Emma L. Gaipa, 79 of Watervliet passed away Sunday, June 9, 2019 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo.

Services will be held 11:00 am Thursday, June 13, at Duffield & Pastrick Family Funeral Home in Coloma where visitation will begin one hour prior to the service.  Burial will follow in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Watervliet.  Donations in memory of Emma may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital or the North Berrien Senior Center.  Those wishing to leave an online message of remembrance may do so at www.duffieldpastrick.com.

Emma was born Dec 18, 1939 in Levee, Kentucky to Charlie and Leona (Anderson) Barnett.  She was a woman of very strong faith.  Emma was a kind, loving, and compassionate individual who never had a bad word to say about anyone.  She had a passion for caring for animals of all kinds and truly just enjoyed spending time with her family.

Survivors include her husband Joseph; three children, Darlene Kolenko of Coloma, Kenneth (Michelle) Gaipa of Osceola, Ind, and Pamela (Russell) Morey of Ypsilanti; one brother Billy (Marjorie) Barnett; and one sister Linda (Clinton) Woodard.  Also surviving is a sister-in-law Virginia Barnett, son-in-law Patrick Kolenko, eight grandchildren, Steffen and Tori Kolenko, Anthony (Renee) Gaipa, Emma, Grace, and Gianna Gaipa, Krista and Brian Morey; three great grandchildren, Bella, Elliana, and Joey Gaipa along with several nieces, nephews and her beloved cat Pebbles.

She was preceded in death by a grandson Michael Gaipa and brother Buford Barnett.