Delavan Wayne Sipes
WATERVLIET - Delavan Wayne Sipes was born on Nov. 22, 1925, in Jackson, Mich., to Delavan and Vivian (Fillmore) Sipes. Del died peacefully on Jan. 2, 2010, after a long battle with leukemia.
Del was proud of his career as an educator, first teaching in the Detroit Public Schools and then at Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Mich., where he pioneered the Biomedical Instrumention Technology program and taught various electronics and science courses for thirty years. As president of the Faculty Forum, he helped bring the "mutual gains" form of negotiation to the college.
Del retired in 1986 as professor emeritus, moving from his home at Wolverine Lake to Paw Paw Lake, Watervliet. He was active on township boards and committees, eventually earning the sobriquet of "Del Quixote" in this conservative southwest corner of Michigan.
A passionate researcher, writer and environmentalist, Del served for many years as president of the Paw Paw Lake Association, the editor of the Michigan Lake and Streams Newsletter, and as president of the Woodland Nature Conservancy. His weekly column, the Paw Paw Lake Almanac, was enjoyed by the community for 628 issues of the Tri-City Record.
Del was a proud veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving as a radar operator on the USS Breeze, a mine sweeper, in the Pacific theater of World War II. He was a graduate of Wayne State University and University of Michigan, grateful for the GI Bill of Rights.
Delavan was a deeply spiritual man, but not in the traditional way. He was writing a book based on the teachings of Edgar Cayce, ancient Sumerian and Egyptian scripts and the startling commonality among historical readings around the world. He was also writing vignettes of his childhood, some of which were to be published as a children's book.
Del is survived by Jean K. Christensen, his love of 26 years; his sister, Eulene Hummel; his children, Gretchen Anderson, Debora Sipes-Burgess, Pamela Borchert, Bennett Sipes, Valerie Rogers, Timothy Sipes, Terry Sipes, and their respective spouses; grandchildren, Keith Anderson, Carrie Koffman, Montana Burgess, Lucy Burgess, Adam Borchert, Kelly Borchert, Alex Borchert, Denali Sipes, Logan Sipes and Mimi Sipes; great-grandchildren, Keira Anderson, Noah Koffman-Adsit, and Persephone Burgess-Sorge. Also Holly Christensen, Laurel (Christensen) Camen, Bari (Christensen) Dilworth, Vanessa Camen and his Animal Aid dogs, Quizzer and Max.
Memorials may be made to the VFW National Home for Children, 3573 S. Waverly Road, Eaton Rapids, Mich., 48827 or the Rose Arbor Hospice, 5473 Croyden Ave., Kalamazoo, Mich. 49009. Condolences or memories may be e-mailed to the Hutchins Funeral Home at hutchins.home@ sbcbcglobal.net, or snail-mailed to Jean Christensen, 5660 Woodland Ave., Watervliet, Mich., 49098. A memorial celebration will be held at a later date.
Mimi took this photograph with her camera.
Sorry to hear of Del's passing. I was a student & electronics lab technician at Schoolcraft College in the early 70's and became a friend. I spent many long hours discussing Edgar Cayce and Del's physics and cosmological theories which I had hoped he would someday publish. I recall that he was somewhat reluctant to share his ideas with the rest of the world out of concern for how they would be used given our poor track record and demonstrated inability to use great ideas for the common good of the species. I can understand why he devoted himself to the cause of fresh water and it's protection since he saw the terrible risks we are taking by not recognizing our current path and it's potential for doom. I know that the world is a better place as a result of Del being here for all of those years and all of us he influenced as an educator. Bill, Dec. 27, 2010
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