Joanne Mae Brown Sadewasser, 83, of Indian Head, MD and formerly of Centreville, MI, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 16 at the Civista Medical Center in LaPlata, MD.Born July 3, 1927, in the family home in Centreville, delivered by her Grandmother Brown, she was the daughter of John “Jake” Brown and Lenore Marion Schrader Brown. Mrs. Sadewasser graduated from …

Fred E. Shank Sr., age 79, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away Thursday morning, March 17, 2011, at Sturgis Hospital. He was born Dec. 2, 1931, in Coldwater, Mich., a son of the late Stanley S. and Esther (Carver) Shank. Fred was a longtime Sturgis resident and had attended schools in Coldwater, Freemont, Ind., and Muskegon. On Dec. 6, 1952, he …

Geraldine May “Jerry” Decker, age 78, of Vicksburg, died Wednesday March 16, 2011, at her home following a three-month illness. She was born in Fulton on May 13, 1932, the daughter of Gerald and Fay (Waits) Spealman and has been a lifetime resident of this area. She graduated from Athens High School with the Class of 1949. Jerry was married …

Helmut N. ‘Bill’ Franz, age 70, of Burr Oak, Mich., passed away unexpectedly early Thursday evening, March 17, 2011, at his home. He was born Feb. 9, 1941, in Montau, West Prussia, a son of the late Walter and Kate (Kliewer) Franz. Bill had resided in Burr Oak for the past 44 ½ years coming from Sturgis. On Oct. 1, …

Norma Ann Gold, 83, of Elkhart, Ind., died Tuesday, March 15, 2011, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka, Ind. She was born in Elkhart, the oldest daughter of William and Clara (Dunafin) Berry, on Jan. 26, 1928. On Nov. 3, 1959, she married John W. Gold. He preceded her in death Jan. 19, 1986. She is survived by …

Pauline Fay “Polly” Melchi of Sturgis passed away early Wednesday morning, March 16, 2011, at her home. She was born in Burr Oak,, a daughter of the late Charles Ray and Viola Waive (Reading) Scupholm. Pauline had resided in the Sturgis and Burr Oak area her whole life. She married Eugene Howard Melchi in Hopkinsville, Ky. He died April 25, …

Marilyn M. (Mecklenburg) Kelso, age 86, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 3, 2011. She was born on Aug. 7, 1924, in Sturgis, Mich., and has lived in the Madison area for more than 72 years. Marilyn is survived by her three loving sons, Tim (Lisa), Thomas (Rose) and Robert (Linda); and six grandchildren, Ann, Thomas Jr., Kelly (Brad), Shaun …

Diane Kay Stringfellow, 66, died Monday, March 14, 2011, at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. She was born Sept. 1, 1944, in Goshen, Ind., to the late Robert H. and Dorothy (Raymer) Stringfellow. She is survived by a daughter, Erin (Bill) Clewell, Constantine, Mich.; four grandchildren, Billy, Jenny, Shanon, and Brandi Clewell; a great-granddaughter, Camilla Clewell; and a nephew, Randall …

Congratulations to the Lady Cats for returning home from Gull Lake as Regional Champions. Tonight they travel to Grand Rapids to show Grand Rapids Catholic Central how to play basketball. If they win tonight and again on Thursday, there will be a game Friday evening, which could mean that the box office at Three Rivers High School will be busy, …

Carol Ann Karp, 55, of Sturgis, died at 7:40 p.m. Saturday, March 12, 2011, at her home. She was born May 15, 1955, in Alma to Darwin and Nannie (Hale) Bordine. On Aug. 15, 2009, she married Randy A. Karp. He survives, along with two daughters, Delta Haley of Arizona and Misty Rogers of Sturgis; a stepdaughter, April Long of …