Obituaries

Violet M. Jonker, 93, of White Pigeon, died March 6, 2009, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis following a three-month illness. She was born Oct. 24, 1915, in Kalamazoo, Mich., a daughter of George S. and Lina (Dollenburg) Schouten. She lived in the White Pigeon area since she was 4 years old. She was a graduate of White Pigeon High School …

Vernon M. (Sam) Hemminger, 72, of White Pigeon, died Friday, March 6, 2009, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo, following a short illness. He was born Oct. 1, 1936, in Vicksburg, Mich., a son of Ralph L. and Mildred (Crotser) Hemminger. He had lived in the White Pigeon and Mottville area since the age of 12 and was a graduate of White Pigeon …

Magdalena (Hochstedler) Yoder, age 85, of Burr Oak, died peacefully on March 5, 2009, at 3:25 p.m. at her home. She was born on Jan. 15, 1924, in White Cloud, Mich., to Edward B. and Amanda (Wagler) Hochstedler. Magdalena lived 85 years, one month and 20 days. On Jan. 12, 1947, she married Virgil D. Yoder; to this union were …

Charles Edward Hass, age 60, of Three Rivers, passed away on Tuesday, March 3, 2009 at Borgess Medical Center following a brief illness.  He was born on March 7, 1948 in Niles, Michigan the son of Fredrick W. and Evelyn B. (Smith) Hass. Mr. Hass has been a lifetime resident of this area.  He was raised on his family farm …

Blanche P. (Routsong) Holtz, age 95, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away Wednesday, March 4, 2009, at Thurston Woods Village. She was born Sept. 28, 1913, in LaGrange, Ind., a daughter of the late Ira and Cora (Helmer) Routsong. Blanche’s childhood was spent in LaGrange, where she graduated from LaGrange High School with the class of 1932. She moved to Sturgis …

Eloise D. Kottenbrock, age 82, of Burr Oak, Mich., passed away Tuesday, March 3, 2009, at LTAC, Specialty Hospital in Berrien Center, Mich. She was born March 31, 1926, in Burr Oak, a daughter of the late Alfred and Zella (Disney) Walters and has been a lifelong Burr Oak resident, except for the past two years, when she resided with …

Leon S. Kimball, age 89 of Sturgis, Mich., passed away Saturday afternoon Feb. 28, 2009, at the Sturgis Hospital emergency room. He was born Jan. 21, 1920, in Sturgis, a son of the late Ray and Elsie (Squires) Kimball. Leon had resided in Sturgis his whole life. On March 3, 1945, he married Rolla Grattan at Fort Bragg, N.C. This …

Betty Lucille Zickafoose, age 77, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away early Wednesday morning, March 4, 2009, at the home of her daughter Marsha in Howe, Ind. She was born Feb. 7, 1932, in Cecil, Ohio, Paulding County, a daughter of the late Nathan Ray and Bertha (Ballinger) Smith. Betty had resided in Sturgis since 1953, coming from LaGrange, Ind. On …

Audrey O. Whisler, 82, of Constantine, passed away Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009 in Three Rivers. She was born in Sturgis on August 16, 1926,  a daughter of Payson and Bessie (Bowman) Carper. Audrey graduated from White Pigeon High School in 1934. In 1945 Audrey married Arnold “Skinny” Whisler. He preceded her in death on November 23, 1986.  Audrey worked in …

Wava M. Vanek, age 86, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away Monday, March 2, 2009, at the home of her daughter in Sturgis. She was born July 14, 1922, in Colon, a daughter of the late Edd and Grace (Davis) Snook. Wava had resided in the Sturgis area all of her life, and on July 31, 1948, she married Paul W. …