Loretta A. Pedde

Loretta A. Pedde, 89, of Benton Harbor, went to meet her Lord & Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday, August 20, 2008, at her home. A Celebration of Life Eternal will be held at 10:00 A.M. Saturday at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Colfax & Kline Aves., Benton Harbor, with Rev. Martin Weigand & Rev. Richard Hennig officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery in St. Joseph. Friends may call from 6:00 until 8:00 P.M. Friday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church or Hospice at Home. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Loretta was born May 25, 1919 in Bainbridge, Township to Rueben & Mae (Dannefel) Kniebes. She lived in this area all of her life. Loretta spent her youth on the Kniebes Centennial Farm on Friday Road, & graduated from Coloma High School. On June 24, 1950, she married Harold Pedde at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church. They shared fifty-eight years of happy married life together. Loretta worked in the offices of the late Dr. John Gregory, Dr. Frank Belsley & Dr. Alvin Winegar, before starting employment at Peoples Savings Association. She retired from Peoples Savings after thirty years, working as branch manager at several locations. Loretta was a member of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church. Loretta is survived by her loving husband Harold; her sister-in-law, Annabelle Tinberg of South Bend, IN; her brother-in-law, Sam (Betty) Pedde of St. Joseph; and by numerous nieces & nephews, including Diane Janke of Coloma. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Carroll Kniebes, and her sister, Gloria Ann Kniebes.