Obituaries

Robert S. Belson, age 94 of Athens, died Wednesday Jan. 1, 2014 at the Birches in Leonidas where he has resided the past six months. He was born near Hastings, MI on Feb. 27, 1919 the only child of Charles A. and Blanche P. (Workman) Belson. Bob graduated from Mendon High School with the class of 1938. He was married …

Maudy Arlene Hackett, age 75, of Centreville, Mich., and formerly of Sturgis, passed away Monday morning Dec. 30, 2013, at the Fairview Nursing and Rehabilitation Community in Centreville, Mich. She was born Aug. 15, 1938, in Kalamazoo, Mich., daughter of the late Henry and Corneilia Griffioen. Maudy moved to Sturgis in 1976 from Kalamazoo. On Jan. 17, 1969, she married …

Keith Buckhold, 77, of Marcellus, passed away Friday, Dec. 27, 2013. He was born March 10, 1936 in Marcellus, the son of Raymond R. and Lucille (Stage) Buckhold. He graduated from Marcellus High School in 1954. He retired as an accountant from Continental Can, Three Rivers and had previously lived at Big Fish Lake and truly enjoyed living there. He …

Grace L. Kurzawski, age 84, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away Friday, Dec. 27, 2013, at Thurston Woods Village. She was born May 9, 1929, in Chicago, a daughter to the late Virgil and Ruth (Cowdery) Donohoo. On May 28, 1949, in Chicago, she married Alfred Kurzawski Sr. He preceded her in death March 10, 1992. Grace has been a resident …

Dwayne Charles Gortner passed away at home on Dec. 19, 2013. He was born to parents Leroy James and Willajean Gortner in White Pigeon, St. Joseph County, Mich. He was a longtime resident of Orcutt, Calif. Before moving to Orcutt, Dwayne lived many years at Eagle Rock, Calif., and White Pigeon, Mich. He served in Vietnam with the Navy Seabees …

Elmer R. Black, 93, of Three Rivers, passed away on Monday, Dec. 30, 2013. Elmer was born in Sturgis, Michigan on January 24, 1918 the son of Clarence W. and Helen (Sherer) Black, Sr. In 1924 the family moved to Moorepark to reside on the Joseph Wilbur farm, later known as the Plantation. Elmer attended the one room school in …

Mitchell John “Mitch” Breece, age 53, of Three Rivers, passed away on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013 at his home following a courageous and hard fought battle with cancer. He was born on January 19, 1960 in Three Rivers, the son of the late Phillip Edwin and Charolette (Smith) Breece. Following his schooling in Three Rivers, Mitch entered the U.S. Army …

Mr. Ilmars Dumpis, age 88, of Three Rivers passed away Friday, Dec. 27, 2013 at Riverview Manor. He was born July 15, 1925 in Riga, Latvia to Roberts and Elizabete Dumpis. The family had two children, Ilmars and his sister Gaida. He started school in Riga, but soon his father was transferred to Melluzi, a small town by the Baltic …

Marilyn Kay Malcolm, 65, of Coldwater, passed away on Friday, Dec. 27, 2013 at home surrounded by family. A funeral service will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 11 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Coldwater with Pastor Aaron Chittick officiating. Visitation will take place on Monday, Dec. 30 at Dutcher Funeral Home in Coldwater from 4-8 p.m. …

Carol Marie Huff (Murray) passed away suddenly Christmas night. Born in 1946, she was the oldest child of Lloyd and Florence Murray who survive her. Also surviving are sisters Nancy and Linda, brothers Paul and Bruce, her son Greg, his wife Sara and their three daughters. Carol has multiple nephews and nieces. Preceding her in death was her husband of …