Donald Crowder

Donald L. Crowder, 76, of Lake Placid, Florida, formerly of Benton Harbor, passed away Wednesday, June 27, 2007 at Florida Hospital Heartland in Sebring, Florida. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 1:00 P.M. Tuesday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery. Friends may call from 5:00 until 8:00 P.M. Monday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Mr. Crowder was born April 29, 1931 in Benton Harbor to Reason & Gracie (Shoaf) Crowder. On May 17, 1952, he married the former Lorraine Floreani in St. Joseph. Don was employed at DuWel in Dowagiac as a tool & die engineer, retiring in January of 1992 after twenty years. Don & Lorraine spent many winters in Florida before moving year-round to Lake Placid in October of 2006. He was a member of the Society of Die Cast Engineers for eighteen years and held several offices. Don was a former member of St. Peter’s United Church of Christ and a volunteer fireman for St. Joseph Township for twenty years. In his spare time, Don enjoyed golfing & fishing. Don is survived by his wife Lorraine; his daughter Lynda (Douglas) Diamond of Charlotte, NC; his son Donald L. (Julie) Crowder, II of Grand Rapids, MI; two grandchildren Tyler & Ashlee Crowder of Grand Rapids; his sister Dorothy (Roy) Byrd of Bervard, NC; and many nieces & nephews. He was preceded in death by his daughter Donna Kay Crowder on November 28, 1958, two brothers-Vernell & Guilford Crowder, and two sisters-Twilla Jones & Frances Francisco.