Norman F. Nitz, 81, of Watervliet, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018 at Lakeland Medical Center in St. Joseph.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Duffield & Pastrick Family Funeral Home in Coloma with visitation beginning one hour prior at noon. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery.

Norman was born June 8, 1936 in Coloma, Michigan to Gottfried and Margaret Nitz.  He married the former Lola Simmons and the couple enjoyed 38 years together before her passing in 1999. Norman had worked in the maintenance department for Michigan Fruit Canners and retired in 1989. In his free time, he enjoyed hunting and fishing, going to the Hartford racetrack, occasionally visiting the casino, and loved watching westerns on TV.

He is survived by his four children, daughters Victoria Nitz of Kalamazoo and Penny (Scott) Peters of Watervliet; sons Rich (Chris) Nitz of Watervliet and Fred (Kristin) Nitz of Baroda; two sisters, Violet Beaman and Ester Schultz, both of Benton Harbor; sixteen grandchildren; four great grandchildren, and his beloved dog Titus.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother Harold Nitz and a sister Edna Howard.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the family in care of the funeral home.

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