Obituaries

Amelia Lower, age 88, of Burr Oak, passed away early Thursday morning July 2, 2020 at Fairview Nursing and Rehabilitation in Centreville. She was born November 15, 1931 in Custer, Michigan daughter of the late Segurd and Hazel (Rhodes) Hanson. Mrs. Lower was a graduate of Custer High School with the class of 1950 and furthered her education at the …

Dana L. Martin, age 73, of Shipshewana, died Wednesday July 1, 2020, at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne. He was born on November 28, 1946 in Goshen, to the late, Ivan and Bertha (Myers) Martin. Dana was a practicing Physician Assistant at the Center for Health & Wellness in Sturgis. On December 16, 1990, he married Jean E. …

Larry Junior Rink, age 75, of Three Rivers, formerly of Constantine, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Monday, June 29, 2020. Larry passed away at Grace Healthcare of Three Rivers. He was born in Goshen on February 21, 1945, and attended Constantine High School. On July 4, 1964 he married Jeanie Swartzentruber in Scott, IN. Larry was a …

Carl Theodore Richard Drefke, age 82, of Three Rivers, passed away Wednesday, July 1, 2020. He was born on Sept. 9, 1937 to Carl Louis and Bertha Marie (Bruechert) Drefke. Carl graduated from Deerfield High School and Toledo University. He was also in the Marine Corps. He enjoyed fishing and traveling. While residing in Arkansas he was chosen Sportsman of …

Malachi Moriah Budfuloski Mechling, age 35, of Sturgis, passed away Thursday, April 9, 2020, at his home. He was born Oct. 29, 1984, in Kalamazoo, a son of John and the late Connie Sue (Sorko-Ram) Budfuloski. Malachi’s early years were spent in California. In 1998, he moved to the Sturgis area, where he remained until his death. He was a …

Fern Marie Knauss, age 79, of Three Rivers, died Monday, June 29, 2020 at Ascension-Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. She was born in Benton Harbor on Dec. 24, 1940 the daughter of the late Estell and Letha (Floyd) Bell. She attended a one-room school near Jones and went to Marcellus High School. Fern was married to Gordon L. Knauss on …

Kenneth Leo Wyant, age 75, of Sherwood, died Monday, June 22, 2020, under the care of his family and with the aid of Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan. A private family memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 5, 2020, at Lighthouse Funeral & Cremation in Union City, with Pastor David Farrell officiating. The service will be …

Duane A. Beardsley, age 74, of Colon, passed away Friday, June 26, 2020, at his home, surrounded by his family. Duane was born Oct. 3, 1945, in Battle Creek, a son of the late Ray A. Beardsley and Alice G. Fox. Duane graduated from Athens High School with the class of 1966. After graduation, Duane enlisted in the U.S. Army, …

It saddens us to announce the death of Julia Renee Zimmerman, our Peanut, whose life was taken from her in a horrific automobile accident. She was born April 6, 2000, and left this earthly world to join God’s heavenly home on June 26, 2020. Throughout her 20 years, Julia carried a smile on her face every day, which she shared …

Wallace Andre Mollema, better known as Andy, passed from this life at Munson Medical Center, Traverse City, on Tuesday, June 16, 2020, with Martha, the love of his life, at his side. He had been a full-time resident of Benzie County since 1996. Andy was preceded in death by his father Wallace A. Mollema in 1994 and by his mother …