Martin VanBuren

Martin C. (Jack Spalla) VanBuren, age 90, of Kalamazoo, MI passed away September 11, 2016, at Park Place Assisted Living in Kalamazoo. Martin was born May 21, 1926, in Detroit, the son of the late Stephen and Lois (Hanford) Spalla. A lifelong resident of Richland Township, he attended Richland Schools. Martin served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a guard at Sugamo Prison in Tokyo during the occupation of Japan. On May 17, 1947, he was united in marriage to Irene (Huff) VanBuren, who died in December 2013. Martin worked for more than 40 years as a locomotive fireman and engineer on three railroadsthe New York Central, Penn Central and Conrail. He retired from Conrail in 1988. He attended the Kalamazoo Free Methodist Church for many years and was a member of the Masonic Lodge, Veterans of Foreign Wars and United Transportation Union. He enjoyed gardening, travel and participating in the annual Labor Day Mackinac Bridge Walk, which he did 25 times. Survivors include a daughter, Linda (David) Spearman of Augusta; a son, Michael VanBuren of Kalamazoo; and three grandchildren, Anna (Rick) Girgenti of Harriman, New York, Rebekah (Caleb) Knowles of Otsego, Michigan, and Nathaniel (Marianna) VanBuren of Chicago, Illinois. He is also survived by four great-grandchildren, Talia Girgenti of Harriman, New York; Rylee VanBuren of Chicago, Illinois; Brooklyn Knowles of Otsego, Michigan, and Jonah VanBuren of Chicago, Illinois. In addition to his wife of 66 years, Martin was preceded in death by his mother, stepfather, sister, Julia Mathiak and daughter-in-law, Dianna VanBuren. The family will receive friends from 24 & 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, September 15th at Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 622 South Burdick Street in Kalamazoo. The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, September 16th at the Kalamazoo Free Methodist Church, 931 West Maple Street in Kalamazoo with the Rev. Craig Watson officiating. Interment will be at 2 p.m. in Prairie Home Cemetery in Richland, with military honors conducted by V.F.W. Post #6252. Memorial contributions may be made to Kalamazoo Free Methodist Church, Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan or V.F.W. Post #6252 in Comstock.