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Florian “Flo” Athy Chirra, 65, passed into his Savior’s arms on April 11, 2017 peacefully at his home with his wife and daughter by his side after losing his battle with cancer. He was born on November 6, 1951 in Hillsdale, Michigan to Eldon R. and LaMoille E. (Bailey) Chirra, and was a lifelong resident of rural Pioneer, Ohio where he worked on his family farm and raised pigs.
Flo graduated from North Central High School in Pioneer. He attended Huntington University in Huntington, Indiana. Flo was working at Landmark Co-op in Montpelier when he and his family moved to Ithaca, Michigan so he could pursue his dream of becoming a county extension agent. He attended Michigan State University earning his Bachelor’s Degree in 1987 and his Master’s Degree in 1998 majoring in Swine Nutrition.
He started his Williams County Extension Agriculture career in Bryan in March of 1988 and enjoyed serving the adults and children with the goal of promoting and improving all aspects of the agriculture community. He was involved in 4-H, FFA, Vocational Agriculture, County Farm Bureau and The Country Friends Farm Bureau Council, Commodity groups, Master Gardeners, No-Till Farmers and the Williams County Fair Board. He was a member of the Montpelier Rotary and served as president in 2004-2005 and was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship. Flo was also a volunteer at Sauder Village and many other civic activities.
Flo’s church affiliations were with South Amboy United Brethren Church and Lake View Church in Camden, Michigan, New Hope Community Church in Bryan and Ithaca United Brethren. He also enjoyed attending the Life Vision Class at New Hope.
Florian met his wife Patricia (Allen) at Huntington University and were married at the Ithaca United Brethren Church in Ithaca, Michigan in 1971.
He will be greatly missed by his wife Pat; daughter Joy (Aaron) Barker of Midland, Michigan; grandchildren Allison, Isaac and Hailey Barker; cousins Johnny (Cheri) Bailey, Darla Bailey; mother-in-law Rebecca Allen; brothers-in-law Rick (Lana) Allen, and Randy (Janet) Ferguson; and nieces and nephews.
Flo was preceded in death by his parents, father-in-law Denzil Allen, brother-in-law Robert Allen, and two infant nephews Shane and Jacob.
Visitation for Flo will be on Friday, April 14th from 4-8pm at the Thompson Funeral Home on Main Street in Montpelier. Services will be on Saturday at 11am at the funeral home with Pastor Floyd Vincent to officiate. Interment to be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be given to the Gideon’s International, Williams County 4-H, Montpelier Rotary Club, Dana Cancer Center, or Grace Hospice.