Kenneth Gene Crumback

Ken Crumback, age 83, a lifelong resident of Caledonia, passed away on Sunday, September 5, 2021. He was born January 12,1938 to Ike and Nellie (Mathewson) Crumback, growing up on the 100th Street farm and attending Caledonia Schools, including DeTray School, a one room school still in existence. In 1958 he married his high school sweetheart, Mary Lou Rose and they moved to the now Crumback/Mathewson Sesquicentennial Farm (172 years) where they lived all their married life, sixty-three years. Their marriage was blessed with six children: four sons and two daughters, twelve granddaughters, three grandsons, and four great grandchildren: Son, Kenneth Scott (Michelle) of Belmont and their children, Clare Marie, Ryan Russell, Kayla and Jeremy; Son, Russell Gene and his daughter, Ashley (Curtis) Walter of Omaha, Nebraska, with their children Maddox, Betten, Theo, and Ilah Mae; Son, Rusty, who passed away on July 2, 1990 in Germany while serving in the US Army; Daughter, Beth Renae (Altin) Naqe of Albania, and their daughter, JanaMaria; Son, Michael Dean (Stacey) of Byron Center, and their children, Abigail Elizabeth Cruz (Isma Isaac), Emmaleigh Grace, and Georgia Ann; Daughter, Amy (Ed) Cole of Hopkins and their children, Dustin (Kelly) of Indiana, and Kennedy Marie Rose “Kenzie” Cole; Son, Peter Isaac (Suzanne) of Waynesville, Ohio and their children, Lillian Faith, Olivia Hope, twins Julia Grace and Audrey Joy. After graduation Ken worked for Michigan Bell Telephone Company (later Ameritech), where he remained for 38 years, and then also worked for VanBelkum Business Systems. He is remembered as coaching softball and baseball, and he partnered with Barnie Burns to start a wrestling program for younger boys. He was one of the founding families of Peace Church, Middleville, and served as deacon and elder for many years. Ken struggled with cancer for over ten years and though he lost the battle, we feel he did win the war. We have the reassurance he has gone home to be with Jesus, the Great Physician, and is healed forever more. He will be remembered by his family, as a few days before his death, he quoted Winston Churchill “You never, never, never, never give up!!” And he never did. Funeral services will be held at 11 am on Friday, September 10, 2021 at Peace Church, 6950 Cherry Valley, Middleville, with Pastor Daryl Crawford officiating. Burial at Gaines Township Cemetery. Relatives and friends may meet the family Thursday, September 9 from 5-7 pm at Matthysse Kuiper DeGraaf Funeral Home, 616 E. Main St., Caledonia, as well as Friday from 10-11am at Peace Church. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to Peace Church and Lemmon-Holton Cancer Center.