Obituaries

Clarence Lester “Bud” Swihart, age 73, of Mendon, went to be with the Lord while surrounded by his loving family on Friday March 1, 2013. He was born March 31, 1939, in Colon, a son of Walter and Ethel (Ware) Swihart. He worked at several area family farms while attending Colon Schools. He served with the U.S. Army and then …

Warren Lavern Harder, age 83, of Three Rivers, went to be with his Lord on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013, at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born May 13, 1929, in Three Rivers, a son of the late, Charles L. and Grace (White-Dieffenderfer) Harder. Mr. Harder has been a lifetime member of Three Rivers. After graduating from …

Lucille G. Pierson, age 88, of Vicksburg, died Feb. 24, 2013, at Faith Hospice in Grand Rapids. Lucille was born March 24, 1924, in Scotts to Earl and Melva (Wilcox) Holtz. She was a member of the Grange, Kalamazoo County Extension Club, 4-H and several genealogy societies. ‘ A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 20 at …

Judy Ann Lutz, age 70, of White Pigeon, passed away Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013, at her home following a long illness. Judy was born July 22, 1942, in Marcellus, a daughter of Harold and Sylvia Milhahn. Judy graduated from Constantine High School in 1960. On June 25, 1960, she married James T. Smith in Constantine. He preceded her in death …

Esther Mae McConn, 87, of Bronson, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, at Maple Lawn Medical Care Facility in Coldwater. Visitation will be held 4-8 p.m. Friday, March 1, 2013, at Dutcher-Kolcz Funeral Home in Bronson. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 2, 2013, at the funeral home, with Pastor Terry Siler of First Congregational …

Gordon Kindig, 74, of Indio, Calif., and formerly of LaPorte, Ind., passed away Jan. 12, 2013, at Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Desert, Calif. Gordon was born Feb. 2, 1938, to Alta (Arndt) and Emery Kindig. Gordie was the golf pro at Beechwood Golf Course in LaPorte for more than 20 years until he purchased Cedar Lake Golf Course in Howe, …

George Hadley VanWormer , age 76, of Colon, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, at his home, after several months of failing health. George was born July 17, 1936, in Hillsdale, a son of the late Basil and Lucille (Clark) VanWormer. On April 29, 1961, he married Betty (Castle) Stevens. George had lived most of his adult life in rural …

Steven Arthur Mann, age 57, of Kalamazoo, passed away Monday afternoon, Feb. 25, 2013, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. He was born March 15, 1955, in Sturgis, a son of the late Edward Arthur and Margaret A. (Smith) Mann. Steve resided in Kalamazoo since 1979. His early life was lived in Sturgis and he was a graduate of Sturgis …

Bernice M. Erow, 86, of Milford, Ind., passed away at Avalon Springs Health Facility in Valparaiso, Ind. on Feb. 22, 2013. She was born in Argos, Ind. on July 9, 1926 to Burris and Margaret Meiers Brockus who preceded her in death. She was married to Richard Erow Sr. on Oct. 5, 1944 who also preceded her in death. Siblings …

Flora Elizabeth (Brantley) Hilbert passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at the amazing age of 105. Flora was born on June 23, 1907 in Union County, Tennessee and moved with her family, Susie and Lee Brantley, to Anchor, Illinois in 1908. Flora’s family relocated to Hicksville, Ohio in 1919 where Flora, along with her twin sister Flossie, sister …