Obituaries

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, …

Norma Ann Gold, 83, of Elkhart, Ind., died Tuesday, March 15, 2011, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka, Ind. She was born in Elkhart, the oldest daughter of William and Clara (Dunafin) Berry, on Jan. 26, 1928. On Nov. 3, 1959, she married John W. Gold. He preceded her in death Jan. 19, 1986. She is survived by …

Pauline Fay “Polly” Melchi of Sturgis passed away early Wednesday morning, March 16, 2011, at her home. She was born in Burr Oak,, a daughter of the late Charles Ray and Viola Waive (Reading) Scupholm. Pauline had resided in the Sturgis and Burr Oak area her whole life. She married Eugene Howard Melchi in Hopkinsville, Ky. He died April 25, …

Marilyn M. (Mecklenburg) Kelso, age 86, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 3, 2011. She was born on Aug. 7, 1924, in Sturgis, Mich., and has lived in the Madison area for more than 72 years. Marilyn is survived by her three loving sons, Tim (Lisa), Thomas (Rose) and Robert (Linda); and six grandchildren, Ann, Thomas Jr., Kelly (Brad), Shaun …

Diane Kay Stringfellow, 66, died Monday, March 14, 2011, at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. She was born Sept. 1, 1944, in Goshen, Ind., to the late Robert H. and Dorothy (Raymer) Stringfellow. She is survived by a daughter, Erin (Bill) Clewell, Constantine, Mich.; four grandchildren, Billy, Jenny, Shanon, and Brandi Clewell; a great-granddaughter, Camilla Clewell; and a nephew, Randall …

Carol Ann Karp, 55, of Sturgis, died at 7:40 p.m. Saturday, March 12, 2011, at her home. She was born May 15, 1955, in Alma to Darwin and Nannie (Hale) Bordine. On Aug. 15, 2009, she married Randy A. Karp. He survives, along with two daughters, Delta Haley of Arizona and Misty Rogers of Sturgis; a stepdaughter, April Long of …

Karen K. Hines, 50, of Marcellus, passed away Friday afternoon, March 11, 2011 in Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo, following several months illness. She was born Jan. 27, 1961 in Vicksburg the daughter of Edward L. and Phyllis M. (Hanes) Hines. She was formerly employed at Command Electronics Inc. near Schoolcraft. She enjoyed horses and ceramics. Surviving are her mother, Phyllis …

Janice Marie (Knaak) Johnson, age 71, of Mendon, died peacefully on Friday March 11, 2011, surrounded by her family. She was born on May 29, 1939, in Schoolcraft. In her younger years, Jan worked as a dental hygiene assistant and was the assistant supervisor in the accounting department at Alberto Culver in Chicago. In her later years she obtained her …

Margaret M. (Parker) White, 91, was born on Feb. 16, 1920 in St. Louis, Mo. to the union of the late Mr. Louis Parker and Harriet Beasley. They moved to Three Rivers in 1956. To this marriage three children were born: Henrietta Shannon of Mishawaka, Ind., Charlie Mae Copley of South Bend, Ind., and Margaret White of Three Rivers. Margaret …