Fred Nelson Loetz, age 78, of Sturgis, passed away Friday evening, Sept. 29, 2017, at his home. He was born May 18, 1939, in Sturgis, a son of the late Henry and Laura (Beebe) Loetz. Fred was a lifelong resident of Sturgis. He was a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1958 and furthered his education at …

Sturgis Sleep Disorder Center in Sturgis recently received program accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Sturgis Hospital Sleep Disorder Center is directed by Bharat Vakharia, MD, and is located at 916 Myrtle St. Dr. Ashish Verma is also certified in Sleep Medicine. “The American Academy of Sleep Medicine congratulates Sturgis Sleep Disorder Center on meeting the high …

Sue Ann Rigdon, age 70, of Three Rivers, passed way on Saturday, September 30, 2017 at Three Rivers Health. She was born on June 6, 1947 in South Bend, the daughter of Alonzo D. and Lila (Phebus) Hunt. Sue graduated from Dowagiac Union High School class of 1965. Soon after she was united in marriage to Larry Rigdon in 1968. …

Joseph “Jim” Fankhauser, age 87, of Three Rivers passed away on Friday, September 29, 2017 at Heartland Healthcare Center. He was born in Kalamazoo, the son of Joseph J. and Bessie L. (Parr) Fankhauser. On September 2, 1950 Jim was united in marriage to Donna May (Burnham) whom preceded her in passing. He was employed in the maintenance department as …

Constantine High School recently received a $12,000 grant from Monsanto Fund’s site-grant initiative. Funds were used to purchase Chromebooks for science education, according to high school principal Travis Walker, who applied for the grant. The Monsanto Fund in 2017 awarded more than $1.4 million to nonprofit organizations through its site-grant initiative to help address essential needs in rural communities. The …

Members of Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency board received flu shots Thursday from agency staff members. Health care staff at areas hospitals are receiving the vaccine, as reports of flu increase, according to Centers for Disease Control. CDC recommends people get vaccinated by the end of October, at the latest. Typically, flu season begins in early October and continue through May. …

State police troopers are investigating a larceny from a motor vehicle parked at a business in Sturgis. The larceny occurred around 5 p.m. Friday outside Tractor Supply Co. Meanwhile, a wallet and other items were reported stolen from a number of cars between 9 p.m. Tuesday and 10 a.m. Wednesday last week in the 68000 block of Vinewood Avenue in …

A Sturgis real-estate agent recently purchased more than 100 pairs of shoes and boots for local children in need. Stacy Schwenk, a realtor at Re/ Max Elite Group in Sturgis, had raised more than $1,500 to cover the cost of the purchases through a 5K walk/run fundraiser she calls Stacy’s Kicks for Kids. The walk/run took place Aug. 12 at …

This coming season of Kalamazoo Wings hockey will be dedicated to the memory of Ted and Martha Parfet, the team’s original owners. The Parfets, who built Wings Stadium (now known as Wings Event Center) and brought professional hockey to Kalamazoo in 1974, owned the team until 2000. Returning as owners in 2002, the couple owned the team until 2008 when …

Robert Arthur Patterson celebrated his 59th birthday on Monday, Sept. 25, at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. He passed away Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017, surrounded by the ones he laughed with, lived for and loved. Rob was born in Detroit and grew up in Belleville with his mother, Charma Patterson-Denison, and his father, Gary Denison; sisters Laura (William) Dudek-Bies; Lisa …