Pearl Spansail

Pearl Spansail, 80, formerly of Dowagiac, passed away at home on December 13, 2012 in Buchanan, Michigan surrounded by her family.A Celebration of Life will be held Monday at 1:00 P.M at Swem Chapel, 301 W. Front St., Buchanan, with Pastor Mark Slabaugh officiating, of First Missionary Church, Niles. Friends may call Monday, 11:00 to 1:00 at Swem Chapel. Military Honors will be given by Post 51 American Legion of Buchanan following the service. Memorials may be made to Hospice at Home, 1234 Napier Ave., St. Joseph, Michigan 49085 or First Missionary Church, 33332 E. US 12, Niles, Michigan 49120 Those wishing to sign Pearl’s Memory Book online may do so at www.swemchapel.com. Pearl was born May 11, 1932, to Walter & Millie (Walters) Pickens, in Rochester, Indiana. In August of 1973, she married Ronald Spansail, in Niles at Emmanuel Baptist Church. Pearl worked for and retired from Sealed Power in Dowagiac & Walmart in Niles. She was a member of the Niles Moose Lodge 2277 & Fraternal Order of Eagles 2094, Niles. She loved meeting new people, visiting with old friends & family, jigsaw puzzles, puzzle books and crocheting. Pearl is survived by her daughters, Doris (Rick) Vanderboegh of Niles, MI, Sherry (Jim) Diggs, of Copperas Cove, TX; her sons, Mike (Peggy) Hamby, of Killeen, TX, Barry Cook of Nolanville, TX; step-daughters, Pat (James) Yeager, of South Bend, IN, Linda (Dennis) Carter, Niles, MI; step-sons, Bob (Diane) Spansail, Decatur, MI, Bill (Jackie) Spansail, Elkhart, IN, Wally (Jane) Spansail, South Bend, IN; her sisters, Betty (Noah Sr.) VanKirk, of Nolanville, TX, Mary (Don) Hartman, of Temp, AZ, Deborah Pickens, of Niles, MI, Dorothy Dewey, of Niles, MI, Becky Webber, of Niles, MI; her brothers, David (Donna) Pickens, of Niles, MI, Bud (Sandy) Pickens, of Tempe, AZ; 25 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; and 4 great-great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, son, Jerry Cook, two sisters Virginia Pickens and Pat Unger, her brother Paul Pickens, and great granddaughter Ashley Miller.