Bernard Givens

Obituary of Bernard Givens HANCOCK ? Bernard W. "Bill" Givens, 66, a well-known resident of S. Lincoln Dr., Hancock, passed away early Thursday morning, October 23, 2003, at Portage Hospital following a lengthy illness. Bill was born on January 24, 1937 in Trimountain, a son of the late Bernard C. and Lenore (Mitchell) Givens. As a child, he resided in the South Range area until the third grade when he and his parents moved to Hancock where he has resided since. He was a graduate of Hancock High School with the Class of 1954. After high school, Bill attended Suomi College and in 1958, received a B.S. degree in Business Administration and in 1959, a teaching certificate, both from Northern Michigan University. In 1962, he received his Master's Degree from the University of Michigan through Northern Michigan University. On April 6, 1963, he was united in marriage to the former Linda Komula. Mr. Givens started teaching at Suomi College in 1959. In 1960, he started teaching at the Hancock Public Schools until 1965 when he became the Elementary Coordinator for the Hancock Public Schools, which is the position he held until he retired in 1990. He was also the Assistant to the Superintendent the final year he worked for Hancock Public Schools. Bill then worked for Suomi College as a grant writer until 1994. During his adult life, he was the Master of Ceremonies at various sports banquets, retirement dinners, Booster Club dinners, U.P. Sports Hall of Fame banquets and at different school and church functions. Bill was a member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church of Hancock; a past president of the U.P. Sports Hall of Fame, a past president of the Hancock Lions Club, the church board of First United Methodist Church of Hancock and was also a lay preacher for the Methodist Church. He served on the Salvation Army Board, the Suomi Alumni Association and the United Fund Board. He belonged to the Principals' Roundtable, was a PA announcer at Hancock High School football and hockey games, Little League Board of Directors, coached junior hockey and Little League Baseball. He was voted volunteer of the year for Little League Baseball and was a publicist for various teams, clubs and the Hancock Public School. He was preceded in death by his parents; and an infant daughter, Debbie. Surviving are his wife, Linda, at home; a daughter, Pam Givens of Hancock; four sons, Chris (Jennifer) Givens of Traverse City, Barry (Laura) Givens of Hancock, Greg (Wanda) Givens of Hancock, Tim (Sheryl) Givens of Hancock; eight grandchildren, Trevor, Jake, Tanner, Cam, Bryce, Chelsea, Taylor and Cameron; three sisters-in-law, Vieno Komula of Chassell, Eva Komula of Mohawk, Donna Komula of Lacey, Wash., and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Funeral services for Bill will be held Monday, October 27, 2003, at 4 p.m. at the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Hancock with Rev. Jimalee Jones to officiate. Burial will be in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Houghton. Friends may call at the Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in Hancock from 4 to 8 p.m. on Sunday and from 3 p.m. until time of services at the church on Monday. In lieu of flowers or other expressions of sympathy, the family suggests that memorials be given to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Hancock and the Hancock Public School Foundation. Friends and relatives may go to www.memorialchapel.net to send condolences to the family. To send flowers to the family of Bernard Givens, please visit Tribute Store