William E Miskell

William Edward Miskell, 92, of Port Huron, passed away quietly at home on Sunday, March 1, 2020 after a long decline.

He was born April 9, 1927 in St. Louis, Missouri, the second son of Joseph and Lillian Miskell (nee Little), though he felt closer to his step-father, Edward London. He married Geraldine Paterson on October 12, 1957 in Port Huron. They were married 50 years before her death on February 16, 2007.

Bill served in the U.S. Army Infantry for three years at the end of World War II. He sailed on a Great Lakes freighter as a coalpasser, and retired in 1988 from 35 years as a Yard Conductor on Grand Trunk Western Railroad. He was a founding family member of Gateway Church, formerly First Baptist Church of Marysville. Always smiling and openly professing his love of God, Bill would tell you, “I’ve gone to be with my Lord.”

For 65 years, he occupied the home he designed and built in Port Huron Township. He experimented with innovative energy systems and plants in his hand-built, backyard greenhouse. Bill loved to travel within the United States, spending winters in Florida and California. He conquered prostate and skin cancers. Over the past couple of decades, Bill volunteered at Mid-City Nutrition, The Methodist Free Store, and Harbor Impact Ministries, Sparlingville. He served the Red Cross as a driver, disaster relief responder, and most famously as Buttons the Clown. A greatest joy was riding his decorated three-wheel bicycle in city parades. Until the previous couple of years, he was always physically active, did aquatic workouts twice a week at Port Huron Health Club, and rode his bike around his neighborhood, especially to feed the fish in a community pond. He was also an avid postage stamp collector of 67 years.

Bill is survived by two sons, William Gene Miskell (Janine Cherry) and Daniel Gerald (Tammy) Miskell; his younger sister, Geraldine Gierman; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nephews, and nieces. He was preceded in death by his wife and two brothers.

Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Tuesday in Pollock-Randall Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4, 2020 in Pollock-Randall Funeral Home. The Reverend Kelly Pittman will officiate.

Burial will follow in Caswell Cemetery, Kimball Township. Pallbearers will be Matt Mitchell, Connor Doughty, Simon Mitchell, Roger Modderman, Tim Foglesong, Scott Foglesong, Eric Foglesong, and Steven Foglesong.

Memorial contributions may be made to Mid-City Nutrition, Port Huron. To send condolences, visit pollockrandall.com

“They should say of me, 'He trusted his God. And God never failed him.’"

-- William Miskell, August 30, 2012