Tamper N. Loder

Tamper Nimrod Loder, 81, a long-time devoted resident of Cassopolis, died at 10:44 a.m., Monday, May 29, 2023 in Alexandria, Virginia, surrounded by his family.  His life began February 28, 1942 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the youngest of five children born to Lee Homer and Daisy (Monroe) Loder.  He married Gwendolyn Marilyn Turner April 17, 1965 in Cassopolis, Michigan.  After more than forty years of marriage, she preceded him in death in 2005.

Tamper was a jack of all trades. He drove the school bus for Cassopolis Schools for several years and also served as a Reserve Deputy for Cass County Sheriff’s Department. For many years, he volunteered as a summer baseball coach where he would regularly take his teams to Chicago to see games. Tamper was a Mason where he served faithfully for years and was a founding member of the Sportsmen Big Ten Club. He worked for Wheelabrator Frye in Mishawaka, Indiana, for more than thirty years until it closed. He would later work for Elkhart Metal Distribution until 2011 when he began his journey with TK Steel in Elkhart, Indiana, retiring in February 2020 at the age of 78.

Tamper will be greatly missed by family and friends.  He is survived by his four children, Kevin Loder, Kimberly (David) Loder-Albritton, Karen Loder and Kenneth (Vernita) Loder; five grandchildren, Deyannia Henslee, Glennis Curry, Adrienne Jackson, Kory (Rebecca) Gillam, Chase Albritton; and three great grandchildren, Bryson Henslee, Irvin O. Bailey III, and Karter Gillam. In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by one granddaughter, Koby Gillam, and his four siblings, Arzetta (Bush) Loder, Ben Loder, Reathon Loder and Christopher Loder.

            Family and friends will gather Monday, June 12, 2023 from 12 Noon until time of service at 1:00 p.m. in Wagner Family Funerals Connelly Chapel, 202 North Broadway Street, Cassopolis with Dr. Kathaleen Graham-Young of Atlanta, Georgia officiating, assisted by the Reverend Herman Washington, pastor of Full Gospel Fellowship of Elkhart, Indiana.

Mr. Loder will be laid to rest beside his beloved wife in Poe Cemetery in Jones, Michigan.

The family prefers contributions in memory of Tamper be made to either Williams-Franklin Foundation at wmsfranklinfoundation.org, 4401-A Connecticut Avenue NW, PMB 301, Washington, DC 20008, or to Cass County Council on Aging at casscoa.org, Post Office Box 5, Cassopolis, Michigan 49031.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Wagner Family Funerals Connelly Chapel, Cassopolis. Please share a memory or a message online: wagnercares.com.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Tamper N. Loder, please visit our Tree Store.