Obituaries

Delbert J. Wolfinger, age 64, of Three Rivers, died Monday, April 16, 2012, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. He was born July 2, 1947, in Goshen, Ind., a son of Roy and Mabel (Linn) Wolfinger. Delbert was a longtime resident of Constantine, where he was employed by the Michigan Milk Producers Association for more than 33 years. In his …

Carmen Ann Prestidge, age 74, of Sturgis, passed away Sunday evening, April 15, 2012, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. She was born Dec. 20, 1937, in Sturgis, a daughter of the late Richard and Ruth (Antonides) Lapham Arklie. Carmen was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1956. On Oct. 26, …

Victoria Ware Russell of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, and formerly of Sturgis, passed away Friday, April 13, 2012, after a brief but courageous battle with cancer. Vicke, as she was known to her friends and family, was born and raised in Sturgis. After graduating from Sturgis High School in 1975, she attended Central Michigan University for two years. Vicke then transferred …

Paul E. “Papa” Conkright, age 84, of Three Rivers, died April 16, 2012 at his home following a lengthy illness.  He was born March 10, 1928 in Constantine, a son of Kenneth and Ruth (Mallo) Conkright.  He graduated from Cassopolis High School in 1946 and studied Agriculture at Michigan State University.  Paul served in the U.S. Army during the Korean …

Gwendolyn Marie Tavernier, 59, of White Pigeon, died Friday, April 13, 2012, at her home. She was born Feb. 16, 1953, in Three Rivers, a daughter to Richard E. and Wanna L. (Keller) Lewis. She was a resident of White Pigeon, coming from Cleveland, Ohio. She was employed in manufacturing for Syndicate Systems, Owens Illinois, Lear Segler and Crocker. She was …

Gilbert D. Bell, 90, long-time resident of the Three Rivers area, died on April 9, 2012, after chronic illness. He was retired from the Michigan State Hospital system. Mr. Bell was a member of the Order of the Knights of Columbus and served as an usher at his church. He was preceded in death by: his wife, Inez Bell; significant …

C. Lavenia “Bing” Stevens, age 96, of Sturgis, passed away unexpectedly early Thursday morning, April 12, 2012 at her home. She was born Feb. 12, 1916, in Lewisport, Ky., a daughter of the late John Ellis and Anna Thomas (Lampkins) Crask. Bing resided in Sturgis since 1933, coming from LaGrange, Ind., where she was a graduate of LaGrange High School with …

Edith D. (Worrell) Hope, age 97, formerly of Brookville, OH, died Wed. April 12, 2012 in Centreville. She moved to Centreville from Brookville, OH  to be near family members. She was preceded in death by her husband of 71 years, Ward Hope; parents, Henry W. & Anna R. (Bunn) Worrell; brothers-in-law, Don Eichelberger & John Hope; sister-in-law, Catherine Hope; nephew Don …

JoDe Le Wheeler, 37, of Three Rivers, passed away suddenly on April 5, 2012 at her home. She was born on Oct. 4, 1974 in Three Rivers, the daughter of Arthur D. and Judy LaJean (Rumsey) Remington. JoDe has been a long time resident of Three Rivers. She loved the outdoors, her many animals, and especially her horses. She was …

Agnes M. Wenning, 92, of Sturgis, passed away early Thursday morning, April 12, 2012, at the home of her granddaughter in Paw Paw. She was born July 5, 1919, in Kalamazoo, a daughter of the late John and Elizabeth (Vyverman) Westrick. Mrs. Wenning had resided in Sturgis since 1986, coming from Kalamazoo. On May 14, 1949, she married Garrett Wenning …