Obituaries

Helen J. Avery, age 90, of Colon, passed away Monday, April 10, 2017, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. Helen was born Oct.11, 1926, in Sherman Township, a daughter of the late Albert and Helen (Taylor) Sadewasser. She grew up in Sturgis, graduating from Sturgis High School in 1943. On Aug. 2, 1947, she married Donald E. Avery of Centreville. …

Norman D. VanPelt, age 89, of Sturgis, passed away Monday morning, April 10, 2017, at his home. He was born Feb. 14, 1928, in Fawn River, a son of the late Crate and Viola (Knight) VanPelt. Norman was a lifelong Sturgis-area resident. On Feb. 15, 1947, he married Betty Jean Jourdan in Angola, Ind. She died Feb. 9, 2014. Norm …

Harvey Robert Schlabach, age 73, of Burr Oak, passed away early Monday morning, April 10, 2017, at his home, surrounded by his family. He was born Dec 28, 1943, in Litchfield, a son of the late Joas and Barbara (Schwartz) Schlabach. He worked at Burr Oak Tool and Gauge and retired from Jayco in 2007. He loved to spend time …

Jody Clipfell, age 53, of Colon, passed away Sunday, April 9, 2017, from injuries received in a car-pedestrian accident in Colon Township. Jody was born March 19, 1964, in Sturgis, a daughter of Philip G. and Louise (Drumhiller) Clipfell. Jody had made her home in Colon all her life and was presently employed at Palomino RV in Colon. She enjoyed …

Carolyn Faye (Llewellyn) Babcock, age 82, of Three Rivers, passed away in her sleep on Sunday, April 9, 2017, after a short but hard fight with cancer. She was born the daughter of the late Roy and Ardath (Dinsmore) Llewellyn. On Feb. 14, 1956, she married Lloyd Babcock Jr. He preceded her in death. Carolyn had worked and retired from …

Donald Earl “Donny” McClain, age 90, of Mendon, died Monday, April 10, 2017 at Heartland Healthcare Center in Three Rivers. He was born in Mendon on May 31, 1926 the son of Robert J. and Martha L. (Rench) McClain and has been a lifetime resident of Mendon. Donnie attended the Michigan School for the Deaf in Flint in his younger …

Rick W. Schlabach, 54, of Howe, Ind. died unexpectedly Thursday, April 6, 2017, in an accident at the Winnebago Manufacturing Plant in Middlebury, Ind. Rick was born on May 18, 1962 in LaGrange, Ind., to William E. and Deloris A. (Myers) Schlabach. They preceded him in death. Living his life in LaGrange County, he was a paint repairman for motorhomes. …

Joan E. Oxender, age 85, formerly of Haslett, MI, passed away Sunday, April 9, 2017, at Orchard Grove Health Campus, Romeo, MI. She was born in Fort Wayne, IN on April 11, 1931, daughter of the late Ralph S. Smith and Lura L. (Kneller) Smith Alexander Bickle. She graduated from Three Rivers High School in 1949. She was a daughter-in-law …

Tammy Lynn Glasscock, age 56, of Three Rivers, passed away on Friday, March 31, 2017 at the Heartland Health Care Center following a long and courageous battle with illness. She was born on August 17, 1960 in Kalamazoo, the daughter of Ralph and Carroll (Kendrick) Zandt. Tammy attended the Comstock School system where she grew up and later furthered her …

Mrs. Catherine Ann Ball, age 90, of Three Rivers, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, April 7th, 2017 after a long illness.  Catherine was born on July 13, 1926 in Vicksburg, MI., the daughter of the late Mary and Clayton Berger.  She married her husband Robert on December 23, 1947.  Catherine was a graduate of Western Michigan University …