Doris Elaine Shoesmith, age 82, of Three Rivers, passed away on Thursday, February 6, 2014 at her home surrounded by her loving family. She was born on September 6, 1931 in Grand Rapids, MI., the daughter of Floyd and Imogene (Lett) Wolford. On August 12, 1950 she married the love of her life Mr. Ewalt Shoesmith. Elaine was a wonderful …

Margaret Pueschel, age 96, of Sturgis, Michigan passed away Friday evening February 7, 2014 at Mathew 7:7 Adult Foster Care Home in White Pigeon, Michigan. She was born December 24, 1917 in Sturgis, Michigan a daughter of the late Edward and Eda (Eckert) Schroeder. Mrs. Pueschel was a life long Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with …

Dorothea Marie Robbins, age 98, of Burr Oak, Michigan passed away early Friday morning February 7, 2014 at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. She was born August 6, 1915 in Burr Oak Township, Michigan daughter of the late Albert and Clara (Hagelgans) Kaas. Mrs. Robbins was a lifelong Burr Oak resident and Valedictorian graduate of Burr Oak High School with …

Vickie L. Kirkum, age 61, of Coldwater, and formerly of Colon, passed away, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014, at Maple Lawn Medical Care Facility in Coldwater. Vickie was born June 24, 1952, in Sturgis, a daughter of the late Alvin J. and Wava J. (Wallman) Dobberteen. Vickie had lived most of her life in St. Joseph County, attending Colon High School, …

The St. Joseph County United Way raised more than $765,000 during its 2014 campaign, officials from the agency announced Thursday. About 200 people gathered at the Sturgis VFW to find out whether the campaign’s goal of $740,000 would be met. In the end, the final amount raised was $765,983, more than $30,000 over what was raised a year ago. Top …

One person was injured Thursday after a roof collapsed at Omni Source Corporation, at 2160 S. Centerville Road, in Sturgis. Sturgis fire crews responded at the scene and found a 100-by-200-foot section of the main building had collapsed. Two employees were in the building at the time, and both escaped. One suffered minor injuries. Gas and power were shut off …

A 45-year-old Colon Township woman faces a number of drug-related charges after she was arrested this week by members of the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit. Sheriff’s deputies said SCAN unit members executed a search warrant Wednesday at a residence in the 60000 block of South Farrand Road in response to suspected manufacture and/or use of methamphetamine. The suspect …

A Sturgis man was charged with arson after he was involved in a dispute with his mother Monday night. Sturgis police said they responded to the Fawn River Apartments in response to a man attempting to gain access into an apartment unit. The caller told police the man was looking for his mother. According to police, the man and his …

A four-star quarterback from Sturgis High School made his college choice official Wednesday. Chance Stewart signed his letter of intent to attend and play for Western Michigan University. Boosted by Stewart’s signing and 27 others Wednesday, the Kalamazoo-based university finished with the 60th-ranked signing class in Division I, the highest ever for a MAC school. Stewart, a three-star athlete who …

Brandon Terris Smith, age 28, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014, in Sturgis. He was born Nov. 13, 1985, in LaGrange, Ind., a son of Terry and Brenda (Conley) Smith. Brandon was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 2004. He continued his education at the Universal Technical Institute in …