Obituary of George L. Tutton

George Lewis Tutton, 82, of Hagar Township passed away at his home March 8, 2014. George was born on May 25th, 1931 in Benton Harbor, Michigan to George and Thelma Tutton. George graduated from Benton Harbor High School where he played on the football team and intermural sports. His fondest memories of his summers in his teenage years were of being an engineer for the House of David railway and working at the House of David ballpark as a ball-shagger and a field hand. He was a lifetime fan of the Detroit Tigers and the University of Michigan. He proudly served in the United States Air Force, stationed during the Korean War in Mississippi, California and Alaska. After his Honorable Discharge, he soon found employment with Clark Equipment Company in Benton Harbor. He retired thirty years later in 1986, having been a Product Design Draftsman, Chief Draftsman and Supervisor of Computer Drafting. On July 14th, 1956, he married Jewel Seiber. George and Jewel raised two children in the Hagar Township home that he built with the help of his father. Later, after his retirement, they would winter in Polk County, Florida for 19 years. Jewel, his wife of 53 years, preceded him in death in June, 2009. He was preceded in death by his parents and four infant grandchildren. He is survived by his brothers, Eugene (Joyce) Tutton of Coloma and Jess Tutton of Hagar Township, his two children, Celia (James) Sommerfeldt of Grand Haven, Michigan and Lewis (Terri) Tutton of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Through Celia, he is survived by four grandchildren: Erich Sommerfeldt of Silver Spring, Maryland, Joanna Sommerfeldt of Marietta, Georgia with great-grandson Davis Sommerfeldt, Monica Sommerfeldt Norman of Marietta, Georgia with great-grandson Kaden Norman, and Christopher Sommerfeldt of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Through Lewis, he is survived by three grandchildren, Matthew Tutton, Seth Tutton and Grace Tutton, all of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Cremation has taken place as per his wishes and a private memorial service will take place with interment at North Shore Memory Gardens. His remains will rest alongside his beloved wife, Jewel Seiber Tutton.