Clarence J. Piper's Obituary
Clarence J. Piper, age 85, passed away Friday, September 2, 2022 at the Poppen Residence of Harbor Hospice. He was born March 15, 1937 in Muskegon to Gerald E. Piper and Opal J. (Ruggles) Pulsipher and was a lifelong resident of the area. Clare was a star baseball player at Hart High School and tried out for the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago White Sox, but was soon after drafted to the U.S. Army. He was stationed overseas in Germany during the Berlin Wall Era and was a proud veteran of the Army. Clare married Mary M. (Bartoli) Novak in Muskegon on December 15, 1973. He worked 37 years as a Quality Control Engineer for Howmet Corporation and retired in 1994. Even after retirement, he consulted for many years at Howmet. Clare also volunteered for the American Red Cross and helped at the Astro Dome for 3 weeks during the Hurricane Katrina disaster. He also made blood deliveries and drove folks for dialysis. Clare loved to fish especially with his son, Eric. He was an avid fan of the Tigers, Lions and the Red Wings. He will be missed greatly by his family and many friends. Survivors include his wife, Mary M. Piper; 2 sons, Jerry (Stacie) Piper, Thomas (Kelli) Piper; 4 grandchildren, Kristin Piper, Nicholas Piper, Jacob Piper, Jailynn Piper; 2 great grandchildren, Gianna and Luca Piper; and a host of dear family and friends. He was preceded in death by his son, Eric Piper on December 22, 2021 and his parents. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11:00 AM Saturday, September 10, 2022 at Prince of Peace Catholic Church (1110 Dykstra Road, North Muskegon, MI 49445) with Rev. Fr. Godfrey Onyekwere presiding. Military Honors will be offered by the Muskegon County Council of Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Honor Detail by the Michigan Army National Guard. Visitation will be held 5-8 PM Friday at The Sytsema Chapel of Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services, 737 Apple Ave., Muskegon, MI 49442. Visitation will also be available at the Church one hour prior to the Mass on Saturday. Memorial Contributions may be directed to The Poppen Residence of Harbor Hospice or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital[www.stjude.org]. Sign the online guestbook at www.sytsemafh.com
What’s your fondest memory of Clarence?
What’s a lesson you learned from Clarence?
Share a story where Clarence's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Clarence you’ll never forget.
How did Clarence make you smile?
