Larry Bratton is at last with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Larry Bratton, age 93, died on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019, at Riverside Village in Elkhart. He was born Junior Lawrence Bratton, the son of Lawrence and Mabel (Rainier) Bratton on May 13, 1925, in St. Joseph County, Mich. He married Lois Elizabeth Aurand on Sept. 10, 1950, in Mottville. …

Driving while holding a cellphone soon will be illegal in one southern Michigan city. The Battle Creek Enquirer reports that a new ordinance goes into effect Friday in Battle Creek, but police don’t plan to ticket drivers — just yet — for typing, scrolling or talking on phones without the use of hands-free devices. City officials say enforcement will start …

Darlene Carol Gest, age 74, of Sturgis, passed away Monday evening February 11, 2019 at her home. She was born September 10, 1944 in Sturgis, daughter of the late Frederick W. and June (Blackburn) MacPherson. Darlene resided most of her life in Sturgis with the exception of the eight years she lived in Dowagiac and nine years in Centreville. On …

Thelma L. Smith, age 85, of Sturgis, passed away Monday evening, February 11, 2019 at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. She was born January 26, 1934 in Sturgis, daughter of the late Homer and Pearl (Brown) Carter. Thelma resided most of her life in Sturgis with the exception of the several years she lived in Vicksburg. She was married to …

Arletta Rae Gruzinski, age 78, of Sturgis, died on Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, at Thurston Woods Village. She was born July, 29, 1940, in Sturgis, a daughter of LeRoy and Juanita (Wesphall) King. She was a graduate of Sturgis High School. After high school, she attended Adrian College, where she received a bachelor’s degree in teaching. She worked as a …

Wayne Arthur Fennell, age 92, of Burr Oak, passed away Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. Private burial will take place in Burr Oak Cemetery. A time of sharing and services celebrating the life of Wayne A. Fennell will be held on his birthday, June 23, 2019 at 1:00 P.M., at the Rosenberg Chapel of Hackman …

Richard D. “Don” Harker age 91 of Sturgis, passed away early Thursday morning, February 7, 2019 at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. He was born February 8, 1927 in Chicago, son of the late Chester and Dora (Neusom) Harker. Don resided in Sturgis since 1979 coming from Battle Creek. He had also lived in North Hollywood, California and his early …

A man who fatally shot six strangers in southwestern Michigan was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison with no chance of parole, and some loved ones of those he killed said they believe he’ll face a greater, more permanent punishment. “Someday when you die and you face God, he will make the ultimate judgment for what you’ve done,” Laurie Smith, …

Authorities say a Michigan man was fatally struck by a car while trying to remove his daughter’s dead cat from a roadway before she saw it. Saginaw County sheriff’s officials say 50-year-old Andrew Rosas of Merrill was struck before sunrise Tuesday by a woman who was driving to work and apparently didn’t see him. Investigators say Rosas was wearing dark …

Alexander Flynn Baker, age 35, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday February 3, 2019 at his home in Three Rivers. Alex was born on August 15, 1983 in Three Rivers, the son of Robert and Ann (Kirchner) Baker He graduated Three Rivers High School in 2002 after receiving the Golden Hammer award for CTE Building Trades. He worked at Armstrong’s, cared …