John Ray Melville, age 65, of Lugoff, South Carolina, passed away on Wednesday, January 10, 2024. Born in Sturgis on May 4, 1958, he was the son of the late Warren “Pete” Charles Melville and Luella Scarlett Melville and the husband of 31 years to Felicia Ann Pritzen Melville. John was a US Army Veteran, retiring after 24 years of …

A five-year strategic plan developed by St. Joseph County Parks and Recreation Department focuses heavily on the county’s 150 miles of navigable rivers and creeks. Details were presented to county commissioners during their executive committee meeting Tuesday. Parks and Recreation Department director Jaymes MacDonald provided a four-page summary outlining goals and objectives through 2028. MacDonald said in addition to serving …

Paul Robert Zeeb, age 91, of Sturgis, passed away Monday afternoon, January 8, 2024 at his home. He was born at home in Sturgis on June 23, 1932 son of the late William and Anna M. (Wittel) Zeeb. Paul was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1950. On July 16, 1977 …

Carolyn Roberts Beardsley, age 75, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at Avenue of Macedonia Skilled Nursing Facility in Macedonia, Ohio. She was born April 11, 1948 in Sturgis, daughter of the late Eugene and Geneva Roberts. Carol was a graduate of Sturgis High School class of 1966 and lived most of her life in Sturgis. She married …

Molly Marie Keithley, age 75, of Three Rivers, died Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.  She was born in Plainwell, Michigan on March 5, 1948 the daughter of Seth J. and Violet F. (Hunsberger) Newburry. She attended Marcellus High School.  She was a homemaker, and worked numerous outside jobs. In her spare time, she enjoyed word …

Ann Habley Felker, age 90, of Falls Church, Virginia and more recently Mendon, passed away on Saturday, December 2, 2023. She was born in Chicago on January 28, 1933, the daughter of Charles Habley and Harriett (Church) Habley. She earned an undergraduate degree from Ohio Wesleyan and a master’s degree from Virginia Tech. She married her beloved husband, Donald Felker, …

St. Joseph County Road Commission and other county officials plan a ceremonial ribbon cutting Friday afternoon to commemorate re-opening of the Langley Covered Bridge. The 282-foot-long span is expected to re-open to traffic hours later following a closure that began Sept. 11. Crews from Grand Haven-based Anlaan Corporation, contractor for the $3.2 million overhaul, were adding siding to the west …

A jury has been assembled in Branch County for a case centering on a Coldwater Township woman charged with shooting her daughter. Court officials said 66-year-old Kathleen Rowe faces felony-related charges stemming from a January 2023 incident involving Kacey Rowe, 34. Rowe, who declined to accept a plea bargain in October, has maintained she shot her daughter in self-defense. Proceedings …

The national champion Michigan Wolverines returned home Tuesday night to thunderous applause and screaming fans following their 34-13 victory over the Washington Huskies. “Thank you so much for being here,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “We had lofty aspirations and high goals, and we never lost sight of them.” Defensive tackle Kris Jenkins also thanked the crowd. “You don’t know how much …

Mary Anna Matz, age 94, of LaGrange, passed away Sunday morning, January 7, 2024 at her home. She was born June 28, 1929 at the family home in South Bend, daughter of the late Albert and Bernice (Gable) Weiss. Mary resided in LaGrange since 1994, coming from Sturgis. On July 3, 1949 she married Phillip Henry Matz, Jr. in South …