Obituaries

Mona J. Tobias, age 94, of Sturgis, passed away Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021 at Sturgis Hospital. She was born June 18, 1926 in Sturgis, a daughter to the late William and Nettie (Kielkopf) Whitsel. Mona was a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1944 and has been a Sturgis resident all of her life except for a …

Delbert B. McCallie, age 85, of Three Rivers, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021 at Spectrum Gerber Memorial Hospital following a brief illness. He was born on April 29, 1935 in Manilla, AR.; the son of the late William Lonzo and Hallie Mae (Gabbard) McCallie. Bill moved to the Three Rivers area in 1956 and lived there until 2017 …

Kristen K. (Hicks) Borst, age 49, of Three Rivers, went to be with the Lord Thursday, January 21, 2021 at home with her loving family by her side. She was born October 23, 1971 in Three Rivers, the daughter of Teddy and Sue Ellen (Jackson) Hicks. She attended Three Rivers Schools, graduating with highest honors in Class of 1989. During …

Michael Gale Voss, age 54, of Marcellus, passed away Tuesday, January 26, 2021, at home, surrounded by his family. Michael was born in Kalamazoo on May 2, 1966; the son of Gale Alden Voss and Patricia Ann Wdowicki. On March 28, 1992, in Paw Paw, he married DeeAnn (Melville) Voss, who survives him in death. Michael was a Lab Technician, …

Our Dad. Our best friend, mentor, rock, guiding light, personal advisor, and above all else – our hero. “Never ask someone to do something you aren’t willing to do yourself.” “Be careful not to pat yourself on the back too soon.” “Plan the work – Work the plan.” “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” The many codes he lived by. A …

David J. Smith, age 84, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday evening, Jan. 26, 2021, at Promedica Coldwater Regional Hospital in Coldwater. He was born Aug. 6, 1936, in Grand Rapids, a son of the late Clarence Justice and Beatrice Marie (Borrink) Smith. Dave resided in Sturgis since 1970, coming from Allegan, where he was a graduate of Allegan High School …

Jeffery Lynn Johnson, age 79, passed peacefully to Heaven on Tuesday, January 26, 2021. He has been reunited with his wife of 52 years, Diana Marie Johnson, whom he lost 4 years prior. He was a resident of Centreville, along with his two sons, William Michael and Jeffery Charles. Jeffery was born January 25, 1942 and grew up in and …

Barbara Julaine Reisterer, age 73, of Lawton, died Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021 at White Oaks Assisted Living Center. She was born in Vicksburg on Feb. 28, 1947 the daughter of Joseph and Bertha (Moessen) Stermer. She was a 1965 graduate of Vicksburg High School and lifetime resident of Southwest Michigan. She worked at Meijer where she met her husband, Thomas …

James L. VanAken, Sr., (“Jim,” “Bumbles”), age 62, of Constantine, passed away on Monday, January 25, 2021 at Three Rivers Health. Jim was born on April 26, 1958 in Sturgis, a son of Richard and Barbara (Wakefield) VanAken. He graduated from Constantine High School in 1976 and went on to learn the mechanics trade. In 1979, he married Penny Casselman …

Patrick Long, age 71, of Ypsilanti, passed away Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, at Lutheran Life Villages in Kendallville, Ind. He was born July 3, 1949, in Sturgis, to Clarence Long and Mary (Urbanc) Long. Patrick was a 1967 graduate of Sturgis High School. He went on to receive his Associate of Technology degree in 1970 from Glen Oaks Community College. …