Cornelius Gipson, Jr. was born on July 22, 1939 to Essie and Cornelius Gipson in Ebenezer, Miss. He was the eldest of two children. Cornelius was a member of Westside Christian Parish Church at a young age. He was drafted into the United States Army at the age of 18 and served in Korea. Cornelius was honorably discharged at the …

Last week, the Three Rivers community lost an icon. Phil Halverson passed away and his funeral was last Saturday, which would have been his 90th birthday. Eulogies aren’t normally a feature of this column, but this is one time I must make an exception. Phil, because of the nature of his business, touched almost every family in the Three Rivers …

Mary Ellen Marietti, age 71, of Three Rivers, passed away suddenly on Monday, January 10, 2011 at Three Rivers Health. She was born on June 19, 1939 in Lamont, Missouri, the daughter of Charles and Hazel (Hughes) Vickrey. Mary has been a long time resident of Fishers Lake, Three Rivers. She was an exceptional cook and often blessed friends and …

Lynn Hocevar, 67, of White Pigeon, died Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, at Heartland Health Care Center in Three Rivers, following a four-year battle with breast cancer. She was born Sept. 10, 1943, in Lawton, Okla., a daughter of William Robert and Thelma Louise (Sims) Miller. She had been a resident of the Constantine and White Pigeon area for many years. She was a teacher’s …

John E. Boocher, 85, of Burr Oak, and formerly of Orland, Ind., and Bronson, died Jan. 8, 2011, in Burr Oak. He was born Feb. 23, 1924, in Bremen, Ind., a son of Elmer and Helen (Starrett) Boocher. They preceded him in death. On Sept. 23, 1993, he married Bernice E. Tweddly. She survives. He retired in 1989, and was a …

Helen M. Van Aken, 90, of Bronson, died Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. Helen was born December 28, 1920, in Sturgis to George E. and Lillian M. (Badder) Van Vorst. After graduating from High School in Brighton, Ind., class of 1939, she married Walter Van Aken on July 13, 1940, in Sturgis. He preceded her …

Verna S. Geering, age 95, of Three Rivers, passed away, Monday, Jan. 10, 2011, at Heartland Health Care in Three Rivers. Verna was born May 19, 1915, in Rudyard, a daughter of the late John and Rose (Mattson) Puska. On Nov. 7, 1936, she married Vincent C. Geering in Detroit. He preceded her in death on Jan. 17, 1980. Verna …

Vern LaMont Haack, 92, of Sturgis, loving and dedicated husband, father, brother, grandfather, great-grandfather and uncle, passed away Monday morning, Jan. 10, 2011, at Sterling House in Battle Creek. He was born May 26, 1918, in Sturgis, a son of the late LaMont and Lulu (Davis) Haack. Vern was a lifelong resident of Sturgis and a graduate of Sturgis High …

Douglas Ray Thompson, 57, of Sturgis, and formerly of Sterling, Ill., died at 7:10 a.m. Sunday at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo after an extended illness. Doug was born May 30, 1953, in Elkhart, Ind. He graduated from Elkhart High School in 1971 and Olivet Nazarene College in 1975. He most recently was employed by AT&T. Surviving are his mother, Joan …

Richard “Dick” Quinn, age 89, of Kalamazoo and formerly of Mendon, died Sunday Jan. 9, 2011 at his home. He was born in Delaware County, Iowa on June 23, 1921 the son of Robert F. and Irene G. (Correll) Quinn. Dick attended schools in Iowa and attended the University of Dubuque. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was stationed …