch covered included “Catch a Falling Angel,” which was about a statue removed from a church and repaired and replaced at Vendrill, Spain. Also, the adoption of a Spanish boy, Andrew Qualio, who was terminally ill and adopted by Zaragoza Air Force Base until his passing.
Zaragoza was the first overseas base to receive the publication award for the stories and photographic coverage. Mitch did the photographic coverage on both stories, Silver Anvil Award.
Mitch enjoyed touring Europe in the fall of 1959, and enjoyed running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, in July.
Mitch attended Western Michigan University. He worked five years at National Carbon and Sturgis Newport Business Forms as a letter and offset pressman.
For several years, he was a cook and helped manage at Cedar Ridge, owned by his parents until 1973 when it was sold. Cedar Ridge was seven miles west of Sturgis near Grass Lake.
Mitch was on the White Pigeon Township Board as a trustee and also served as township clerk for more than 20 years and severed on several other boards.
He owned 1st Stop Real Estate, and worked as a broker at other real estate offices in Michigan and Indiana. With his parents he owned and managed Chrapek Apartments, along with his sister Barb, nephew Shad and friend Helena.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his grandparents; and several aunts and uncles.
He is survived by his aunts Wanda Degorski, Helen Paxton of Chicago, Sophia Barczak of White Pigeon; and several cousins. Mitch is also survived by his nephews and nieces, William and Barbara Rouch and their children Glen, Ellen, William; Shad and Cathy Carpenter and their children Christopher (Critter), Adam and Caitie; Jackie and Anthony Bowen and family; Kyzer and Gabrielle (Gabby); Timothy and Michelle Markel and family; Morgan and Brady; Lori and Lenny Roberts.
Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Sunday at Farrand Funeral Home in White Pigeon. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in White Pigeon, with the Rev. German Perez Diaz officiating. Interment will follow in White Pigeon Township Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be directed to Southerncare Hospice or St. Joseph Catholic Church. Envelopes are available at the funeral home.
