Orson Poley, 95

Orson Franklin Poley Jr., age 95, of Sturgis, passed away Sunday evening, Feb. 23, 2020, at his home.
He was born Sept. 8, 1924, in Raisin Township, Lenawee County, a son of the late Orson F. and Annie E. (Fackler) Poley Sr.
Orson was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving during World War II, where he flew B-29 Bombers and earned the rank of Flight Officer. While home on leave, he saw a group of girls who were hitchhiking. Orson stopped to pick them up, and that was when he met the love of his life, Willie Hearld. They were married June 22, 1946, and spent the next 73 year together.
Orson and Willie worked at Kirsch Company in Sturgis and owned and operated Poley’s Super Market on East Chicago Road in Sturgis across from the post office for 17 years. He then worked at Continental Can Company in Three Rivers for a short time. He returned to his butcher profession and worked for Garden City, A&P grocery store and retired from Congress Street Meat Market. He did not stay retired for long, as he processed many deer during hunting season.
Orson was an active longtime member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sturgis, where he served as an elder. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and trapping turtles with his brother, so there was fried turtle at family reunions. He also loved spending time with his family, playing cards, scuba diving and boating.
He was preceded in death by his sons, Norman E. Poley and Orson F. Poley III; a daughter Cheryl “Sherry” Birkhold; a granddaughter, Jennifer Dickerson-Sult; brothers Richard and Neil Poley; sisters Lucille Saunders and Betsy Pierucki; and sons-in-law Jim Gyomory and Barry Cheeks.
He is survived to cherish his memory by his loving and dedicated wife of 73 years, Willodean; a sister, Diana Krueger; daughters Teresa “Terri” (Rick) Dickerson and Carol Goymory; granddaughters Kimberly (Eric) Birkhold Ellner, Amy (Dave) Birkhold-Fowler, Diana (Dave) Dickerson-Weed and Cassondra “Casey” (Marty) Wentworth Hemple; grandsons Nicholas Dickerson, Jason Wentworth and Earlin Cheeks; 19 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Hackman Chapel of Hackman Family Funeral Homes, 114 S. Nottawa St., Sturgis. Funeral services celebrating the life of Orson F. Poley Jr. will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sturgis. The Revs. Calvin Kolzow and Larry Matro will officiate. A graveside committal will follow the service at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Sturgis, where full military honors will be conferred by Capt. John J. Kelley Post #1355 VFW and the U.S. Army Honor Guard.
The family suggests those wishing to make a memorial donation in Mr. Poley’s memory consider Trinity Lutheran School, 406 S. Lakeview Ave., Sturgis, MI 49091; or The Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, 34 Washington St., Suite 310, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 (curealz.org).
His obituary is also at www.hackmanfamilyfuneralhomes.com, where personal messages of support may be left for the family.