Obituaries

Mildred E. (Midge) Bender, age 89, Centreville, passed away Monday, March 28, 2011 at her home.   She was born Jan. 6, 1922 in South Bend, IN, a daughter of Basil and Mildred (Allen) Boss, Sr.   Midge graduated from S. Bend Riley High School in 1940. She then attended Ball State University for 2 years.   Midge was very proud of her …

Vivian Elaine (Galbreath) Stefaniak, age 76, of Sturgis, passed away Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011, at the Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital in Sarasota, Fla. She was born March 1, 1934, in Three Rivers, a daughter of the late Victor and Sadie (Watson) Galbreath. Vivian had resided at Kline’s Resort in Three Rivers and wintered at Piney Point Resort, Palmetto, Fla., since 2001. …

Marjorie Nichols, 77, of Centreville, passed away at 7:20 p.m. March 24, 2011, at Sturgis Hospital after an extended illness. She was born Dec. 18, 1933, in Hamlet, Ind., a daughter to Harrison Gibson and Martha Arnett. She was married Oct. 29, 1950, to Howard Nichols in South Bend, Ind. He preceded her in death Dec. 24, 2000. She was …

James D. Sharnas, 72, of Sturgis, passed away early Sunday morning, March 27, 2011, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. He was born May 5, 1938, in Wickliffe, Ohio, a son of the late John and Florence (Pershing) Sharnas. Jim had resided in Sturgis since 1982, coming from the Detroit area, and his early life was spent in Cleveland. On …

Kenneth Mearl Dillivan, 97, of Burr Oak, passed away early Thursday morning March 24, 2011, at the Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He was born Nov. 30, 1913, in Wilbaux, Mont., a son of the late Albert Irving and Edith Loraine (Keckler) Dillivan. Mr. Dillivan had resided in the Sturgis and Burr Oak area since 1926 and was a graduate …

Theodore F. “Ted” Renner, age 78, of Schoolcraft, died Wednesday March 23, 2011 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. He was born near Scotts, MI on July 2, 1932 the son of Theodore C. and Amanda M. (Marshall) Renner and has been a lifetime resident of this area. Ted worked in general construction and had been employed by Schoolcraft Foundry, …

James E. Martin, age 67, of Three Rivers, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 21, 2011 at his home surrounded by family. He was born on Oct. 6, 1943 in Pontiac, MI., the son of James H. and Dora (Knapp) Martin. Mr. Martin served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps prior to Vietnam. James was a member of the …

Frieda E. Davenport, age 87, of Three Rivers, MI., passed away at her home Tuesday, March 22, 2011. She was born on September 25, 1923 in Moorestown, MI., the daughter of Frank J. and Edna Viola (VanTiyl) Belknap. Mrs. Davenport has been a long time resident of Three Rivers. She was very active in the St. Joseph County C.O.A. and …

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 …