Obituaries

Mattie May Diesinger, 90, of Three Rivers, passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011 at Borgess Medical Center. She was born on Oct. 20, 1921 in Rockford, Ill., the daughter of the late William C. Gilreath. Mrs. Diesinger has been a resident of this area for more than 30 years. She and her husband attended the Light and Life Wesleyan …

Claudell Coleman, 65, of Sturgis, and formerly of White Pigeon, died Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo, following an extended illness. She was born Dec. 29 1945, in Forrest City, Ark., a child of Osco and Ella (Barnett) Coleman. She had lived in Sturgis, coming from White Pigeon and had also resided in Arkansas and Florida. She …

Ernest C. Hahn, age 80, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday morning, Nov. 29, 2011, at Borgess Medical center in Kalamazoo. He was born Nov. 9, 1931, in Sturgis, a son of the late Clarence and Maize (Dunker) Hahn. Ernie was a lifelong resident of Sturgis. On May 27, 1956, he married Sarah Hildebrand in Colon. In 1995, he retired from …

Janet Elizabeth Douglas, age 86, of Sturgis, passed away, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. Janet was born April 21, 1925, in Sturgis, a daughter to the late Sterling and Helen (Loetz) Winings. Janet graduated from J.W. Sexton High School in Lansing and furthered her education at Western Michigan University, receiving a bachelor of arts degree. …

Barbara Louise Hochberger, age 82, of Three Rivers, formerly of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, passed away on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at the Heartland Health Care Center. She was born on Jan. 8, 1929 in Chicago, IL., the daughter of Carl and Barbara (Kurz) Anderson. On June 25, 1949, she was united in marriage to Mr. James A. Hochberger, in Chicago, …

Mary Jo Kauffman, age 62, of Colon, passed away Monday, Nov. 28, 2011, at her home, from injuries received in a house fire. Mary was born Oct. 10, 1949, in Battle Creek a daughter of the late Arno and Wilma (Irish) McClish. Mary had lived at her present address since 1976, coming from Sturgis. She graduated from Colon High School …

Robert Harold “Bob” Jones, age 87 of Mendon, died Monday Nov. 28, 2011 at his daughter’s home in White Pigeon. Bob was born in Mendon on Sep. 30, 1924 the son of Harold and Lillian (Warkentine) Jones. He graduated from Mendon High School in 1942 and attended the University of Michigan before enlisting in the Army Air Corps. Bob was …

Bervin E. Roe, 92, of White Pigeon, died Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis, after an extended illness. He was born July 26, 1919, in Mishawaka, Ind., a son of Brant E. and Margarie (Hecklebower) Roe. He had lived in the Stone Lake area early in life, and White Pigeon most of his life. On Nov. 3, …

Buddy Lee Brunner, 84 of Three Rivers, died Monday, November 28, 2011 at his home, after a brief illness. He was born the son of Jay and Ethel (Kline) Brunner on June 7, 1927 in Flowerfield Township. Buddy proudly served in the United States Army from 1945 – 1947 and was stationed in the South Pacific, specifically Hiroshima, Japan. He …

Pollyanna  (Hooton) Hensell, age 92, of Centreville,  died  Monday, November 28, 2011 at the Heartland Health Care Center in Three Rivers. She was born in New Carlisle, IN on October 14, 1919,  the daughter of William and Kate (Norris) Hooton. Polly graduated from New Carlisle High School in 1937. On November 16, 1940 she married Harold A. Hensell in South Bend, …