Katherine L. Havey-Rowland Obituary (1922 - 2015)

Katherine Louise (Geiger) Havey-Rowland, age 93, of Smyrna, passed away Thursday, November 12, 2015 at her home after a lengthy illness under the care of her family and Ionia Area Hospice. The daughter of August Christian & Emma (Roth) Geiger, she was born on February 13, 1922 near Saranac and retired from the former Gibson Refrigerator Company after 20 plus years of service. In retirement she enjoyed her grandchildren, gardening and weeding, baking and cooking, picking strawberries and blueberries to share with family, and reading. In recent years, she also delighted when her special childhood friend, Elsie Wilson, would visit and end their time together with the words, "I'll see in you in the funnies.". She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Robert Havey; second husband, Andrew Rowland; a brother, Lester Geiger; and three sisters, Ruth VanBennekom, Marie Gernhardt, and Esther Mast. Surviving are her two sons, Mike & Jeanne Havey, and Jon & Claire Havey, all of Smyrna; grandchildren, Jennifer & Jim Hickman, Josh & Michelle Havey, Michaela & Gideon Havey-Robinson; nine great grandchildren, Autumn Brokaw, Mitchell Brokaw, Kalob Hickman, Korbin Hickman, Josh Havey, Summer Havey, Kara Havey, Charles Robinson, and Remington Robinson; a brother, Al Geiger; two sisters, Shirley Ingraham, and Arlene Poteracke; and many nieces and nephews. Honoring her wishes, no services will be held and private interment will be in Orleans Township Cemetery. Instead of flowers, Katherine would have appreciated contributions in her memory to either Shriners Hospitals for Children (www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/donate), Ionia Area Hospice (www.IoniaHospice.org), or the Alvah N. Belding Library (www.belding.michlibrary.org).