Obituaries

Nita Jane Baird, age 101, of Sturgis, passed away Sunday morning, Jan. 31, 2021, at Thurston Woods Villa in Sturgis. She was born Sept. 25, 1919, in Elkhart, a daughter of the late Cecil and Flossie (Fisher) Rex. Nita Jane was a longtime Sturgis resident and graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1937. She also had lived …

Robin Alex Nettleton, age 53, of Marcellus, passed away Sunday, January 31, 2021, in Three Rivers. Robin was born in Goshen on September 14, 1967, the son of Richard and Nina (Buller) Nettleton. On January 14, 1991, in Warsaw IN. he married Lisa Olinger, who survives. Robin was a stay at home dad for many years enjoying his children and …

Susan B. Coblentz, age 44, of Burr Oak, passed away Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, at IU Health University Hospital in Indianapolis. Susan was born May 10, 1976, in Geneva, Ind., a daughter of the late Ben A. and Elizabeth (Graber) Coblentz. Susan is survived by her siblings, Leah (Paul) Shetler of Monroe, Ind., Albert (Sarah Irene) Coblentz of LaGrange, Verena …

Mary Lou Young, age 85, of LaGrange, passed away on Sunday, January 31, 2021 at Miller’s Merry Manor in LaGrange.  Mary Lou was born in Three Rivers on March 24, 1935, a daughter of Audrey and Marguerite (Hoyt) Allen.  She attended Schoolcraft public schools. On October 1, 1954, she married Kermit Young; he preceded her in death in April of …

Dennis L. Bastian, age 80, of Mottville, passed away on Friday, January 29, 2021 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. Dennis was born in Lawton on January 18, 1941.  He served in the US Army.  On December 14, 1963, he married Sharon Skinner in Lawton; she preceded him in death on June 13, 2016. Dennis was employed at Byer’s Barn …

Steven R. West, age 68, of Colon, passed away Friday, January 28, 2021 at Edgewood Health in Three Rivers. No services are planned. Arrangements by Schipper Funeral Home.

Lisa Deann (VanScoik) Barnes, age 58, of Three Rivers, passed away peacefully on Monday, January 25, 2021 at her home surrounded by her loving family. She was born February 12, 1962 in Three Rivers, the daughter of Marvin and Wanetta (Postma) VanScoik. Lisa graduated from Three Rivers High School, and later studied massage therapy at Olympia University. She worked for …

Larry E. “Gilly” Gillespie, age 72, of Howe, Indiana died at Parkview LaGrange Hospital on Sunday, January 24, 2021. Larry succumbed to acute leukemia after a courageous two-year battle with the disease. Born on May 23, 1948, at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, Indiana to Elmo and Florence (Wheat) Gillespie, Larry lived his early childhood in Albany, Indiana, then LaGrange, …

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 …