Obituaries

Doris  Watson, age 92, of Constantine, passed away Saturday, August 27th, 2011 at the Bowman House in Three Rivers. Doris was born in Three Rivers, on January 18, 1919,  a daughter of William and Fern (Lucas) Krull. She graduated from Three Rivers High School in 1937. On November 22, 1959 she married Olan Watson in Goshen, IN. He preceded her …

David John Case, 65, of Colon, passed away unexpectedly Thursday, August 25, 2011, at his home. John was born July 11, 1946, in Sturgis, a son of David James and Blanch Helen (Kusack) Case. John had lived most of his life at his present address, and had attended Colon schools. On Oct. 9, 1965, he married Sally Hawver in Sturgis. …

Kenneth R. Johnson, age 75, of Sturgis, passed away Wednesday morning, Aug. 24, 2011, at Sturgis Hospital. He was born March 14, 1936, in Ann Arbor, a son of the late Raymond and Mary Alice (Raver) Johnson. Mr. Johnson had resided in Sturgis most of his life. On July 18, 1958, he married Virgie Westra at Church of God in LaGrange, …

Winifred B. Grice, 96, of Sturgis, passed away early Wednesday morning, Aug. 24, 2011, at Sturgis Hospital, following a short illness. She was born Feb. 13, 1915, in LaGrange County, Ind., a daughter of the late Morton and Lillian (Stetson) Burkhead. Mrs. Grice had resided in Sturgis since 2000, coming from Edwardsburg, where she had lived for several years. Her …

James Thomas Erdos, 49, of Schoolcraft, went to be with the Lord unexpectedly Monday evening, Aug. 22, 2011. James was born on Oct. 10, 1961 in Three Rivers the son of Steve and Ruth (Walton) Erdos. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Schoolcraft. He worked as a detailer for Wheat Auto Body and Paint in Three …

After a long, wonderful life of 88 years, Jean (Cone) Tozer left to be with her Lord and Savior in Heaven on Aug. 19, 2011. She was born March 11, 1923, in Detroit, to Chester and Augusta (Havens) Cone. She graduated from Sturgis High School in 1940. Jean and her twin sister, June, joined the Women Marines in June 1943 and was …

LeRoy E. “Corky” Diekman Jr., age 59, of Elkhart, Ind., passed away unexpectedly Friday Aug. 19, 2011, at his home. He was born Jan. 6, 1952, in Sturgis, a son of the late LeRoy Edward and Pauline Marie (Mann) Diekman. LeRoy had resided in Elkhart since the age of 18. His earlier life was lived in Centreville, and he was …

Paulette S. Moore, age 64, of Sturgis, and formerly of Colon, passed away, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2011, at the Sturgis Hospital emergency room. Paulette was born Oct. 24, 1946, in Oakland, Calif., a daughter to the late Myron Grant Parks and Dorothy (Smith) Thatcher. Paulette had lived most all of her life in the Colon and Sturgis area and had …

Joan Edith Dalman, age 84, of Sturgis, passed away early Friday afternoon, Aug. 19, 2011, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. She was born Sept. 17, 1926, in Sturgis, a daughter of the late Earnest and Frieda (Holtz) Houck. Joan was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1944. On April 28, …

Edward J. “Ed” Welch, age 87, of Sturgis, and formerly of Griffith, Ind., passed away Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011. Ed was the founder of Welch’s Stop-N-Shop in Griffith and St. John. He was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus Council, and the Griffith VFW. He a former member of the Griffith Chamber of Commerce and the Griffith …