Eleanor Ruth Milnikel

Eleanor Ruth Milnikel, 89, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, November 8, 2023.

A celebration of life service will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at Pike Funeral and Cremation Services, The Boyd Chapel, 9191 Red Arrow Highway, Bridgman, MI 49106, with Pastor Corey Kugle, officiating. Friends may meet with the family from 10 – 11 AM on Saturday at the funeral home, prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice at Home, 4025 Health Park Lane, St. Joseph, MI 49085. Online condolences accepted at www.PikeFH.com.

Ellie was born to Ferdinand and Elizabeth Klug on November 1, 1934 and raised in Benton Harbor.

She received a nursing degree from the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in 1952. At that time, nursing students lived at Mercy Hospital while pursuing their nursing degree. She worked as a Practical Nurse at Memorial Hospital. On November 28, 1953, she married her beloved Herbie Milnikel at Trinity Lutheran Church in St Joseph, MI, and together they had 68 years of bliss and blitz, as Ellie would say.

Ellie worked for several government agencies including the City of St Joseph department of Urban Renewal, State of Michigan Pesticide Study and retired from the Department of Social Services.

She loved teaching children about the love of Jesus and taught Sunday School for many years and sang in the church choir at Trinity Lutheran Church and The Chapel, both in St. Joseph, and was also a Bible Study Fellowship leader. She was active in the Senior Ministry at The Chapel.

She is survived by her daughters Beth (Kevin) VanAntwerp of Fort Mill, SC; Sheryl (Ed) Paloucek of St. Joseph, MI; daughter-in-law Sue (Larry) Engler of St. Joseph, MI; seven grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild, many nieces, and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband in 2021, son Steve in 1977, grandson Steve II in 2000, infant great grandson Gabriel Fulkerson in 2009, siblings Norman, Doris, Martin, Robert, Edward, Gerald, Lorraine.

The family wishes to express our heartfelt thanks for the tender loving care Mom received from the staff at Powell House, and her Hospice Team Nancy, Alicia, Tracy, Charsie, Ben, and Ray. Thank you for loving Mom as if she were your mom or grandma.

Ellie wrote, “a Christian’s work on earth is done! The child of God is going to sit with The King! What could be better? Nothing!”

Arrangements entrusted to Pike Funeral and Cremation Services, The Boyd Chapel, 9191 Red Arrow Highway, Bridgman.