Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Hanulcik, Andrew January 6, 2016 ************************************************ 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: Pat Currigan currigan1932@comcast.net June 17, 2020, 6:00 pm Ionia Sentinel Standard- Sat. April 2, 2016 ANDREW HANULCIK Andrew Hanulcik, age 85, passed peacefully with family by his side on 01/06/2016. Andy was born 09/18/1930 in Ionia, the 2nd son of Czechoslovakian emigres who owned a grocery store. He went to SS. Peter & Paul Academy until his family bought a former dairy farm on Dildine Rd. to convert into a fruit farm - that's where Andy cultivated his love of growing fruit. He transferred to Haynor School and found lifelong friends with neighbor boys and classmates. Andy had a insatiable curiosity for history, especially the Civil war, World War II, and Native American/Aztec/ Incan cultures, traveling along the Mississippi, to the Upper Peninsula, Mexico and Cuba. He was active in the Air Scouts at Ionia High School and trained to get his solo pilot's license. After graduation in 1948 he enlisted in the Air Force and when honorably discharged, headed back to Ionia with dreams of starting his own fruit farm. Andy met his wife, Doris "Dee" through friends and they married in 1958. The say ' the apple doesn't fall far from the tree' and like his parents, Andy and Dee bought a former Dairy farm on Jefferson Rd. and converted it into a fruit farm with pick-your-own and fresh-picked-fruit for sale. Andy's schedule was hectic with full time farming, working full time as a corrections officer and raising 5 kids. He was a shareholder in Belding Fruit Sales, but most of all, he was a good steward of the land and his legacy is acres of strawberry patches, apple and peach orchards, The first day he and Dee opened the farm for pick-your-own strawberries, cars were lined up on Jefferson Rd. Over the years, local kids have worked at Hanulcik Fruit farm and many people have come from surrounding counties to pick fresh fruit. Andy loved his family and growing fruit, but also loved animals, astronomy, classical music, reading and debating politics with his children (which led to many lively exchanges). As he retired from farming, his youngest son took over, buying more land and adding Hanulcik Farm Market on M-66 and Dildine, Just down the road from where the very first apple trees and strawberries were planted. Andy was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew Sr. and Mary, and brother John. He is survived by his wife: Doris"Dee", children: Anne (Martin) Mead, Catherine (Richard) Perrigo, Andrew (Cindy) Hanulcik, Carol Hanulcik and Alex (Kristen) Hanulcik; grandchildren: Andrew Graham Hanulcik, Avery Grayson Hanulcik and Madeline Hanulcik; nieces Vicki (Tom) Wills, Kelly (Pat) Powell, and Sharon Hanulcik; great nieces and nephews and extended family from Owosso. In his lifetime Andy saw Hopi burial mounds and the Gettysburg battlefield, but Alzheimer's interfered with his dream to see more. In his final weeks, Hospice wondered why Andy lingered longer than most with this devastating disease-and his youngest daughter pointed out that he was optimist, holding out for a miracle cure. He was an idealist-when it stormed, Andy saw it a crops getting watered; if one of his children had a setback, Andy saw an opportunity to learn a valuable lesson. Join his family as they remember Andy and all the lives he touched with a memorial service on Saturday, April 9th at 11 a, at SS Peter & Paul CatholiC Church, followed by a dinner at the hunting and Fishing Club Lodge at Bertha Brock Park starting at 1 p.m.. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the SS Peter and Paul School or to the Safe Haven Animal Shelter. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/h/hanulcik37178nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb