Bruce was distantly related to his wife, Fern. His grandfather, Rial Allen Carpenter, was a brother to Abner Carpenter who was Fern's great- grandfather. Fern's mother was Opal Adell Chichester, daughter of Albert Ernest Chichester and Minnie Ellen Carpenter. Minnie Ellen Carpenter was the daughter of Abner Carpenter. Rial Allen Carpenter and Abner Carpenter were brothers and the sons of Calvin L. Carpenter and Eleanor D. Pierce Carpenter.
In 1981 Donna Hellewell met Bruce's grandmother, Lina Snyder (lived to be 104), and Fern's mother, Opal Chichester. Both were very gracious ladies and helped very much in the compilation of these records! Lina was personally visited on four occasions, at age 91, 93, 100, and 103. Opal loaned Donna Hellewell family pictures to take to Battle Creek to photocopy and gave her a place to stay while she was in Athens. Both were wonderful women. In 1999 Donna Hellewell lives in Aptos, CA.
Some information for this family was sent by Bruce's mother, Mrs. Merna L. Bishop, of Battle Creek, MI in Jan 1982, and by Mrs. Opal Mitchell of E. Leroy, MI 49051, in Mar 1982.
OBITUARY. Battle Creek Enquirer, Wed. Aug 31, 1994, p2A. Bruce A. Bishop, Battle Creek. Bruce A. Bishop, 70 of Battle Creek died Tuesday, Aug. 30, 1994, at home after a four-year illness. He was born Jan. 11, 1924, in Kalamazoo, to Kellogg M. and Merna L. (Snyder) Bishop. He graduated from Athens High School in 1942 and lived in the Battle Creek, Athens and Kalamazoo areas all his life. Mr. Bishop was employed for 41 years at Kraft General Foods Corp. before retiring Feb. 1, 1985. He was a supervisor for many years. From June 27, 1944, to Nov. 21, 1945, during World War II, he served as a second lieutenant with the Army Air Corps as a fighter pilot, receiving the European-African-Middle Eastern Ribbon with one Bronze Battle Star. He previously served as an air cadet from Nov. 30, 1942, to June 24, 1944, when he received his commission in the Army Air Corps. He was a former member of Athens Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5319 and a longtime bowler in the Nottke Senior League. He played baseball and slow-pitch ball with Battle Creek city leagues and Athens teams. On July 25, 1947, he married Fern I. Mitchell in Battle Creek. She survives. Also surviving are sons, Gregory A. Bishop of Niceville, Fla., and Bradley R. Bishop of Battle Creek; a daughter, Stephanie J. Newburn of Battle Creek; six grandchildren; his father, Kellogg M. Bishop of Battle Creek; brothers, John K. Bishop of Battle Creek and Fred M. Bishop of Athens; and sisters, Barbara A. Danilowicz and Mary E. Wesner of Wilmington, N.C., and Carol Bishop of Denver, Colo. Services: 11 a.m. Thursday at Richard A. Henry Funeral Home with the Rev. Marvin A. Savola officiating. Burial: Memorial Park Mausoleum.
DEATH. Calhoun County Clerk-Register, Marshall, MI, deaths 1994, #948. Died 30 Aug 1994 at Battle Creek, Bruce Alan Bishop, age 70, b. 11 Jan 1924 at Kalamazoo, MI; father: Kellogg M. Bishop; mother: Merna L. Snyder; residence 12589 Perry Rd., Battle Creek; occupation: supervisor, cereal manufacturing; spouse: Fern I. Mitchell; entombment: Memorial Park Mausoleum; informant: Fern I. Bishop.
OBITUARY. Battle Creek Enquirer and News, Sunday, October 19, 1997, p2B. Gordon L. Ambs, 69, of Athens, died Friday, Oct. 17, 1997, in Casa Grande, Ariz. Arrangements are pending at Shaw Funeral Home.
