In Memory of

Garth

H.

""Duff""

Stoltz

Obituary for Garth H. ""Duff"" Stoltz


Garth “Duff” H. Stoltz Sr., age 82 of Battle Creek, died Friday June 2, 2017, at his home in Bedford Township. Duff was born September 21, 1934 in Bradford, Pennsylvania to Garth and Helen (Hammond) Stoltz. He was a 1952 graduate of Bradford High School and attended Atlantic Union College in Massachusetts prior to entering the US Army in 1960, serving as a member of the Operation Whitecoat Project. Duff married the former Joyce Wagner on June 10, 1962 in Boston. They lived in Corydon, PA on the Allegheny River. The completion of the Kinzua Dam, forming the Allegheny Reservoir, forced them to relocate to western New York where Duff worked for many years in the sales and repair of farm machinery. He lived with his family on the 80 acre “Hardly-Able Farm” where he also had his own small engine sales and service business. In 1975, Duff and his family moved to Monument Valley, Utah, where he worked on the Navajo Indian Reservation as the Director of Maintenance at the Seventh-day Adventist Mission Hospital. Duff and his family moved to Battle Creek, MI in 1977 where he was employed by the Battle Creek Adventist Hospital (formerly the Battle Creek Sanitarium), and then the Battle Creek Health System. He was an avid historian of the cereal manufacturing industry, Dr. Kellogg and the former Battle Creek Sanitarium, the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, and the community of Battle Creek. He was called upon to form the historical exhibits at Kellogg’s Cereal City, USA where he became Director of Operations until its closing. He then became manager of Historic Adventist Village in Battle Creek. He never tired of sharing his knowledge of local history with others even in declining health. Duff was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Tabernacle. He is survived by his wife Joyce, a daughter, Amy Joy (Dan) Forde, of Aurora, IL, a son, Garth (Cindy) Stoltz Jr. of Battle Creek, grandchildren, Jillian and Garth M. Stoltz, Ethan and Eric Forde, and Jackie Bowe. He was preceded in death by his parents and a grandson, Jordan Stoltz. The family will receive friends from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM Sunday, June 11, at the Bachman Hebble Funeral Service, Inc., 223 N. Bedford Rd., in Battle Creek, with the Memorial Service being held on Monday, June 12 at 10:30 AM at the same location. Interment, with honors, will follow at Ft. Custer National Cemetery where he will be laid to rest in God’s loving care. Memorials may be given to Maranatha Volunteers International. Visit Duff’s webpage at www.bachmanhebble.com