Obituaries

James Russell Rice, age 77 of Sturgis, was unexpectedly called home by his Lord and Savior early Tuesday morning, April 12, 2011 at his home. He was born Oct. 31, 1933, at the family farm on Fawn River Road in Sturgis, to the late Russell J. and Marguerite (Lockwood) Rice. Jim was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of …

Alan I. Saxman, 83, of Springfield, died Sunday, April 10, 2011, at his home. Alan was born May 8, 1927, in Leonidas, a son of Wesley I. and Mabel E. (Troy) Saxman. He had been an area resident since 1948, coming from Leonidas, and was a graduate of Colon High School. He was a veteran serving in the U.S. Navy …

Frances L. (Wolgamood) (Mercer) Rohrbacher, age 65, of Catawba, NC  (formerly of Constantine), passed away Wednesday, April 6th, 2011 at her home following a long battle with cancer.  She was born in Three Rivers on September 1, 1945,  the daughter of  Bob and Dorothy (Hull) Wolgamood.  Frances graduated from Constantine High School in 1963 where she had been a cheerleader. …

Rachel Maxine Goble, age 83, of Portage and formerly of Mendon, died Sunday April 10, 2011 at Rose Arbor Hospice. She was born in Kalamazoo on May 24, 1927 the daughter of Edward and Elizabeth (Haas) Flach. She attended the North Star Country School and graduated from Mendon High School with the class of 1945. She was married to Levern …

Blaine Alvin Rabbers, age 86, of Three Rivers, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by family on Tuesday, April 5, 2011. He was born on May 5, 1924 in Kalamazoo, MI. the son of Oscar A. and Nellie H. (Jones) Rabbers. Blaine attended Western Michigan University and the University of Michigan, where he received a degree in engineering. He …

Gary R. Burch, Jr., age 47, of Constantine, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at his home. He was born in Indiana on September 11, 1963, a son of  Gary and Mary (Reynolds) Burch. He graduated from Copperas Cove High in  Copperas Cove, TX.  On May 29, 2004 he married Natasha Williams in Constantine.  Gary worked as a …

William “Biggie” Paul Schuler, age 60, of Sturgis, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, April 6, 2011, at his home. He was born June 15, 1950 in Sturgis, a son to William J. and Lois P. (Crosbie) Schuler. William had been a resident of Sturgis all his life. On Aug. 22, 1975, he married Phyllis Bowsher in Centreville. He was self-employed …

Doris Rae Armstrong, age 65, of White Pigeon, died Tuesday, April 5, 2011, at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, following a five-week illness. She was born Feb. 22, 1946, in Drift, Ky., a daughter of Roy and Rose (Kelso) Wright. Doris had been a resident of White Pigeon for 15 years, coming from Marcellus. She was the wife of Charles …

Dyana Lynn VanWagner, age 57, of Sturgis, passed away Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at Three Rivers Health Hospice after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born May 16, 1953, in Three Rivers, a daughter of William and Beatrice (Schrader) Price. Dyana graduated from Sturgis High School with the class of 1971 and resided in Sturgis around Omena Lake all …

Donna Bonfiglio, age 66, of McHenry, Ill., passed away Monday, Feb. 7, 2011, at Centegra Hospital surrounded by her loving family after a long illness. She was born June 19, 1944, to Guy and Lucy (Deluca) Bonfiglio in Sturgis Surviving are her son, Mathew Pring; sisters, Betty Kennedy and Teresa Johnson; and a very dear and loving friend and companion, …