William J. Remington

87, formerly of Richland and Battle Creek, died peacefully with his family at his side, at his residence in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Friday, February 22, 2019. Bill was born August 27, 1931 in Battle Creek, Michigan the son of Claude Angus and Eva Mae (Randal) Remington. He grew up in Alamo and Kalamazoo and was a 1949 graduate of Otsego High School. After marriage he lived in Portage, Indiana, Kalamazoo, the farm in Plainwell and moved to Grand Rapids in 2014, a hard move, but he grew accustomed to the condo. Bill purchased Remington Car Wash on W. Vanburen St. in Battle Creek from his father in 1965 and retired in March of 1996. William J. Remington was united in marriage to the former Beverly Lorraine Rhoades on April 14, 1950 at her parent's home in Oshtemo Township. Surviving are Beverly, his wife of 68 years; children, Linda R. (William J.) Duncan of Frankenmuth, MI, Jeanne M. (Terry) Tobias of Grand Rapids, MI, Leslie (Jim) Purcell of Charlotte, NC; eight grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren; and a stepbrother, Jim (Joy) Bell of Augusta, MI. Bill was preceded in death by a daughter, Connie Loraine Remington; a great-grandson, Parker Rice; his parents; brothers, Ronald C. Remington, Roy Lee Remington and a sister, Valerie Burgess. Bill was a member Gull Lake Methodist Church, a member of the Automatic Car Wash Association (ICA) for 35 years, a Board Member of ICA for 12 years and president of Central States Car Wash Association (9 States) for 2 years. He was a life member and past president of the Downtown Battle Creek Optimist Club, a member of Riverside Country Club for 28 years, Gun River Gun Club, various yacht and motor home clubs, and Kent County Gun Club. He was a very positive, hard-working individual who believed his customers deserved the best and provided it to the best of his ability. Bill loved traveling throughout the United States overland in Motor Homes and in lakes and oceans by boat. He and Beverly traveled extensively home and abroad. Bill enjoyed boating, motor homing, shooting skeet, horses, scuba diving, trapping and skeet shooting. He loved his wife and four girls and all the other children that passed thorough during their school years. Friends will be received 11:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care Richland Chapel, 9170 East D Avenue, Richland, MI 49068. Funeral services will be officiated by Rev. Stephen M. G. Charnley, senior pastor at First United Methodist Church in Kalamazoo at the Richland Chapel 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 26, 2019. Interment will follow at Cressey Cemetery in Prairieville Township, near the farm where they resided for 56 years. Memorial contributions in memory of Bill may be made to the American Cancer Society or Faith Hospice, 2100 Raybrook St. SE, Suite 300, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. Personal messages for the family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.