Obituaries

Frances M. Hoopingarner, age 87, of Constantine, died  Saturday, January 14th, 2012 at the Heartland Health Care Center in Three Rivers. She was born in Constantine, on April 19, 1924,  a daughter of  Herman and Sadie (Thorn) Skelton. Frances attended Constantine Schools. On June 30, 1967 she married Austin Charles Hoopingarner in Constantine. He preceded her in death April 4, 2000. Frances …

Marcus Carpenter, age 90, of Sturgis, and formerly of Burr Oak, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, at his home in Sturgis. Marcus was born Aug. 28, 1921, in Berne, Ind., a son of the late Joseph D. and Fannie (Eicher) Carpenter. On Sept. 21, 1947, he married Esther L. Eichorn in Burr Oak. She preceded him in death Sept. …

Bernard Ray Shutes Sr., age 91, of Three Rivers, passed away on Thursday, January 12, 2012 at the Heartland Health Care Center. He was born on May 8, 1920 in Three Rivers, MI. the son of Ray B. and Lulu (Schug) Shutes. Mr. Shutes Graduated from Three Rivers High School in 1938. He served his country during WWII in the …

Maureen E. Williams, 74, of White Pigeon, died Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, at her home, following an extended illness. She was born Jan. 22, 1937, in Detroit, a daughter of James and Mary T. (Kalso) Doody. She had been a White Pigeon resident for 12 years, coming from Sturgis. On Dec. 20, 1956, she married Charles M. Williams in Detroit. She …

Norman Hanshue, age 95, of Sturgis, was escorted to heaven by angels Monday afternoon, Jan. 9, 2012, at his home. He was born Sept. 2, 1916, in Pierson, a son of the late Raymond and Edith (Ward) Hanshue. Norm had resided in Sturgis since 1957, coming from Muskegon. On Aug. 29, 1939, he married Margie Baird in Grand Rapids. She …

Barbara Anne Hills, age 59, of Springfield, Va., and a former Sturgis resident, passed away Sunday morning, Jan. 8, 2012, at Hospice of Chesapeake in Linthicum, Md., following a yearlong battle with cancer. She was born Feb. 6, 1952, in Sturgis, a daughter of the late Robert and Mary Charlotte (Oliphant) Hills. Barbara was a graduate of Holy Angels Catholic …

Verna Marie Schimnoski, 99, of Three Rivers, died Jan. 1, 2012 at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo surrounded by her family. She was born in Mountain Lake, Minn. on Nov. 22, 1912 the daughter of August and Mary (Beier) Schimnoski. She graduated from Jeffers High School, Mankato State College, and Calhoun Secretarial School in Minneapolis. Verna was a long-time employee …

Virginia Margaret “Ginger” Snyder, 62, of Kalamazoo, died Jan. 8, 2012, at Rose Arbor Hospice, succumbing to cancer after having risen above it for several years. The red-headed Ginger came into the world on Feb. 28, 1949 at the old Three Rivers Hospital overlooking Scidmore Park and joined her parents Jeanne (Fallon) and Harold Cordes and brother Rick, Chicago transplants, …

Harriet Hackenberg, age 91, of Marcellus, passed away on Monday, January 9, 2012 at the Birch’s Adult Foster Care Home, in Leonidas, MI., prior to her family whom cared for her at home for several months. She was born on August 28, 1920 in Falmouth, MI. the daughter of Thomas and Tillie (Drenth) Workman. Mrs. Hackenberg has been a lifelong …

Eleanor E. Lutz, 83, of White Pigeon, died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, at The Laurels in Coldwater, after an extended illness. She was born Jan. 5, 1928, in Upland, Ind., a daughter of Clifford and Elnore (Thornburgh) Barrett. She had been a resident of the White Pigeon and Sturgis area all her life. She was a graduate of White Pigeon High School. …