Obituaries

George Morse, age 87, of Sturgis, passed away on March 21, 2011, at home with his family at his side. He was born Sept. 22, 1923, in Grand Rapids, a son of the late William and Leona (Keech) Morse. George lived most of his life in Grand Rapids, coming to Sturgis in 1992. On July 18, 1942, he married Thelma …

Alice J. Timm, 59, of Three Rivers, passed away suddenly Monday afternoon, March 21, 2011 in Three Rivers Health. She was born Nov. 11, 1951, the daughter of William A. and Hazel J. (Chittwood) Warmack in Carlinville, Ill. On June 13, 1970 in Three Rivers, she married Paul A. Timm, who preceded her in death on Aug. 9, 2003. Most …

Wilbert D. “Web” Carlson was born near Knox, Indiana on May 18, 1921 to Edith M. Anderson and Carl Enoch Carlson, and died March 19, 2011 at Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo, as result of a stroke.  Web grew up on a farm in Knox, Indiana with his parents and four siblings– Ernie, Jeannette, Lucille and Lavern.  He was industrious at …

Elizabeth Marie Sears, 25, North Old Madisonville Road, Crofton, Ky., died Friday, March 18, 2011, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., from complications of injuries suffered in an automobile accident on March 10, 2011, in Christian County, Ky. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Hughart & Beard Funeral Home in Crofton, conducted by the Rev. Barry Smith, with burial …

Alberta Mae Babcock, age 75, of Huntsville, AL, died Sunday March 20, 2011 at Millenium Health Care in Huntsville. Alberta was the widow of Theodore “Ted” Babcock, formerly of Constantine. For the past 33 years Alberta has lived in Huntsville where she worked as a Registered Nurse at Huntsville Hospital. She was an active member of St. Charles Anglican Church, …

Francis A. “Fran” Lamb, 82, of Jones, died Thursday, March 17, 2011 in Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo. He was born Aug. 29, 1928 in Kalamazoo to Otis and Anna (Maas) Lamb. He married Millie Seager in Indiana on Aug. 8, 1950. She survives. He was a loving husband and a wonderful father and grandfather. He greatly enjoyed his hobbies of …

Joanne Mae Brown Sadewasser, 83, of Indian Head, MD and formerly of Centreville, MI, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 16 at the Civista Medical Center in LaPlata, MD.Born July 3, 1927, in the family home in Centreville, delivered by her Grandmother Brown, she was the daughter of John “Jake” Brown and Lenore Marion Schrader Brown. Mrs. Sadewasser graduated from …

Fred E. Shank Sr., age 79, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away Thursday morning, March 17, 2011, at Sturgis Hospital. He was born Dec. 2, 1931, in Coldwater, Mich., a son of the late Stanley S. and Esther (Carver) Shank. Fred was a longtime Sturgis resident and had attended schools in Coldwater, Freemont, Ind., and Muskegon. On Dec. 6, 1952, he …

Geraldine May “Jerry” Decker, age 78, of Vicksburg, died Wednesday March 16, 2011, at her home following a three-month illness. She was born in Fulton on May 13, 1932, the daughter of Gerald and Fay (Waits) Spealman and has been a lifetime resident of this area. She graduated from Athens High School with the Class of 1949. Jerry was married …

Helmut N. ‘Bill’ Franz, age 70, of Burr Oak, Mich., passed away unexpectedly early Thursday evening, March 17, 2011, at his home. He was born Feb. 9, 1941, in Montau, West Prussia, a son of the late Walter and Kate (Kliewer) Franz. Bill had resided in Burr Oak for the past 44 ½ years coming from Sturgis. On Oct. 1, …