John Bascom

John A. Bascom, 78, of Atwood died Nov. 29, 2016.

He was born Feb. 3, 1938 in Moscow Twp, Hillsdale Co., Mich. to S. Alonzo and Margaret (Hitz) Bascom.

On October 17, 1959 he married Louise DeYoung in Atwood. They lived in Norwood for 15 years, moving to their current Atwood home in 1974.

John served in the U.S. Army Reserves in 1959 and was called back for the Cuban crisis from Oct. 1961 to Aug. 1962. He worked at St. Mary's Cement (aka Medusa and Cemex). He was also a cattle farmer and cherry farmer. He loved to fly airplanes. John liked to fix things and was always tinkering with anything mechanical. If you stopped by, he was most likely in his shed working on something. He enjoyed visiting in the coffee shop and Front Porch Cafe. John was a member of the Atwood Christian Reformed Church until its recent merger with the Ellsworth Christian Reformed Church.

Surviving are his wife Louise; children Colleen Cullison of Lafayette, IN, Kelly (Jim) Ewing of Traverse City, Karen (Jeff) Burks of East Jordan and Ryan (Brenda) Bascom of East Jordan; 11 grandchildren, Colleen's children Aaron Cullison, Leah (Joe) Wise (with great-grandchildren Adelaide, Anthony, Alyssa and Abigail), Phillip Cullison and Drew Cullison; Kelly's children Jessica (Tim) Stoel, Jamie Ewing and Joshua Ewing; Karen's children Samantha Burks and Ty Burks; Ryan's children Jacob Bascom and Nicholas Bascom; John's loving siblings Virginia Bascom, Elaine (Dave) Houseworth, Shirley (Don) Dixon, Marilyn (Gene) Allen, Robert (Judy) Bascom, Joyce (John) Buckmaster, Raymond (Gwen) Bascom, Irene (Lionel) McClanaghan, Patricia (Robert) Prater, Sue (John) Prater, Chuck (Betty) Bascom, Deborah (Ed) Wagenshultz, Dick Bascom and JC (Mari Jo) Bascom. John was preceded in death by sisters Ethel Gabbard and Lois Warner, brother Michael Bascom, and son-in-law Steve Cullison.

Friends may call at Hastings Funeral Home in Ellsworth on Friday, Dec. 2, from 4 to 7 p.m. The memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Ellsworth Christian Reformed Church with the Rev. Alex Snider and the Rev. Dave Kroon officiating. Inurnment in Atwood Cemetery.

For those wishing to make memorial contributions the family suggests Front Porch Ministries and Ebenezer Christian School. The family was served by Hastings Funeral Home in Ellsworth, online at www.hastingsfuneral.com.