CASSOPOLIS, MI - Elmer J. Subera, age 87 years of Cassopolis, Michigan, husband, father, grandfather, mechanical engineer, farmer, and a Godly man died peacefully at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, comfortably at-home, with his wife at his bedside. His family is grateful for the kind and compassionate care provided by the staff of Caring Circle Hospice at Home.
He was born on January 10, 1934 on the family farm near Hillsboro - “The Czech Capital of Wisconsin” - to Albert and Anna (Picha) Subera. He was graduated from Hillsboro High School, and loved farming, but not milking cows; so he moved to Chicago, Illinois to attend DeVry Technical Institute. He came to Niles, Michigan in 1963 to work at the former Niles plant of Tyler Refrigeration Company.
At Tyler’s, Elmer was a refrigeration engineer in the research and development center. He traveled throughout the United States to help with challenging technical issues and new installations, and traveled internationally to research product development for South Korea, China, England, Spain, and Germany. He was a member of the Refrigeration Service Engineer Society, and instructed some courses at DeVry Tech. He retired from Tyler’s in 1999 after a remarkable thirty-six-year career, having never been sent to Alaska or Hawaii, much to his wife’s disappointment.
Elmer was a member of the Michiana Christian Embassy where he also taught the Men’s Monday Night Bible Study, served as a Deacon, used his engineering aptitude to help Willie with maintenance issues, and helped staff the sound booth.
He enjoyed fishing in area lakes, and always accepted invitations to go golfing – a word that he reversed to better reflect his game of “flogging”. His lifelong love of farming was evident in the acres of field corn grown around the house, and the annual garden which produced fruits and vegetables in abundance, allowing for canning and pickling.
On July 11, 1970 at the Niles First Church of Christ Christian he was married to the former Joyce M. (Finch) Hennip with whom he celebrated last year the remarkable Fiftieth Anniversary of their wedding.
Surviving family includes his wife, Joyce Subera and their children, Allen (& Kristi) Subera of Goshen, Indiana and Amy (& Jon) Pedzinski of Niles; grandchildren Emily Pedzinski, Zachary Subera, Levi Subera, and Noah Subera; Elmer’s sister, Gladys Boe of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by Joyce’s nine-year-daughter, Terra Hennip on August 5, 1975; by his parents, and by his siblings, Rudolph Subera, Raymond Subera, and Libby Subera.
The funeral service for Elmer Subera was at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at the Michiana Christian Embassy, 1922 East Main Street in Niles with the Rev. Jeffrey Whittaker of the church officiating. Committal followed at the Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles. The most current health guidelines were practiced. Others were able to witness the service via the livestreamed broadcast on the Halbritter-Wickens Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/halbritterwickensfuneralservices/.
The family received relatives and friends on Tuesday at the church beginning at 10:00 a.m. Contributions in memory of Elmer may be made to the Michiana Christian Embassy, 1922 East Main Street, Niles, Michigan, 49120, https://www.michianachristianembassy.com/.
Arrangements were made at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles. Online condolences may be left at: www.halbritterwickens.com.
Elmer’s interest in farming and in research, and even in fishing and golfing indicated a fascination with God’s creation. His greater interest in his family and church indicated a passion for God’s people; altogether fulfilling the command to Love People and Love God.
Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home
