Obituaries

Pauline Elizabeth Benes, age 87, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 9, 2021, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Illinois. Pauline was born on October 27, 1933, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, to Frieda Bechtold and Karl Weiss. She graduated in 1951 from Trade School sales in Germany. Pauline met George Benes while he was stationed in Frankfurt, and …

Lois A. Ware, age 91, of Sturgis, passed away Monday morning, Jan. 11, 2021, at Thurston Woods Villa in Sturgis. She was born Nov. 4, 1929, in Sturgis, a daughter of the late Ray B. and Phoebe (Rhode) Webster. Lois resided in Sturgis her entire life and was a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1947. She …

Barbara J. Vernon, age 98, of Plainwell, and a former resident of Sturgis, went to her heavenly home Sunday morning, Jan. 10, 2021, at her home. She was a Christmas baby, born Dec. 25, 1922, in Genesee County, a daughter of the late Frank and Enola (Dieck) Moore. Mrs. Vernon resided in Plainwell since 2014. She moved to Sturgis in …

James Luke Irwin, age 59, of Sturgis, passed away Thursday afternoon, January 7, 2021 at the Sturgis Hospital Emergency Room. He was born December 24, 1961 in Three Rivers, son of the late Donald Duane and Delores A. (Gulcynski) Irwin. James resided most of his life in the Sturgis, Constantine and Centreville area. He was currently working at Sturgis Molded …

David Victor Reigle, age 80, of Marcellus, passed away Saturday, January 2, 2021, at Timbers of Cass County. David was born in Three Rivers on October 29, 1940, the son of Harry and Verna Reigle. David was a farmer, working for many years and later retiring from McKenzie’s Farms in Marcellus.  David was the type of man who loved nothing …

Betty Lou Barnell Brook, age 88, of Sturgis, passed away Saturday evening January 8, 2021 at the Heartland Health Care Center in Three Rivers. She was born August 3, 1932 in Port Huron, daughter of the late Herbert and Hazel (Talmadge) Moss. Betty resided in Sturgis since 1956 coming from Port Huron. On January 27, 1951 she married Chester L. …

Jon Rex Roggelien, age 80, of Three Rivers, passed away suddenly in Grand Rapids on Thursday, January 7, 2021. He was born in Three Rivers on November 18, 1940 the son of Morgan and Mary (Fornaresio) Roggelien. Jon was a lifelong resident of Three Rivers where he raised his family with his loving wife, Judy, whom he married on September …

Gerald (Jerry) Laverne Johnson Sr., age 84, of Three Rivers, passed away on Monday, January 4, 2021. He was born August 6, 1936 in Constantine, the son of William (Bob) Tolbert and Dora Louise (Norton) Johnson, Sr. Gerald married JoAnn Burt on October 23, 1954 at the Methodist Church in Constantine. They moved into a tenant house on the Ertah …

Omer L. Sheteron, Sr., age 88, of Constantine, passed away on Thursday, January 7, 2021 at Heartland Health Care Center in Three Rivers. Omer was born in Indiana on January 30, 1932, a son of Joseph and Minnie (Hunsberger) Sheteron.  He attended Constantine Schools. In 1953, he married Mary F. Salter; she preceded him in death in 1984. Omer worked …

Zachary Justin Shafer, age 25, of Ault, Colorado, went to be with Jesus on Thursday, December 31, 2020 as the result of a motor vehicle accident. Zachary was born on May 10, 1995 to Justin and Heather (Harshberger) Shafer in Battle Creek. He grew up in Overland Park, Kansas and graduated from Blue Valley West High School in 2013. He …