Herbert Shilling

1924 - 2011

Herbert Jay Shilling, 87, of Farwell, Michigan, and Inverness, Florida, passed away October 27, 2011, at Citrus Memorial hospital in Inverness, Florida. He was the son of John Willard and Eula Inez (Perry) Shilling, born on August 22, 1924, in Gilmore township. He married Lora Maxine Thurman in Springfield, Missouri, on July 15, 1944. Maxine preceded him in death on September 14, 1987. On April 22, 1989, he married Agnes (VanBuskirk) Colmus of Saginaw.
Herb is survived by his wife, Agnes; daughters, Connie (Richard) Kleinhardt of Clare, MI, and Linda Gies of Palm Harbor, FL; daughter-in-law, Julia (Muller) Shilling; seven grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren; sister Jean (Bob) Parker. Also, stepchildren Thomas (Sybil) Colmus, Richard (Jan) Colmus and Jean (Richard) Rohde. He was preceded in death by his son, Herbert Gale Shilling, and his brothers, John, Milo, Carl and Bob.
Herb was a veteran of WWII, serving proudly in the U.S. Army at Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe from 1943-1947. Herb was active in Post 4337, Inverness, Florida, as a longtime member of the military Honor Guard, a commitment that gave him much pride.
Herb worked for the Holley Carburetor Company for more than 25 years before he settled in Florida. Herb owned and operated his own concrete company in Florida until his retirement in 1987.
While living and working in Florida, Herb began his love of the outdoors with fishing and playing golf. He was an avid hunter and loved to garden. Along with that, cooking was one of his fortes. It gave him much pleasure to be able to cook and can and share his produce with family and friends. His family will always remember Herb as their chief cook and bottle washer. He would also joke that he loved fishing and there were only two seasons - summer in Michigan; winter in Florida. "Can't get much better than that," he would say.
Herb was also very faithful at donating his blood. He did this through Life Source in Inverness and has given over 9 gallons!
Visitation will be on Thursday, November 3, 2011 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Church of the Nazarene, 10160 S. Grant Ave., Clare, MI, with the funeral service scheduled for 11 a.m. at the church on Friday, November 4, 2011.
Burial will take place at the Gilmore Cemetery. Donations in Herb's memory may be made to Support. WoundedWarriorProject. org. Online condolences may be sent to the Herbert Shilling family at www. stephenson-wyman.com. Arrangements are by the Far­well Chapel of Stephenson-Wyman Funeral Home.