Obituaries

M. Howard Sprowl, age 85, of Sturgis,  passed away early Saturday morning February 28, 2009 at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. He was born April 15, 1923 in Sturgis, Michigan a son to the late Charles D. and Elsie M. (Bowser) Sprowl. Howard had resided in Sturgis his whole life with the exception of the time he was in the …

 Major Timothy L. Cook (RET.) age 58, of Sturgis, passed away unexpectedly Saturday morning ,February 28, 2009 at his home. He was born February 5, 1951 in Tipton, Indiana a son to Donald and Sarah Jane (Pickering) Cook. Major Cook had resided in the Sturgis and Howe, Indiana area since 1988. On July 31, 1999 he married Janice Romanyk at …

Florine Lola Russell, age 94, formerly of Scotts, died Friday, Feb. 27, 2009 at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo following a brief illness. She was born in Augusta, MI on April 16, 1914 the daughter of Roy and Florence Smith. She was a graduate of Augusta High School and later attended Cosmetology School. She briefly operated a Beauty Shop in …

Marcia C. Bechtloff, age 69, of Colon, passed away Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009, at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.  Marcia was born June 3, 1939, in Schoolcraft, a daughter of the late Harry & Helen (Smith) Stuart. Marcia had lived most all of her life in the Colon and Leonidas area. She graduated from Colon High School with the …

Gayle A. Balyeat, 74, of 703 Michigan Ave., Sturgis, Mich., died Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009, at her home, following an extended illness. She was born July 25, 1934, in Chenoa, Ill., a daughter of Russell and Vernice (Harkrider) Dunham. She had been a Sturgis resident since 1998, coming from Kalkaska, where she lived for 21 years. Prior to that, she lived in Constantine. …

George Allen McClain, age 47, formerly of Mendon, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009, in Sturgis. He was born in Three Rivers on Sept. 29, 1961, the son of Robert and Nancy (Sand) McClain. George was a 1980 graduate of Mendon High School, and a lifetime resident of St. Joseph County. George was a certified auto mechanic and welder. …

Ronald Eugene Spiegelberg, age 88, of Vicksburg, passed away on Monday, February 24, 2009 at his home surrounded by his loving family.  He was born in Lima Twp., Washtenaw Co. on March 26, 1920 the son of Ervin and Edith (Feldkamp) Spielgelberg.  Mr. Spiegelberg has been a resident of the Vicksburg area since 1972, moving from the Manchester and Ann …

William D. “Yoder” Isaac, age 53, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away unexpectedly Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009, at the Sturgis Hospital Emergency Room. He was born Dec. 15, 1955, in Sturgis, a son to Patricia Eberhard. William was adopted and raised by his grandparents Harold and Thelma Isaac and has been a resident of Sturgis most of his life. On Nov. …

Henry C. (Hank) Wickey, age 89, of Three Rivers, and formerly of Centreville, passed away Sunday, February 22nd, 2009 at the Fairview Living Centre in Centreville. He was born in Nappanee, IN on February 8, 1920, a son of the late Chris and Susan (Helmuth) Wickey. On June 23, 1942 he married Suzanne Hostetler in Burr Oak. She preceded him …

David Michael Furlong Jr., 45, of Middlebury and formerly of Three Rivers, died suddenly on Tuesday, Feb. 17.  Services were held at the Hohner Funeral Home.