Rickie Gayle Shires Jr., age 31, of Union City, Mich., passed away unexpectedly Saturday morning, Oct. 1, 2011, in Sturgis, Mich. He was born Jan. 29, 1980, in Springfield, Ore. Rickie had resided in Union City since 1990 coming from California. He was a graduate of Union City High School with the class of 1998 where he had played on …

Clarence LaMar Milliman, age 88, of Sturgis, passed away Thursday morning, Sept. 29, 2011, at his home. He was born Oct. 4, 1922, in Burr Oak, a son of the late Glen E. and Chloe S. (Smith) Milliman. LaMar had resided in the Sturgis and Burr Oak area his entire life, and for many years enjoyed wintering at his home …

Marla Jo (Garrison) Burkeen, born Oct. 6, 1971 to Robert A. and Betty L. Garrison, went to be with our Lord on Sept. 18, 2011. Marla is survived by three sons, Kyle, Kody and Kenny Brigham; two daughters, Amber and Kindra; mother and step-father, Floyd and Betty Blake; brother, Stephen Smith and girlfriend Brenda; grandparents, Walter and Betty Smith and …

Betty J. Meyer, age 76, of Colon, passed away, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011, at Sturgis Hospital. Betty was born Nov. 6, 1934, in Delta, Ohio, a daughter of the late Agnew and Elsie (Reed) Herring. Betty grew up in Toledo, Ohio, and graduated from Scott High School. She then attended the University of Toledo and became an X-ray technician. On …

Raymond George Surbeck, age 81, of Three Rivers, passed away peacefully on Sept. 21, 2011 at Riverview Manor Nursing Home. Raymond was born on June 12, 1930 in Buffalo, N.Y., the son of Sidney Herbert Robinson and Mary Avery (Jones) Robinson. After the death of Mr. Robinson, Mary married DeVoist J. Surbeck, who later adopted Raymond. As a young boy, …

Harriet E. Barnes, 89, of Mottville Township, White Pigeon, went to be with her Lord and savior Jesus Christ Monday, Sept. 26, 2011, in South Bend, Ind. She was born Aug. 17, 1922, in Mottville Township, a daughter of Lawrence and Mabel (Rainer) Bratton. She had been a resident of the Mottville and White Pigeon area all her life. She was a graduate of Constantine …

Dolores Elkins, age 68 of Sturgis, passed away early Tuesday morning September 27, 2011 at the Sturgis Hospital.      She was born October 20, 1942 in Kalamazoo, Michigan a daughter of the late Frank and Marie Weitenauer.      Dolores had resided in Sturgis since 1966 coming from Vicksburg where she was a graduate of Vicksburg High School with the class …

Wilma E. (Boone) Masterson, age 94, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at her home. She was born in Cooper Twp, , MI on March 20, 1917,  a daughter of Jacob and Wilhelmina (Weenink) Grofvert. Wilma attended school in Twin Lakes near Plainwell. On June 6, 1935 Wilma married Abraham Boone in Plainwell. He preceded her in death Feb. …

The 2011 St. Joseph County Grange Fair is now in the history books. The numbers are not in yet, so we don’t know if the fair was a monetary success or not, but from what I’ve heard, everyone seemed to have a good time. For once, the weather cooperated, so I’m sure the numbers were good. I’ve heard from some …

Mary Marie (Freeland) Dillon entered the presence of her Savior, Jesus Christ, Sept. 21, 2011, in Germantown, Tenn. Mary was born March 3, 1921, to Arden and Evangeline Freeland in Sturgis, where she lived much of her life, graduating from Sturgis High School in 1939. In 1941, she married David Dillon, celebrating 67 years of marriage until he passed away …