Harold J. Deering

Harold J. "Shorty" Deering, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away Monday, December 28, 2015 after a long battle with diabetes.

Harold was born May 3rd, 1934, the youngest of eight siblings. He graduated from Pigeon High School in 1951 and started working two years later with Wallace & Morley Company in the grain elevator business. After 30 years advancing in this industry, he became a partner in Agri Sales Inc. Harold was a past president of the Pigeon Lions Club as well as the Michigan Grain and Agri Dealers Association.

His loving wife of 59 years, Shirley (Ziel) Deering, survives him. They were married October 27th, 1956 at Cross Lutheran Church in Pigeon, where Harold was a longtime member and member of the church council. Together, he and Shirley had two children, Terri Deering and Connie (James) Bygland and five grandchildren: Justin and Jordon Gunden, Michelle (Matthew) Harness, Katelyn Buchholz, and Allison Bygland. Harold is also survived by his sisters, Leona (Alfred) Gorleski, Margaret Goslin, Dorothy Hensel, and Elaine (Herbert) Neurath; brother-in-law, Robert (Lucille) Ziel; and sisters-in-law, Ellen (John) Tolloff, Janet Deering, and Ruth (Douglas) Brenner.

Harold was preceded in death by his parents, Conrad and Mollie Deering; brother, William (Margaret) Deering; sisters, Mabel (Edgar) Arnold and Alice (Edward) Glasgow; brothers-in-law, Frank Schwartz, Norman Hensel, Harold Goslin, Ralph Deering, and Roger Ziel; and sisters-in-law, Dolores (James) Smith and Sharon Ziel.

The Deering family extends a special thank you to caregiver Marla Heck and to the staff of Home Sweet Home.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday, December 31, 2015 at Cross Lutheran Church, Pigeon, officiated by Rev. Timothy Loehrke. Interment will be at Cross Lutheran Cemetery.

The family prefers that memorials be given to Cross Lutheran Church or the American Diabetes Association.

Family and friends may pay their respects on Wednesday, December 30 from 2-8 p.m. at Meyersieck-Bussema Funeral Home, Pigeon, and on Thursday, December 31 at Cross Lutheran Church beginning at 10 a.m.