Obituaries

Alice A. Kline, age 83, of White Pigeon, died on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, at Birch Meadows in Three Rivers, following an extended illness. She was born Sept. 19, 1937, in Mendon, a daughter of Otis C. and Emma E. (Rexford) Alber. She had been a resident of White Pigeon since 1966, coming from Mendon. She was a homemaker and …

Connie Sue Jennings, age 63, of Sturgis, passed away peacefully at home late Monday evening, March 1, 2021, after a very courageous battle with cancer and many other illnesses. She was born Jan. 21, 1958, in Sturgis, a daughter of Ted and Donna (Deal) Rickett. Connie was a lifelong Sturgis resident and graduate of Sturgis High School with the class …

Judith Brockway Disney, age 89, of Sturgis, passed away Friday, Feb. 26, 2021, at American House in Charlevoix, with her loved ones by her side. She was born July 3, 1931, in Lakewood, Ohio, a daughter of Gerald F. and Elizabeth (Brockway) Disney. Judy graduated from Culver-Stockton University with a bachelor’s degree in education. She taught for several years in …

Larry L. Smart, age 68, of Burr Oak, passed away Wednesday, February 24, 2021 at Fairview Nursing and Rehabilitation in Centreville. He was born February 23, 1953 in Nottawa, son of the late Leland and Dorothy (Dehoff) Smart. Larry resided in the St. Joseph and Branch County area his entire life and was a graduate of Bronson High School with …

William Henry Hoeflinger, Jr., age 94, of Three Rivers, passed away surrounded by his loving family on Sunday, February 28, 2021 at his home. William (Bill) was born in Mishawaka on February 19, 1927, five minutes prior to his twin, Barbara Jean, to William Henry and Flossie Mae (Voelker) Hoeflinger, Sr. In 1941, the Hoeflingers moved to Lansing, where Bill …

Wallace Leon James Mesler, age 84, of Colon, began a new journey on Monday, March 1, 2021 after a battle with cancer. He was born October 9, 1937 and thanked his mom and dad for giving him life.  He had lived in various places from Lansing to Union City as a youth but for the past 70+ years has called …

Donna Lee (Edwards) Williams passed away unexpectedly Feb. 21, 2021, at her home. She was born June 23, 1951, in Three Rivers, to the late Don and Alace (Babcock) Edwards. She was a member of the Burr Oak High School class of 1969. In June 1985, she married Bill C. Williams. She had been employed by Dollar General and also …

Daniel Schwartz Jr., age 86, of Bronson, passed away Friday, February 26, 2021 at Ascension Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo. Daniel was born December 30, 1934 in Sherwood, Ohio a son to the late Daniel and Katherine (Nussbaum) Schwartz Sr. He had attended Burr Oak Schools and had made his home at his present address the past 58 years. On September …

Laura Mae Meersma, age 81, of Three Rivers, passed away Thursday, February 25, 2021 at Rose Arbor Hospice in Kalamazoo. She was born December 13, 1939 in Baldwin, Wisconsin, the daughter of John L. and Helen (Wikkerink) Van Someren. Laura was a nurse aide at River Forest Nursing Home, later Riverview Manor, for 20 years. She enjoyed gardening, crocheting and …

Barbara M. Phillips, age 60, of Mendon, died Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021 in a motor vehicle accident in Constantine Township. She was born in Buffalo, NY on Nov. 9, 1960 the daughter of Howard F. and Myrtle (Sieg) Hetzel. She graduated from West Seneca High School in 1979 and from Erie Community college in 1983. Soon after she moved to …