Yvonne L. Bogen

1930 - 2018

Yvonne L. Bogen, age 88, of Sturgis, passed away Monday, Oct. 29, 2018, at Grace Healthcare in Three Rivers.
She was born Oct. 29, 1930, in Climax, a daughter of the late Edgar and Ina (Foss) Vanderlip.
Yvonne attended school in Battle Creek, and moved to Sturgis, where she graduated from Sturgis High School with the class of 1948.
In 1951 she married Richard Bogen. After 20 years of marriage, it ended in divorce.
She worked at the St. Joseph County courthouse as a probate register and court reporter for more than 30 years.
Surviving are three children, Mike (Candy) Bogen of Battle Creek, and Julie (Allen) White and Mark (Kelly) Bogen, both of Sturgis; nine grandchildren, Nicole Bogen, Brittany Bogen, Amy Jo (Corey) Poller, all of Chicago, Mike White and Mark White, both of Sturgis, Matthew White of Kalamazoo, James Bogen of Vicksburg, Jake Bogen of Portage and Luke Bogen of Kalamazoo; three great-grandchildren; siblings Dee Grumeretz of Indianapolis, Donald Vanderlip of Arizona and Norma Jean Puckett of Lansing; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers; and seven sisters.
The grandchildren have expressed their thoughts about grandma in a poem titled:
Grandma
The only word we ever called her
Her favorite word to hear
The role she dedicated her life to fulfilling
For that we are forever grateful
Grandma was so many things
She was a dancing Queen
Who loved the slot machines
She was high heels and a classy suit
Grandma was a burning candle and a country song
She was our biggest fan at every and all events
Sports, Recitals, Plays, Horse Shows, Prom, and beyond
She was sleepovers with the cousins
Where Doritos and cream cheese met
Family dinners she made from scratch
Root beer floats when she babysat
She was trips to the bowling alley with an endless number of games
Countless trips to the buffet and too much ice cream
Faking sick from school just to get to her house
Grandma was Christmas
She decked every hall and LOVED gift-giving
Every one of us Grandchildren
Were spoiled under the tree
Grandma was Macaroni & Cheese
Thank you for passing down the recipe
Grandma was family vacations near the beach
So she could hear the waves within her reach
Grandma is what she was to us
And Grandma she will continue to be
You will be forever missed, but all of our memories with you will never for forgotten. We will continue to talk about and laugh about all the good times. Thank you for being our Grandma, We Love You.
According to her wishes, cremation has taken place. Private family services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be directed to DAV (Disabled American Veterans). Envelopes are available at Hackman Family Funeral Homes of Sturgis, which has been entrusted with arrangements.