Annette J. Laferty, 73, of sturis, Mich., died March 16, 2009 at her home following an extended illness.
She was born March 4, 1936 in Chicago, a daughter to Nicholas and Louise (Sulkowski) Sansone.
Her early life was spent in Chicago and Sturgis. She was a 1953 graduate of Sturgis High School and a White Pigeon resident for 30 years. She had lived in Sturgis since 1999. She also resided in Kentucky for two years.
On Feb. 6, 1965 she married Buford Laferty in Clintwood, Va. He died Dec. 7, 2000.
She was employed at Trans-O-Gram in Sturgis, worked for White Pigeon Schools for 12 years in the cafeteria and as a teachers aide and worked at Miller Fuel Oil in White Pigeon.
She was a member of the Church of Christ in Sturgis, the Sturgis Hospital Guild and enjoyed reading.
Surviving are two daughters, Laury (Gerald) Simms of St. Marys, Ga., and Vicki (Roger) Green of Pickerington, Ohio; three sons, John Bennett of Sturgis, Buford S. Laferty of Alma, Mich., and Martin S. Laferty of Constantine; 19 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and son, Melvin S. Bennett-Laferty.
Visitation is from noon-2:30 p.m. Friday at the Farrand Funeral Home in White Pigeon.
Graveside services are at 3 p.m. Friday at the White Pigeon Township Cemetery with Pastor George Cleverley of the Church of Christ of Sturgis. Memorial contributions may be made to the White Pigeon Township Library or the Church of Christ. Envelopes are avaialbe at the funeral home.