Helen J. Avery, age 90, of Colon, passed away Monday, April 10, 2017, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. Helen was born Oct.11, 1926, in Sherman Township, a daughter of the late Albert and Helen (Taylor) Sadewasser. She grew up in Sturgis, graduating from Sturgis High School in 1943. On Aug. 2, 1947, she married Donald E. Avery of Centreville. …

Norman D. VanPelt, age 89, of Sturgis, passed away Monday morning, April 10, 2017, at his home. He was born Feb. 14, 1928, in Fawn River, a son of the late Crate and Viola (Knight) VanPelt. Norman was a lifelong Sturgis-area resident. On Feb. 15, 1947, he married Betty Jean Jourdan in Angola, Ind. She died Feb. 9, 2014. Norm …

Harvey Robert Schlabach, age 73, of Burr Oak, passed away early Monday morning, April 10, 2017, at his home, surrounded by his family. He was born Dec 28, 1943, in Litchfield, a son of the late Joas and Barbara (Schwartz) Schlabach. He worked at Burr Oak Tool and Gauge and retired from Jayco in 2007. He loved to spend time …

Jody Clipfell, age 53, of Colon, passed away Sunday, April 9, 2017, from injuries received in a car-pedestrian accident in Colon Township. Jody was born March 19, 1964, in Sturgis, a daughter of Philip G. and Louise (Drumhiller) Clipfell. Jody had made her home in Colon all her life and was presently employed at Palomino RV in Colon. She enjoyed …

Carolyn Faye (Llewellyn) Babcock, age 82, of Three Rivers, passed away in her sleep on Sunday, April 9, 2017, after a short but hard fight with cancer. She was born the daughter of the late Roy and Ardath (Dinsmore) Llewellyn. On Feb. 14, 1956, she married Lloyd Babcock Jr. He preceded her in death. Carolyn had worked and retired from …

Donald Earl “Donny” McClain, age 90, of Mendon, died Monday, April 10, 2017 at Heartland Healthcare Center in Three Rivers. He was born in Mendon on May 31, 1926 the son of Robert J. and Martha L. (Rench) McClain and has been a lifetime resident of Mendon. Donnie attended the Michigan School for the Deaf in Flint in his younger …

People can attend college for as long as they wish, or for as long as their bankroll holds out and their grades remain acceptable. If they wish, they can work hard and receive many degrees and go on and succeed in any field they choose. However, I don’t know of anyone who has a degree in “Common Sense”. I doubt …

Three people – including two children – were treated for injuries they sustained after being attacked by a dog in Cass County over the weekend. Deputies were called at 5:41 p.m. Sunday to the 63000 block of Crooked Creek Road, where 44-year-old Jennifer Hansford of Cassopolis was injured after protecting a 7-year-old child and 2-year-old child from the dog. Hansford …

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department was called Monday to an address in Mottville Township regarding an aggravated-assault incident. According to deputies, the situation unfolded around 6 a.m. in the 9000 block of Barker Road. Upon arrival, deputies arrested two subjects on charges related to narcotics as well as aggravated assault. Additional charges are being sought, according to a department …

Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies responded to a personal-injury motorcycle crash over the weekend in Jefferson Township. Deputies responded shortly before 6 p.m. Sunday to the intersection of Robinson Road, near Mt. Zion Road. An investigation showed that a motorcycle operated by Brian Klink, 45, of Cassopolis, was heading north on Robinson Road when he lost control. Klink …