Obituaries

Billie Ruth Shank, age 80, passed away on Monday, April 6, 2026, at Corewell Health in Grand Rapids following an extended illness. She was born on September 4, 1945 in Madison, Wisconsin, the daughter of John A. and Billie R. Erdmann. On September 7, 1963, Billie married Donald Allen Shank, and together they shared a loving and devoted marriage of …

Candy Christine Fairbanks, age 52, of Lansing, and a former resident of Sturgis, passed away Sunday, April 5, 2026, at her home. She was born on June 11, 1973 in LaGrange, daughter of Michael and Teresa Rae (Baird) Christner. Candy resided in Lansing for over 25 years, coming from Sturgis, where she graduated with the Class of 1991 from Sturgis …

Frank Wittendorf Jr., passed away on Sunday, April 5, 2026, in Constantine, at the age of 74. He was born on May 18, 1951 in Zanesville, Ohio, and lived a life marked by hard work, good humor, and devotion to the people and places he loved. Frank spent more than 40 years working as a millwright at the Constantine Paper …

Rose Ann Keith, age 79, of Three Rivers, passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at The Orchards in Three Rivers. She was born on November 21, 1946 in Port Glasgow, Scotland to James and Mable (Cain) Lyle. She met Daniel Keith during his Navy service, and the two were married in Scotland before moving to the United States …

Amos S. Bontrager, age 83, of Goshen, died on Sunday, April 5, 2026 at his residence, after an extended battle with pulmonary fibrosis. He was born on May 3, 1942 in Centreville to Samuel and Fannie (Bontrager) Bontrager. On November 8, 1964 in Sturgis, he married Lillian Yoder, she survives. Survivors in addition to his wife are daughter, Brenda (Gene) …

Tom Shumaker, age 82, passed away on March 31, 2026 at Thurston Woods Village Nursing Home. Tom was born in Russell, Kansas June 28, 1943. After high school he attended Kansas University and then moved to Washington, DC where he attended American University and received a Juris Doctorate Degree. Tom Moved to Sturgis in 1969 to work for the Dresser …

“Gidget” Jeanne-Marie Mihills, age 67, of Jones, went to be with the Lord at her home on Sunday, April, 5, 2026. She was born September 5, 1958 in Mt. Clemens, MI to her late parents Francis Conrad James White and Jeanne-Marie White. She graduated from Pennfield High in 1976 and later went on to graduate from KVCC in 1987. She …

Tina Marianna Roberts, age 37, of Sturgis, passed away peacefully at her home on Sunday, April 5, 2026, after a long illness, surrounded by those who loved her.  She was born on April 6, 1988 in Tacoma, Washington to Gregory Roberts and Maria Gutierrez. Tina graduated from Sturgis High School with the Class of 2006. Following graduation, she spent several …

Gloria Lee Butler, aged 95, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, April 4, 2026. She was born on November 15, 1930.  She graduated from Three Rivers High School in 1950, and her graduating class continued to meet regularly throughout the years. On August 11, 1955, she married John Butler, sharing 56 years of marriage. Gloria was a was an …

David James Smith, Sr. age 51 of Sturgis, passed away Saturday morning, April 4, 2026, at his home. He was born November 6, 1974 in Kalamazoo, son of the late Norval Frank and Dixie Lynn (Denman) Smith, II. David resided in Sturgis the past four years coming from Troy, Ohio. He married Christina Cox in Troy. David was a card …