Edwin P. (Ed) Sovereign Jr. went to be with the Lord on Saturday August 13,2005 at home with his wife and family at his side. The son of Edwin and Dora Fern (DeGraw) Sovereign, he was born April 6, 1922 at Cedar Springs, MI. Ed was preceded in death by his parents, sister and brother-in-law, Doris and Lloyd Olmsted, sister-in-laws, Barbara Sovereign, Gertrude Nichols, Minnie Peterman, Hazel Peterman and brothers-in-laws, H. Paul Nichols, Clair Peterman and one niece, Pamela Brigham.
June 11,1960 Edwin and Crystal (Peterman) Kammers, along with two children, Wanda and Allen, became a united family by marriage in Belding. Ed is survived by his wife of 45 years, Crystal, daughters, Wanda and Gary Lippert, Gowen, and LuAnn Sovereign, sons, Allen and Susan Kammers, Gaylord, Allen and Edwin Sovereign III, his brother and sister-in-law Gerald and Donna Sovereign, North Carolina and brother-in-law Glen Peterman, Belding, ten grandchildren; Todd and Michele Bitner, Gowen, Jeffrey and Sarah Lippert, Wyoming, Joshua Kammers, Saginaw, Adam Kammers, Kalamazoo, Eric, Joe and John Royston, Tim , Michael and Annie Sovereign, five great grandchildren, Blake, Haley and Trent Bitner, two Royston children, another due in January and his “Special” Companion Heidi.
Ed served with the United States Marine Corp during WWII. He is a life member of Hugo Fales American Legion Post 203, Belding. In his working years as a body shop repairman found employment in Lakeview at Smithies, Greenville for Ray Eyer at Ray’s Body Shop, Barney Everett, C.Dean Cooper, Bert Pitre Chevy Dealership and Bert Pitre Buick in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Living in Belding, Lakeview and Greenville area for many years; the Sovereign’s retired to Apache Junction, Arizona due to Ed’s health. In 2001, Ed’s health worsened, they moved back to Michigan at Bass Lake, Gowen , making their home with their daughter and son-in-law until the time of his death.
The family will receive family, friends and neighbors at Hurst Funeral Home Tuesday from 4-8 PM. Services will be on Wednesday August 17, 2005 at 11 AM conducted by Rev. Dr. Harry R. Johnson, with interment at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Belding. Military honors provided by American Legion Post 203.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Visiting Nurses Hospice of Greater Grand Rapids, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 203 Funeral Fund, The Deaf and Near Deaf Scholarship Fund or a charity of ones choice. Envelopes are available at the funeral home.
