Bernard Leon “Skip” Nisonger

Date of Death: May 19, 2021

Service Details

Family will receive friends on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 from noon – 1:00 p.m. at Hohner Funeral Home, 1004 Arnold St., Three Rivers. A memorial service will follow at 1:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

Obituary Notice

Bernard “Skip” Leon Nisonger, 87, of Three Rivers, passed away Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at home. He was born March 4, 1934 in Three Rivers, the son of Leon and E. Bernice (Simon) Nisonger.

He was a graduate of Three Rivers High School where he was part of the basketball team. Drafted into the Army, he served in the Military Police in Korea.

In 1953, he married Huberta Spade, a partnership that lasted over 67 years. They loved traveling, and after retiring, traveled annually for 13 years to Arizona, California and Nevada. Skip and Huberta enjoyed spending time with family and welcomed their second great-granddaughter in March of this year.

Skip worked at Michigan Power in roles from lineman to substation supervisor, retiring in 1994 after four decades of dedicated employment. A lifetime member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles #2303 and Elks Lodge #1248 in Three Rivers, he also regularly attended Three Rivers HealthTRAC for years.

Skip was most at home in the outdoors. He enjoyed fishing and could be found on his boat in Pleasant Lake or Lake Leelanau throughout the summer catching fish to share with friends and family. He also enjoyed tying his own fly fishing flies.

More than anything, Skip loved people, and will be remembered for his kind and joking heart. He was frequently found befriending strangers. A stranger could become a friend, with fish sharing privileges, after a short conversation at the fishing site. Wherever laughter was heard, Skip was likely close by.

Skip lived by the motto “if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well,” and this could be seen in a beautifully tied fly, an immaculately maintained vehicle or the oft-mown lawn at home.

Remaining to cherish his memory are his wife, Huberta (Spade) Nisonger; son, Robert (Paola) Nisonger of Milford; granddaughter, Christina (Ben) Murphy of Plymouth; two great-granddaughters, Elise and Nora Murphy of Plymouth; sister, Doris Hampton of Three Rivers; niece Cindy Hampton of Three Rivers and nephew John (Deb) Hampton of Parkville. He was preceded in death by his father Leon Nisonger; mother E. Bernice (Simon) Nisonger; father-in-law Hubert Spade; mother-in-law Pauline (Wetherbee) Spade.

Additional Information

Donations in Skip’s memory may be directed to the Three Rivers Firefighters Association. Envelopes are available at the funeral home in care of his arrangements.

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