Obituaries

Benjamin Alan Wagner, 64, died on Thursday, April 27, 2017, at his home in Mendon, following a brief illness. He was born May 26, 1952, in Sturgis, the first child of Richard and Barbara (Rissman) Wagner. Ben graduated from Sturgis High School in 1970. He worked primarily as a golf course groundskeeper. He is survived by a daughter, Amanda (Dane) …

Eileen L. Mostrom, 99, of rural Sturgis, went to be with her Lord on Saturday, April 29, 2017 at her home on Big Fish Lake. She was born in Chicago on November 10, 1917, a daughter of Joseph and Minnie (Brown) Manny. She graduated from Lindblom High School, Chicago, in 1935. On September 26, 1936, she married Eric Mostrom in …

Therman L. “Stub” Cossairt, age 85, of Colon, passed away, Friday, April 28, 2017, at his home. Stub was born Feb. 1, 1932, in Colon, a son of the late Therman L. and Pauline (Bargo) Cossairt Sr. Stub had served in the U.S. Army with the 24th Infantry during the Korean War. On Nov. 22, 1952, he married Dorothy A. …

Mr. Leo C. Reames, age 87, of Portage, formerly of Three Rivers, passed away on Thursday, April 27th, 2017 at the Rose Arbor Hospice Facility surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Jones, MI., on May 31, 1929 the son of the late Clarence L. and Ertah D. (Clark) Reames. Leo served his country in the United States …

Connor Bruce Smith, age 4, of Marcellus, passed away Thursday, April 26, 2017 at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo. He was born September 17, 2012 in Kalamazoo, the son of Dustin B. and Kristen E. (Edwards) Smith who survive. Connor loved French fries and animals of any kind. He enjoyed being outside, going for walks and watching his brothers play. He …

John Clemens Starmann, age 74, of White Pigeon, died as the sun set over Lake Michigan on April 7, 2017, surrounded by his wife and children in Manistee, after a year-long illness. John was born April 8, 1942, in Saginaw, to the late Bernard H. Starmann M.D. and Lucy (Wadsworth) Starmann. He grew up in Cass City and graduated from …

Kelly Jean Gottschalk, age 49, of Howe, Ind., passed away Monday, April 24, 2017, at Parkview Health in Fort Wayne, Ind. She was born Sept. 14, 1967, in Sturgis, a daughter of Darryl and Sharon (Schrock) Gottschalk. Kelly had resided in Howe since 1995, coming from Sturgis, where she was a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class or …

Dr. Wilbur H. Kotcher, age 91, of Sturgis, passed away early Monday morning, April 17, 2017, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. He was born Nov. 11, 1925, in Detroit, a son of the late Wilbur Joseph and Cora (Kennard) Kotcher. On Dec. 7, 1992, he married Eugenia M. Gonzales in Reno, Nev. A chiropractic doctor, he was a graduate …

Ernest Lee Easterday, age 79, of Mendon, died Monday, April 24, 2017 at his home. He was born in Shipshewana, IN on May 17, 1937 the son of Hugh and Orpha (Nelson) Easterday. He was married to Pat Tribble on Jan, 16, 1957 in Elkhart, IN. She survives along with three daughters, Debbie (Doug) Wright of Nottawa, MI, Darcie (Jeff) …

Velma L. Beardsley, 82, of White Pigeon, died Monday, April 24, 2017, at Garce Healthcare in Three Rivers, following an extended illness. She was born Sept. 5, 1934, in Pineville, Ark., a daughter of Arbille and Fannie Marchant. She was an Elkhart, Ind., resident from 1950-1972, and a resident of St. Joseph County since 1972. She was a homemaker and …