Former Cass County commissioner Gordon Lamar Bickel Sr., 83, was found dead outside Tuesday afternoon near a trailer on which he was working.

 

The Republican served on the county board through the end of 2012, after losing his seat to current Chairman Dwight “Skip” Dyes of Calvin Township in the GOP primary as it shrank from 15 members to seven for 2013.

 

Relatives and friends will be received Friday from 2 to 4 and from 6 to 8 p.m. at Eley Funeral Home in Constantine.

 

Religious services take place at 11 a.m. Saturday at Constantine United Methodist Church with the Rev. Scott Manning officiating.

 

Interment will be at Shavehead Cemetery in Porter Township, of which Mr. Bickel was a former clerk.

 

Memorials may be made to Cass County Conservation Club, of which he was a life member, or Constantine United Methodist Church’s roof project.

 

Mr. Bickel was born Feb. 19, 1930, in Three Rivers, son of Ray and Ailene (Hitchcox) Bickel.

 

He graduated from Constantine High School in 1948 and earned an agriculture degree from Michigan State University.

 

He served in the U.S. Army from 1954 until 1956.

 

On June 3, 1981, the lifelong dairy farmer married Connie (Hartman) Lunger at Constantine United Methodist Church.

 

Mr. Bickel was active in 4-H with show cows and was a junior 4-H state leader, as well as junior Farm Bureau leader. He was a life member of Michigan Bow Hunters, belonged to Sons of the American Revolution in Battle Creek, Constantine American Legion and Three Rivers Eagles and was an avid snowmobiler.

 

Surviving are: his wife, Connie Bickel, Constantine; sons, Gordon L. (Brenda) Bickel Jr. of Jones, Steven (Laurie) Lunger of Quincy and Gregg Bickel of Vandalia; daughters, Dian (Daniel) Warren of White Pigeon and Gayl (Jack Haines) Price of Moorehaven, Fla.; nine grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

 

He was preceded in death by: his parents; infant grandson, Brian B. Bickel; and great-grandson, Gabriel Warren.