Obituaries

John Fabian Swift, age 62, of Marcellus, passed away Wednesday, October 4, 2017. He was born September 13, 1955 in South Bend, the son of Glen D. and Bertha E. (Miller) Swift. He married Sally F. (Parsons) Kohler in 1979 who survives. On November 26, 1994 in Volinia he married Elaine M. Whitten who preceded him in death in 2012. John …

Phyllis J. Phelps, age 97, of Colon, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, at Sturgis Hospital. Phyllis was born Aug. 7, 1920, in Leonidas, a daughter of the late Grover R. and Grace (Adams) Lowther. She married Harold R. Phelps. He preceded her in death June 26, 1971. She had worked as a beautician in Colon for several years and …

Sally Lou Coker, age 72, of Jackson, and formerly of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, at Highland Assisted Living & Memory Care in Jackson. She was born Dec. 1, 1944, in Burr Oak, a daughter of the late John and Blendena (Cummings) Gest. Sally was a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1962. On April …

Barbara Teresa Walczak, age 65, died on Sunday, October 1, 2017. In accordance with family wishes, cremation will be conducted and there will be no public services held at this time. Arrangements by Hohner Funeral Home.

George Edward Lewis, age 78, of Three Rivers, passed away on Saturday, September 30, 2017 at his home surrounded by his loving family.  George was born on July 3, 1939 in Argos, Indiana the son of the late Andrew and Gertude (Gotschalk) Lewis. Mr. Lewis graduated from Three Rivers High School in 1958 and on 1959 married the love of …

Fred Nelson Loetz, age 78, of Sturgis, passed away Friday evening, Sept. 29, 2017, at his home. He was born May 18, 1939, in Sturgis, a son of the late Henry and Laura (Beebe) Loetz. Fred was a lifelong resident of Sturgis. He was a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1958 and furthered his education at …

Sue Ann Rigdon, age 70, of Three Rivers, passed way on Saturday, September 30, 2017 at Three Rivers Health. She was born on June 6, 1947 in South Bend, the daughter of Alonzo D. and Lila (Phebus) Hunt. Sue graduated from Dowagiac Union High School class of 1965. Soon after she was united in marriage to Larry Rigdon in 1968. …

Joseph “Jim” Fankhauser, age 87, of Three Rivers passed away on Friday, September 29, 2017 at Heartland Healthcare Center. He was born in Kalamazoo, the son of Joseph J. and Bessie L. (Parr) Fankhauser. On September 2, 1950 Jim was united in marriage to Donna May (Burnham) whom preceded her in passing. He was employed in the maintenance department as …

Robert Arthur Patterson celebrated his 59th birthday on Monday, Sept. 25, at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. He passed away Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017, surrounded by the ones he laughed with, lived for and loved. Rob was born in Detroit and grew up in Belleville with his mother, Charma Patterson-Denison, and his father, Gary Denison; sisters Laura (William) Dudek-Bies; Lisa …

Jacqualyn J. Bower, age 89, of Burr Oak, passed away early Thursday , Sept. 28, 2017, at the Cox Medical Center in Branson, Missouri. She was born Jan. 23, 1928, in Coldwater, Mich., daughter of the late John and Blendena (Cummings) Gest. Jackie was a lifelong Burr Oak resident and a graduate of Burr Oak High School with the class …