Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Chance, Donald Ivan, Sr. 1999 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net July 30, 2011, 11:38 am Ionia Sentinel Standard, 28 Dec 1999 Former Ionia Post Master, Donald Ivan Chance Sr., 83, died Sunday, Dec. 26, 1999, at Ionia County Memorial Hospital. Don was born Jan. 15, 1916, to Ivan and Winnifred Chance in Traverse City. His family moved to Ionia when he was 9 years old. He graduated from Ionia High School in 1934 and began work at Stephson’s Dry Goods Store. Don married Violet Mae Lewis, of Ionia, on May 19, 1938. She preceded him in death in 1996, with 58 years of marriage and extraordinary memories. They were called “the cat’s meow” of their generation. Don entered the Army in 1943 and served in the Philippine Islands. He returned home to his wife in 1946 to begin his family life and career. Don started working as a substitute postal carrier for Ionia post Office in 1936. He was promoted to substitute window clerk, then full-time window clerk in 1939, and resumed this position when he returned from the Army. In 1964, Don was appointed Assistant Postmaster. He achieved Assistant Postmaster in Charge in 1971 and Post Master in 1972. Don retired in 1976 with 39 years of service to the United States Postal Service and a special citation for 3,098 hours of unused sick leave, bringing his official years of service to more than 41. Very few people have accomplished this type of service record. Don and his family are proud he worked his way to Post Master without any political ties. His hard work, personal merits and service to the public earned every position he achieved in his career. Don was active in many aspects of life. He played in the Ionia Softball League when his father, Ivan Chance, was coach. He was also active in St. John’s Episcopal Church and Vestry, Ionia Moose Lodge as member and secretary, Emerson School Parent Teacher Association, Ionia Boy Scouts, Ionia Elks Lodge as member and secretary, Ionia Bowling Association, Ionia Girl Scouts, Ionia Athletic Boosters, Ionia Band Boosters, Saranac American Legion, Sheridan V.F.W. and the Ionia Lions Club. Don bowled in the Ionia Bowling Association for 56 years and was inducted into the Ionia Bowlers Hall of Fame in 1975. He learned to play golf when he was 48 years old and enjoyed it as a family sport and league sport for 30 years. Don was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Violet, and his sister Margaret DeHaan. Surviving are Don’s son, Donald Ivan Chance Jr., of Columbus, Ohio, and his family Geoffrey Chance of Ionia; Julie and David Eedy with children Ashley and Brian of Ionia; daughter and son-in-law, Sara and Robert Fox of Ionia and their family Ryan and Heidie Fox with children Emily, Bailey and Andrew of Ionia; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Sara and Robert Fox of Ionia and their family, James and Mary Lewis of Ionia; sister-in-law, Gertrud McClain of Midland; many cherished nieces and nephews and hundreds of wonderful friends. Don has requested that a time of fellowship be held at the Ionia Moose Lodge on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 1999, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Funeral services will be held at St. John’s Episcopal church on Wed., Dec. 29, 1999, at 3 p.m. Burial will be at Balcom Cemetery. Don and his family have requested donations to the American Parkinson Disease Association or the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association in lieu of flowers. Donations may be made to Myers Memorial Chapel, 148 East Main Street, Ionia. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/c/chance15401nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 3.9 Kb