Obituaries

Marie Catherine Bontrager, 89, of Centreville, passed away Friday, Sept. 20, 2019, surrounded by her family, at her daughter Orvin and Miriam Bontrager’s residence. Marie was born Feb. 19, 1930, a daughter of the late William N. and Lydiaann (Miller) Bontrager. On Feb. 9, 1950, she married Ezra J. Bontrager. They lived most their lives together in the Centreville area, …

Avis G. Baldwin, age 94, of Three Rivers, died Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019 at Three Rivers Health. She was born on Jan. 17, 1925 the daughter of Fred and Elva (Anable) Hassenger. After graduation from High School she attended Beauty College and practiced briefly as a beautician. She was married to Lyle Allan Baldwin on Sept. 14, 1951 in Elkhart. …

Douglas Jon Arney, age 55, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday morning, Sept.17, 2019, at Fairview Living Centre in Centreville. He was born Feb. 2, 1964, in Sturgis, a son of Daniel and Norma Jean (Harriman) Arney. Doug was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1982. On July 2, 1988, he married …

Joseph A. Jackson, age 52, of Sturgis, passed away early Wednesday morning, Sept. 18, 2019, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. He was born April 27, 1967, in Sturgis, a son of the late Gerald K. and Estella M. (Hart) Jackson. Joe was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1986. Most …

Dan Jones, age 86, of Constantine, passed away on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 at his home.  He was born on June 21, 1933 in Constantine, a son of Arthur and Alice (Leister) Jones. Dan graduated from Constantine High School in 1951 where he excelled as an all sport athlete. He was in the US Army from 1953-1955 in Germany. During …

Dixie S. Hartman, age 85, of Waterford, and a former Sturgis resident, passed away early Tuesday morning, Sept. 17, 2019, in West Bloomfield Township. She was born May 13, 1934, in Centreville, the only daughter of the late James Russell and Inez B. (Elliott) Brown. Dixie’s early life was lived in Centreville, where she was a graduate of Centreville High …

Ralph E. Parham, age 96, of Venice, Fla., and a former longtime resident of Howe, Ind., passed away Saturday morning, Sept. 14, 2019, at Venice Hospice House in Venice. He was born July 11, 1923, in Billings, Mont., a son of the late Lyle H. and Nora E. (Brown) Parham. Ralph resided in Florida since 2015. Prior to moving to …

Sally Lou Stevens, age 77, of Sturgis, passed away Saturday morning, August 24, 2019 at the Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. She was born April 15, 1942 in Sturgis, daughter of the late Owen Henry and Maxine Pearl (VanDyke) Powers. Sally was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1960. On October …

Patricia Anne Bristol, age 88, of Marcellus, passed away Sunday, September 15, 2019, at home surrounded by her family. Patricia was born in Medford, Wisconsin on March 26, 1931, the daughter of Albert Oliver and Elsi Mae (Green) Rogers. On June 7, 1952, she married Verlin “Shaky” George Bristol, in Rockford, IL. Together they had five children: Sandy, Candy, Randy …

Donald Lamar Rentfrow, age 74, of Portage, went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Saturday, September 14, 2019.  Don was born on October 29th, 1944 in Elkhart, to the late Lyle Lamar and Marguerite (Rumsey) Rentfrow.  Don was also preceded in death by one daughter Theresa in 1964 and one brother David Rentfrow. Don leaves to …