Martha "Ann" Dyas

Martha "Ann" Dyas, 63, of Battle Creek died Friday morning, December 24, 2010 of Colon Cancer at her home with her family at her side. She was born April 25, 1947 to Donald and Grace Militzer in Kalamazoo. She graduated from Portage High School in 1965 and received her Associates Degree from KCC in 1991. She worked from 1965 to 1968 for Brown Co. in Kalamazoo, from 1965 to 1987 for Transamerica Insurance Co. and for the State of Michigan-DHS from 1987 until 2009, retiring in 2010. Ms. Dyas was a proud liberal, a devoted Democrat and fierce feminist. She enjoyed gourmet cooking and travel and she loved her family. She married Michael Dyas on September 21, 1979 and they blended their families. Surviving are her husband and best friend, Michael; her daughter, Kimberley Schwab and her spouse, Gary; her step-daughter, Michelle Cole; grandsons, Daniel Hill, Curtis Day, Jason Cole and Malcolm Cole; a granddaughter, Melissa Dyas and two great-grandsons. Also surviving are her four Militzer brothers and their spouses, David and Kevan, Steve and Sue, Paul and Jackie and Peter and Amanda. A "Remembrance" Open House for family and friends will be held at the Addington Hills Café, 295 Emmett Street E., Battle Creek, MI, 49017 on Sunday, January 2, 2011 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Memorials may be made to Planned Parenthood or the Humane Society. Arrangements were entrusted to the Farley-Estes & Dowdle Funeral Home of Battle Creek.