Obituary: Edward Beyer, Sr., 96, of Ludington.

Obituary: Edward Beyer, Sr., 96, of Ludington.

Edward H. Beyer, Sr., 96, of Ludington, passed away Sunday, May 8, 2022. He was born in Free Soil Township on December 8, 1925 to Charles and Amelia (Berndt) Beyer.  Edward attended Pelton School in Grant Township and graduated from Manistee High School in 1942.

Ed worked at Carrom Industries for 24 years where he worked as forman for the shop. He retired from Brill Manufacturing as Plant Manager in 1987. 

Ed was confirmed from St. John’s Lutheran Church at Pelton’s Corners and he was a member there for 24 years. He went on to become a member at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Ludington. He was a member there for 43 years, 31 of those years he served as a congregational treasurer and finance board chairman. Ed was currently a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Scottville.

Ed was a long time member of the Scottville Clown Band. He was also a member of the former Northwestern Concertina Club. He played and taught music lessons for accordion and concertina in Ludington for many years. He was a member of “The Beyer Trio”, a dance band that he and his brother, Walt, and friend Ed Stakenas played in for over 38 years.  They played weekly and every Saturday night at the Rendezvous in Walhalla for 28 years. They played at many clubs in Manistee, Round Lake’s Lakeview Hotel, many weddings, and social events. They also loved to play for family gatherings and just out of pure joy of playing. One of the band’s highlights was performing on the stage at the Scottville Harvest Festival for several years. Ed would also play his accordion with the Budreau Band and Harvey Thompson’s Nite Notes Band.

Ed is survived by his sons, Edward “Chip” Beyer Jr. of Ludington and Timothy (Karen) Beyer of Byron Center; his grandchildren, Stephanie Witteman, Tiffany Witteman, Kimberly Witteman all of Kentwood, Jessica (Adam) Castonia of Custer, Jared (Samantha Johnson) Beyer of Ludington, Melissa (Taylor) Muller of Kentwood, and Tony (Amanda) Banas of Otsego; his six great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren; several sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Besides his parents, Ed was preceded in death by his wife, Mary (Oleniczak) Beyer; his daughter, Jane Witteman; his son, Michael Beyer; his daughter-in-law, Kristi Beyer; his son-in-law, Ronald Witteman; his brothers, Herbert Beyer and Walter Beyer; and his sisters, Hattie Sweetnam and Louise Beyer.

A visitation will be held Monday, May 16, 2022 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Oak Grove Funeral Home in Ludington. A funeral will be held Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Scottville. Family will greet friends at the church starting at 10 a.m. Rev. Ken Williamson and Rev. John Hansen will officiate. Ed will be laid to rest next to his wife at Lakeview Cemetery in Ludington.

The family would like to express a special thank you to cousins Curtiss and Ruth Ann Berndt of Fountain; sister-in-law, Ceil Krusniak of Manistee, for all their support during the last years of his life. Also a special thank you to the thoughtful caring staff at Village Manor of Ludington Assisted Living Center for their awesome support, care, and communication with managing Ed’s health and welfare.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Ed’s name may be directed to Our Savior Lutheran Church, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, www.nationalmssociety.org, or Hospice of Michigan.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Oak Grove Funeral Home of Ludington, www.oakgroveludington.com.