Obituaries

Jesse J. Smith, age 80, of Three Rivers passed away on Friday, September 7, 2018. Arrangements are being handled by Hohner Funeral Home.

Mary K. Stroop, age 76, of Howe, Ind., died Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018, at Life Care Center of LaGrange. She was born Dec. 12, 1941, in Sturgis, to the late Joseph P. and Marqurette M. (Darr) Babka. Mary worked as an operating room nurse for many years at Sturgis Hospital and attended Holy Angels Catholic Church in Sturgis. On March …

Steven D. Quake, age 63, Centreville, passed away Wednesday, September 5th, 2018 at Three Rivers Health. He was born in Three Rivers on June 21, 1955, a son of Virginia (Clark) and William Quake. He graduated from Centreville High School in 1973 and later received his Associate’s Degree from Glen Oaks Community College. On August 12, 1977, he married Linda …

Larry Dell Keiser, age 73, of Constantine and previously of Battle Creek, passed away Wednesday, September 5th, at his home. Larry was born in Battle Creek on August 24, 1945, a son of the late Donna (Sharpsteen) and Forrest Keiser. He graduated from Muskegon High School in 1963 and later received his Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education from Kellogg …

Carol Ann Riggs, age 63, of Marcellus, passed away at her home after a long illness surrounded by family on Monday, September 3rd, 2018. Carol was born December 25th, 1954, in Niles, the daughter of James and Katherine (Owen) Lamb. She had two brothers who preceded her in death: James Lamb and Larry (Barb) Lamb along with her parents and …

Richard E. Brown, age 84 of Centreville, died Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018 at his son’s home in Sturgis. He was born near Centreville on May 19, 1934 the son of Seth and Della (Bronstetter) Brown and was a lifetime resident of St. Joseph County. Richard graduated from Centreville High School with the class of 1952. He was married to Betty …

Evelyn Jane Bradford-Nutt, age 64, of Kalamazoo, passed away on Aug. 30, 2018, at Rose Arbor. Evelyn was born the fourth child of John and Dixie (Dease) Bradford on Oct. 6, 1953, at Pawating Hospital in Niles. She graduated from Three Rivers High School in 1971. During her senior year she worked at Armstrong’s. After that she went to the Elkhart …

Robert Duane Roush, of Sun City, SC, husband of Margaret Eckhardt Roush, died on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at home, of pancreatic cancer. He was born in Benton Harbor, on August 6, 1931 to Harry and Louise Gross Roush, the third of four boys. He is survived by his oldest brother, Wally (wife Jackie) of Fall Brook, California. His brothers, …

Zelma Ruth (Jackson) Merritt, age 85, of Constantine, died on Saturday, September 1, 2018 at her home. She was born July 5, 1933 in White Pigeon Township to George and Eunice (Strong) Jackson. Zelma attended Scott High School, graduating in 1952. On May 25, 1952 she married Ernie Merritt in LaGrange. He preceded her in death on September 8, 2011. Zelma …

E. Marie Brouse, age 94, of Sturgis, passed away Thursday evening, Aug. 30, 2018, at Sturgis Hospital. Mrs. Brouse resided in Sturgis since 1945. On June 28, 1947, she married Leonard V. Brouse in Angola. He died Aug. 25, 1983. Mrs. Brouse began teaching art in the Sturgis Public Schools in 1946 inspiring many little vivacious would be artists until …