Marie Catherine Bontrager, 89, of Centreville, passed away Friday, Sept. 20, 2019, surrounded by her family, at her daughter Orvin and Miriam Bontrager’s residence. Marie was born Feb. 19, 1930, a daughter of the late William N. and Lydiaann (Miller) Bontrager. On Feb. 9, 1950, she married Ezra J. Bontrager. They lived most their lives together in the Centreville area, …

Avis G. Baldwin, age 94, of Three Rivers, died Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019 at Three Rivers Health. She was born on Jan. 17, 1925 the daughter of Fred and Elva (Anable) Hassenger. After graduation from High School she attended Beauty College and practiced briefly as a beautician. She was married to Lyle Allan Baldwin on Sept. 14, 1951 in Elkhart. …

Joseph A. Jackson, age 52, of Sturgis, passed away early Wednesday morning, Sept. 18, 2019, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. He was born April 27, 1967, in Sturgis, a son of the late Gerald K. and Estella M. (Hart) Jackson. Joe was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1986. Most …

Dan Jones, age 86, of Constantine, passed away on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 at his home.  He was born on June 21, 1933 in Constantine, a son of Arthur and Alice (Leister) Jones. Dan graduated from Constantine High School in 1951 where he excelled as an all sport athlete. He was in the US Army from 1953-1955 in Germany. During …

Dixie S. Hartman, age 85, of Waterford, and a former Sturgis resident, passed away early Tuesday morning, Sept. 17, 2019, in West Bloomfield Township. She was born May 13, 1934, in Centreville, the only daughter of the late James Russell and Inez B. (Elliott) Brown. Dixie’s early life was lived in Centreville, where she was a graduate of Centreville High …

Ralph E. Parham, age 96, of Venice, Fla., and a former longtime resident of Howe, Ind., passed away Saturday morning, Sept. 14, 2019, at Venice Hospice House in Venice. He was born July 11, 1923, in Billings, Mont., a son of the late Lyle H. and Nora E. (Brown) Parham. Ralph resided in Florida since 2015. Prior to moving to …

Sally Lou Stevens, age 77, of Sturgis, passed away Saturday morning, August 24, 2019 at the Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. She was born April 15, 1942 in Sturgis, daughter of the late Owen Henry and Maxine Pearl (VanDyke) Powers. Sally was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1960. On October …

Cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, ruffed grouse and other animals will be in hunters’ sights as Michigan’s small game season gets underway Sunday. The Department of Natural Resources says a Michigan base license is required for small game hunters. The cost for residents is $11. The base license allows hunting of rabbit, hare, squirrel, pheasant, ruffed grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, woodchuck, woodcock, …

Ruby Mildred Estes, age 96, of Three Rivers, passed away Thursday, September 12, 2019 at the Heartland Health Care Center in Three Rivers. She was born June 2, 1923 in Cumberland Gap, TN a daughter to the late Theo and Louise (Greer) Estes. She was preceded in death by her parents, husbands: Charles Estes and Rex Willis; son: David Estes; …

Wanda Ucille Stauder, age 98, of Three Rivers, died Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019 at Thurston Woods Villa. She was born in Otsego, MI on March 26, 1921, the daughter of Leo Fowler and Anna Fowler. She graduated from Cedar Lake Academy, Glen Oaks Community College and attended Western Michigan University. Wanda was married to George D. Stauder on January 22, …