Maurice Piper, 1946-2020

Maurice Lee Piper, 73, of Lake Wales, Florida passed away Tuesday, April 28, 2020 at his residence in Savannah Court.

He was born October 3, 1946 in Kalamazoo, MI to the late Maurice and Marie Piper. He lived many years in the Augusta and Galesburg, Michigan area. He moved to the Lake Wales area from Jacksonville after retiring to be closer to family in 2009. He had been a clerk for CSX Railroad for 33 years. Maurice was a veteran of the Vietnam war, serving in the U.S. Army. He was a member of Joy’s Angels Crochet Group making prayer shawls for those with cancer.

Maurice was preceded in death by his brother William Piper in January of 2020 and his wife Joy E. Piper; sister, Ruth Nichols and her husband Roger; brother-in-law, Robert Smeenge; and nephew, Dan Marvin. Survivors include his sisters, Mary Annabelle Smeenge of Rolling Meadows, IL, and Margaret Secor of Dansville, NY; 28 nieces and nephews; many great-nieces, great-nephews; and many cousins. Family was always very important to him and he tried to keep up to date on everyone.

No services are scheduled at this time. As cremation has taken place, arrangements for a graveside service will be made and announced later this summer. Johnson-Nelson-Gill Funeral Home in Lake Wales is handling arrangements.