Obituaries

Marion L. “Bud” Leonard, age 77, of White Pigeon, passed away Monday, March 29, 2021, at his home. He was born March 4, 1944, in Kendallville, a son of the late Marion C. and Thelma (Balk) Leonard. On Oct. 3, 1969, he married Brenda Palmer in Centreville. Marion was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving two tours in Vietnam …

Elizabeth A. “Betty” Birch, age 75, of Leonidas, died Sunday, March 28, 2021 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. She was born in Three Rivers on Jan. 19, 1946 the daughter of the late Earl and Jean (Yearling) Avery and was a lifetime resident of St. Joseph County. She graduated from Mendon High School with the class of 1964. She …

Carolyn Delores Wilcox, age 87, of Mendon, died Friday, March 26, 2021 at Three Rivers Health. She was born in Geneva, Indiana on Nov. 10, 1933 the daughter of Charles F. and Genevieve J. (Derickson) Blowers, and attended school in Indiana. She had been employed briefly as a waitress at the St. Joe House, and later The Bucket. She also …

Dennis E. Gates, age 74, of Centreville, passed away Sunday afternoon, March 28, 2021, at Ascension Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo. He was born June 14, 1946, in Coldwater, a son of the late Harold E. and Sarah (Thompson) Gates. Denny resided in Centreville since 1997, coming from Sturgis, and his early life was spent in Coldwater. On May 6, 1981, …

Damon Lowell Hughes, age 55, of Sturgis, passed away Saturday morning March 27, 2021 at his home. He was born August 11, 1965 in San Antonio, Texas son of Larry D. and Gertrude (Smith) Hughes. Damon resided in Sturgis for the past 13 years coming from Colorado and his early life was spent in Texas. On February 14, 1997 he …

June Dorothy (Kohl) Dillavou, age 85, of Naperville, IL (formerly of Constantine), died on Saturday, March 27, 2021 at Meadowbrook Manor Nursing Home in Naperville. She was born on June 7, 1935 in Constantine, a daughter of Albert and Hazel (Krepel) Kohl. On March 21, 1959, she married LeRoy Dillavou in Constantine; he preceded her in death on December 25, …

Lloyd Richard Schrock, age 79, of Arcadia, Florida and a former longtime Burr Oak resident, died Thursday, March 25,2021 at Fawcett Memorial Hospital in Port Charlotte, Florida. He was born August 25, 1941, in Elkhart, a son of the late Ora & Berneice (Troyer) Schrock. At an early age he moved with his family to Burr Oak, where he was …

James A. Mercer, age 78, of Three Rivers, died on Wednesday, March 24, 2021 at his home. He was born on June 12, 1942 in Constantine, a son of Jess Willard and Ruth (Dimmick) Mercer. James graduated from Constantine High School in 1960 and later served in the US Air Force. In 1963, he married Frances Wolgamood. James retired form …

Aydan Christopher Leis, age 14, of Shipshewana, passed away Thursday, March 25, 2021 at his home. He was born October 13, 2006 in Goshen, son of Robert and Tami (Moore) Leis. Aydan was a lifelong resident of Shipshewana and a current eighth grade student at Westview Junior/Senior High School in Topeka, Indiana. He attended Gracepoint Baptist Church in Sturgis and …

Vernon C. “Vern” Kempton, age 92, formerly of Tekonsha, passed away on Wednesday, March 24, 2021 at Birch Meadows AFC in Three Rivers surrounded by his family. A celebration of Vern’s life will be held at noon on Monday, March 29, 2021 at Lighthouse Funeral & Cremation in Union City, with his son, Pastor Douglas Kempton, of Grace Community Church …