Obituary of James Michael Grange

Bloomington – James Michael “Mike” Grange was born the third child of William Hughand Artie Sprinkle Grange in Lawrence County, Illinois. Mike was educated at Lawrence County Elementary School and Lawrence County High School, class of 1938. He also graduated from Vincennes University, Wilmington Ohio College and Cincinnati Bible Seminary. Since he was seven years old, Mike’s hobby has been playing the guitar and trombone. He taught in Lawrence County schools and during WW II, served in the Air Force as a Weatherman. During this time, he become convinced that God had called him to enter the ministry. He served at the Macon, Ohio Church of Christ, Bowersville, Ohio Church of Christ, Bluffton, Indiana Church of Christ, Boulevard Church of Christ, Toledo, Ohio, East Lansing, Michigan Christian Church, and the Christian Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan for a total of 62 years, During these years, Mike did part-time teaching in public schools and at Great Lakes Christian College from 1973-1991. He moved to Indiana where his wife is a family physician. On May 30, 1941, Mike was married to Roberta Smith of Lawrence County, Illinois. In 1992, Roberta passed from this life with pancreatic cancer. She had been for 51 years a loving, committed wife, mother and grandmother. They had five children: William (Willa) of Lincoln, Nebraska is a tenured, endowed professor at the University of Nebraska; Mary Fay (Brad) Topolski of Toldeo, Ohio teaches middle school; Christina (Jeff) Milbourne of Lansing, Michigan is a nurse; Robbie (Bill) Stapleton of Ann Arbor, Michigan teaches Secondary History; and Shelley (Rob) Cichy of Okemos, Michigan is a counselor at Michigan State University. Mike leaves 14 grandchildren: Bill and Willa have Leah and George; Mary Fay and Brad have Kate, Grange and Will; Christina and Jeff have John James, Emily and Danny; Robbie and Bill have Joseph, Drew and Tressa; Shelley and Ron have Grace and John. Mike also leaves 4 great grandchildren, Ashley, Zoe, Brooke and Spencer. In 1994, Mike was married to Linette Showerman. Mike helped Linette to rear two boys, Mark and Scott Miller. She has been a loving, committed wife and as a physician, has saved Mike’s life on several occasions. Mike also leaves one sister, Edith Rich of Lawrenceville, Illinois. Mike was a member of the Disciple of Christ Church at Madison, Indiana and attended services at the First Baptist Church of Bedford. On April 28, 2016, Mike went home to be with the Lord, having service as a teacher and/or minister for sixty-eight years. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 am on Monday, May 2nd in the Elmwood Chapel of the Day & Carter Mortuary with Lee Brown and Frank Bataglia officiating. Burial will be in Vincennes, Indiana. Visitation will be from 9:00 am until the hour of service on Monday, May 2nd at the Day & Carter Mortuary. The family asks that friends consider memorial contributions be made to Hospice. Family and friends may express condolences at www.daycarter.com.