Obituaries

Esther Bennett Wolf, age 86, of Burr Oak, died on Tuesday, December 8, 2020. Esther was born at the Spring Hill Stock Farm in Burr Oak on August 14, 1934, the daughter of Katherine Eicher (Kauffman) and Joseph Eicher. She was the middle child, with two older sisters, and two younger brothers. She helped on the farm and drove her …

Richard “Dick” Charles Miller, age 77 of Marcellus, passed away peacefully on Monday, December 7, 2020 at his home surrounded by friends and family. Dick was born in Kalamazoo on October 26 1943 to Harold Miller & Dorothy Gessler On July 12 1979, in Portage, he married Bernadean Rideout who survives him in death. He was preceded in death by …

Friedrich Johann Henningsen, age 86, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at Three Rivers Health.  Fred was born in Jackson on March 24, 1934, a son of Heinrich and Frida (Jurgensen) Henningsen. He graduated from Jackson High School in 1951.  Fred earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Michigan State University in 1956 and 1959, respectively, studying Dairy …

Joan M. Kelley, age 85, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, at Miller’s Merry Manor in LaGrange. She was born Nov. 23, 1935, in Detroit Lakes, Minn., a daughter of the late Ed and Helen (Dewitt) Shannon. On March 5, 1955, she married William M. Kelley in Three Rivers. He preceded her in death Dec. 22, 2010. Joan …

Antonio Lozada-Escamilla, age 64, of Bronson, passed away Friday afternoon, December 4, 2020 at Ascension Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo. He was born September 23, 1956 in Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico son of the late Nicolas Lozada and Amelia Escamilla. Antonio resided in Bronson since 1988 coming from Mexico. On July 4, 1981 he married Maria Ofelia Jimenez in Mexico. He was …

James A. Cripe, age 89, of Marcellus, passed away Friday, December 4, 2020 at home surrounded by his loving family. Jim was born in South Bend on August 27, 1931 the son of Cecil and Verna (Melser) Cripe. On October 21, 1955, in Middlebury, he married Betty M. Hoover who survives. Jim served in the Marine Corps, and was a …

Mary Ann “Ma” Claridge, age 95, of Marcellus, transitioned peacefully, Sunday, December 6, 2020 at her home surrounded by her family and friends. Mary Ann “Ma” was born in Crown Point, IN on 4/21/1925 the daughter of Claude Roswell Pettibone and Helen Irene (Hixon) Pettibone. On November 4, 1949, at Michigan State University, she married John Claridge who preceded her …

Garold L. Whitehead, age 72, of Wetmore, Mich. and Three Rivers, died following a brief illness under the loving care of Tim, Susie and family at their home on Friday afternoon, December 4, 2020. He was born in Kalamazoo on June 17, 1948 to Paul and Marguerite (McDonald) Whitehead. Garold grew up in Three Rivers on the family farm, graduating …

Nicolas Cruz Trevino, age 35, of Hartford, passed away on Sunday, December 6, 2020 at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids.  Nicolas was born in Weslaco, TX on May 18, 1985, a son of Gilberto and Ramona (Cruz) Trevino. Nicolas worked in the agriculture manufacturing business, and previously was a manager at Bell’s Brewery for 9 years.  He loved …

Sharon Kay Jeffries, age 74, of Battle Creek, passed away Sunday, December 6, 2020 at Glen Arbor Hospice Residence in Battle Creek. Sharon was born on May 26, 1946 in Battle Creek, a daughter of the late Ralph and Mary (Guthrie) Hoard. Sharon graduated from Colon High School with the class of 1965. Sharon worked as a Nurses Aid at …