Obituaries

Mark Douglas Bickel, age 53, found peace and comfort in the hands of the Lord on Wednesday, October 13, 2010, following a tragic auto accident. Mark was born July 13, 1957 in Three Rivers, Mi., the son of Richard Bickel and Carroll Forreider. Mark graduated from Mishawaka High School. He has been a resident of Pontiac, MI. for the last …

Charlotte Boelens, age 102, of Three Rivers, formerly of Lansing, IL. passed away on Sunday, Oct. 10, 2010 at her home which she maintained unassisted until her passing. She was born on June 24, 1908 in Grand Rapids, MI. the daughter of the late Rev. Frank and Celia (Top) Doezema. Charlotte was also preceded in death by her husband, Dr. …

THOMAS A. FAIRCHILD, age 93, of Sturgis, Michigan passed away Thursday morning October 14, 2010 at his home with his family at his side. He was born August 2, 1917 in Chicago, Illinois a son of the late Albert H. and Catherine (Murphy) Fairchild. Tom resided in Sturgis since 1985 coming from Pennsylvania. On December 31, 1939 he married Dorothy …

JEFFREY ALAN MESSER, age 46, of Sturgis, Michigan passed away early Tuesday morning October 12, 2010 at his home. He was born September 16, 1964 in Sturgis, Michigan a son of Rosco and Joy (Kuhlman) Messer. Jeff was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1983. He enjoyed NASCAR, music, working on …

MELISSA A. (SMITH) NORDBY, age 46, of Mendon, Michigan, passed away unexpectedly early Tuesday morning October 12, 2010 at her home. She was born December 12, 1963 in San Angelo, Texas a daughter of Leonard and Alma (Meade) Smith. Melissa had resided in the Sturgis and Mendon area for the past 13 years coming from Texas. She had been employed …

Pauline Gray, age 80, Constantine, passed away Monday, Oct. 11, 2010, at Fairview Nursing and Rehabilitation Community in Centreville. She was born Jan. 2, 1930, in Brilliant, Ohio, on a daughter of William and Agnes (Givens) Gray. Pauline worked as a seamstress at Denton Mills in Centreville. Surviving are her sisters, Glendora Shuey of Burr Oak and Audrey Long of …

Julie Ann (Warner) Stump, 66, of Sturgis, passed away peacefully Tuesday Morning, Oct. 12, 2010, at Thurston Woods Village. She was born Sept. 2, 1944, in Thomasville, N.C., a daughter of the late Walter and Virginia (Beck) Warner. Julia graduated from Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C., with a degree in elementary education and taught school for many years before her …

GREGORY LEE SMITH, age 49, of Sturgis, Michigan passed unexpectedly Saturday October 9, 2010 at his home. He was born October 21, 1960 in Coldwater, Michigan a son of Robert and Betty (Cornish) Smith. He had resided in Sturgis for the past 20 years. Prior to coming to Sturgis Greg had lived in Coldwater where he graduated of Coldwater High …

Vivian May Pritchard, 78, of Three Rivers, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010 at her home surrounded by her family. She was born in Milwaukee, Wis., on May 22, 1932 the daughter of Manard and Leona (Reece) Ewert. Vivian has been a long time resident of Three Rivers. She was employed as the village clerk and administrator for Mendon …

Richard Duane Atkinson, 83, of rural Three Rivers, died Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010 at his home. He was born in Constantine on Nov. 22, 1926 the son of Ward and Edith (Forreider) Atkinson. He was a 1945 graduate of Three Rivers High School before joining the U.S. Army and serving in Germany and France. After WWII he returned to Three …