OBITUARY. Battle Creek Enquirer and News, Tuesday, October 21, 1997, p4A. Gordon L. Ambs, 69, of Athens, died Friday, Oct. 17, 1997, in Casa Grande, Ariz. He was born Aug. 17, 1928, in Branch County to Lynn and Esther (Snyder) Ambs and graduated from Athens High School in 1949. He was employed as a millwright at Post Division of General Foods, retiring in 1984 after 35 years. He married Eleanor A. Chichester on July 24, 1949, in Athens. She survives. Also surviving are sons, Thomas Ambs of Lansing and Randy Ambs of Gaylord; daughters, Lynnette Keene of Athens and Sally Lemish of Battle Creek; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Services at 11:00 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial: Burr Oak Cem., Athens.
Some information was received from Leo's father's sister, Mrs. Opal Mitchell, E. Leroy, MI in Mar 1982.
MARRIAGE. Calhoun County Clerk-Register, Marshall, MI. Vol. 12, p 161, #1556. Married 29 Dec 1947 at Marshall, MI, Ruth Decker, age 18, b. Escanaba, MI, residing in Marshall, father: James Decker, mother: Emma Wilson; and Leo D. Chichester, age 18, b. East Leroy, residing in Quantico, VA, father: Roland Chichester, mother: Grace Irene Weimer, occupation: Marine Corps; witnesses: Wendell Delano Chichester and Emmeline Decker Dillon, officiant: Warren E. Brown, MG. Neither had a previous marriage.
In 1978 Leo was of Atlanta, Georgia, according to his father's, Roland Chichester's, obituary.
OBITUARY. Battle Creek Enquirer and News, Friday, July 30, 1993, p 2A. Leo D. Chichester, 64, of Covington, GA, and formerly of Marshall died Thursday, July 29, 1993, in Newton General Hospital, Covington. He had been seriously ill one week. He was born July 19, 1929, in East Leroy to Roland and Grace Chichester. He was a graduate of Marshall High School. Mr. Chichester was employed many years at Airway Manufacturing, Olivet. He moved to Georgia from Marshall in 1971 to work there with the company. In the late 1970s he was transferred to Texas with the company and later transferred back to the Georgia plant. Airway was purchased by Brennan Industries in 1989, and he continued his employment with that company until retiring in 1991. Mr. Chichester was a member of the Red Oaks United Methodist Church in Covington . . . He married the former Theo E. (Diefenbach) Battige on Nov. 2, 1968. She survives. Also surviving are sons, Leo D. Chichester, Jr., David Chichester and Robert Chichester of Marshall; six grandchildren; his mother, Grace Chichester of Marshall; a stepson, Bill Battige of Jacksonville, Fla.; a step-daughter, Nancy Battige of Stone Mountain, GA; a sister, Marion Bramble of Lakeland, Fla.; and brothers, Dale Chichester of Texarkana, TX, and Wendell Chichester of Marshall. Services Monday in Lyon Lake Cem..
OBITUARY, Battle Creek Enquirer, Wednesday, 1 Oct 1996, p4A. Ruth Chichester, Marshall. Ruth A. (Decker) Chichester, 67, of Marshall, died Monday, Sept. 30, 1996 in Laurels of Bedford. She was born April 1, 1929, in Escanaba to James Glen and Emma (Wiltse) Decker. The family moved to Marshall when she was a child, and she had lived in the city ever since. She was employed as a nurses' aide and had worked at Miller Foster Care since the mid-1970s. Surviving are sons, David and Leo Chichester of Marshall and Robert Chichester of Battle Creek; six grandchildren; and sisters, Ida E. Dillon of Marshall and Sarah Scoles of Tuscon, AZ.
DEATH. Calhoun County Clerk-Register, Marshall, MI, 1996, #1015. Died 30 Sep 1996, at Bedford, MI, Ruth A. Chichester, age 67, b. 1 Apr 1929 in Escanaba, MI; fw, divorced; father: James Glen Decker; mother: Emma Wiltsie; residence: 346 High St., Marshall, MI; occupation: nurses aid; buried: Austin Cem., Convis Twp., Calhoun , MI; informant: David Chichester, 1113 Orchard Dr., Marshall, MI