Obituaries

On Saturday, April 13, 2019 Marian Griner passed away peacefully in the home she loved. She was born to Fred Willis and Mary Jane Cook on July 16, 1931 in Gobles, Michigan. She grew up around Marcellus but graduated from Dowagiac High School in 1950. She worked at Ingersol Drug Store where she met Howard Griner. He became the love …

Menno S. Bontrager, 88 years, one month and 14 days, passed away on Thursday, April 18, 2019, at the home of his daughter Mary (Joe) Miller in Centreville. Menno was born March 4, 1931, a son of Sam N. and Fannie Bontrager. On Dec. 13, 1951, he married Susan Elizabeth (Schlabach) Bontrager; she preceded him in death June 10, 2003. …

Sherman Dunafin, Jr., age 95 of Sturgis, passed away peacefully after an extended illness on December 12, 2018 at his home surrounded by his loving family.  He was born on January 4, 1923 in the Mongo-Stroh area in Indiana. Sherman is survived by his wife of 46 years, Marilyn (Smoll) Dunafin, of Sturgis.  He had 4 children: Gaylord (Cheryl) Dunafin …

Kenneth Lee Balk, age 84, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday morning, April 16, 2019, at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. He was born Nov. 6, 1934, in Sturgis, a son of the late Elmer Carl and Erma Pearl (Falkenstein) Balk. Ken had resided at Omena Lake in Sturgis since 1991, coming from Centreville. He was a 1953 graduate of Centreville …

Estella Marie Holtz, age 91, of Sturgis, passed away early Tuesday morning, April 16, 2019, at her home. She was born Dec. 5, 1927, in Sturgis, a daughter of the late Clarence and Maize (Dunker) Hahn. Estella was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1945. On Dec. 30, 1950, she married …

Mr. Gale Lamont Thompson, age 79, of Three Rivers, passed away suddenly on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at his home.  He was born in Gratiot Township, Lansing, MI the son of the late Lester and Una (Litwiller) Thompson. Mr. Thompson has been a long time resident of Three Rivers where he was employed as a shipping clerk for Johnson Corporation …

Susan J. Kantauskas, agde 79, of White Pigeon, passed away on Monday, April 15, 2019 at Ascension Borgess Hospital, Kalamazoo.  She was born in Elkhart on January 13, 1940, a daughter of George and Ruth (Williams) Bale.  She graduated from Elkhart Schools. Sue previously worked in sales at Coachman Industries of Middlebury, Guardian Components of Middlebury, Bob Sampers Windows, and …

Janet Kathryn (Southworth) Parker, age 82, of Marcellus, passed away early Tuesday morning, April 16, 2019. Janet was born in Kalamazoo on January 12, 1937, the daughter of Maynard N. and Marie R. (Mitchell) Southworth. On June 26, 1955, Janet married Ralph W. Parker in Schoolcraft at the First Presbyterian Church. Together, they had nine children: Beth (Robert) Dyer of …

Mahlon Lee Tucker, age 77, of Centreville, passed away on Friday, April 12, 2019 after sustaining injuries in a traffic accident west of South Bend. Mahlon Lee Tucker was born on July 20, 1941 in Wichita, Kansas.  Mahlon was many things to everyone in his life – Son, Brother, Husband, Father, Uncle, a Grandpa to ten grandchildren, Great-Grandpapa to three …

Mary E. Schwartz, age 89, of Colon, went home to be with the Lord on Monday, April 15, 2019. Mary was born Nov. 20, 1929, to the late Christian and Emily (Schwartz) Stauffer. On Dec. 11, 1947, she married Samuel S. Schwartz, who preceded her in death in 1987. Together, they had 11 children. A generous lady who lived life …