Obituaries

Ernest “Ernie” Lincoln McClain, 81, of Three Rivers, passed away suddenly on Monday, May 2, 2011 at his home. He was born in Mendon on Dec. 24, 1929 the son of Rob and Martha (Rench) McClain. Ernie has been a resident of Three Rivers since 1966. He was employed as a truck driver for CM&E Steel, also hauled peat moss …

Etta Smith, age 80, of Mendon, died Tuesday, May 3, 2011, at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, where she had been a patient for three days.   She was born July 22, 1930, in Barto, W. Va., a daughter of Orrin and Mae (Van Devander) Ober. On May 1, 1952, she married Arlie Smith in West Virginia. They resided briefly …

Joshua Daniel Parsons, age 33, of Colon, passed away unexpectedly Monday, May 2, 2011, at his home.   Josh was born July 19, 1977, in Coldwater, a son to Dan and Linda (Plushnik) Parsons.   Josh grew up in the Leonidas area and graduated from Colon High School with the Class of 1995.   On July 18, 2009, he married …

Mary Lucille Butchbaker, age 96, of Marcellus, died April 30, 2011 at Meadowview Estates Assisted Living.  Visitation will be at Mater Funeral Home in Marcellus this Thursday from 5 to 8pm and on Friday from 10am until the time of service at 11am.  Memorials may be directed to Wakelee United Methodist Church or Marcellus Ambulance Service or Cass County Council …

Emma Jeanette (Garlets) Pagels, age 81, of Sturgis, went to be with her Lord on Sunday, May 1, 2011 at Thurston Woods Village. She was born July 31, 1929, to Harry L. and Ruby O. (Boyd) Garlets in South Bend, Ind. On Aug. 23, 1953, Emma married Norman F. Pagels at the United Methodist Church in Mongo, Ind. Emma graduated …

Tracey Lynn Jones,  age 37, of Three Rivers, passed away Thursday morning in Grand Rapids from injuries sustained in a vehicular accident. She was born in Ann Arbor, MI on December 1, 1973,  a daughter of  Leonard and Bonnie (Greenamyer) Jones. Tracey graduated from Jackson Northwest High School in 1992. She worked as a truck driver at Kwik Trip Express …

Shirley Ann Poortenga, age 66, of Colon, passed away Thursday evening, April 28, 2011, at Sturgis Hospital. Shirley was born May 25, 1944, in Danville, Ill., a daughter of the late Jacob and Esther (Witvoet) Kuipers. On Sept. 22, 1961, she married Alvin J. Poortenga in Chicago Heights, Ill. She had made her home in Colon on Long Lake, since …

Charley M. Hartman, 87, of Jones, passed away Tuesday evening, April 26, 2011 in Three Rivers Health following a short illness. Charley was born May 11, 1923 at Leesburg, Mich. the son of Charles J. and Hazel M. (Wahl) Hartman. On April 11, 1953 at Sturgis he married Wava M. Troeger who survives. He had been a resident of Newberg …

Marlene M. Reynolds, age 68, of Sturgis, passed away Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at home, surrounded by her loving family. She was born Feb. 8, 1943, in Sturgis, a daughter of Stan and Alice (Sikorski) Killian. On May 25, 1962, she married Mr. Leon Reynolds, and out of this union were born three children, a son, Scott (Jodie) Reynolds of …

Jeane Evelyn Hart, age 87, of Sturgis, passed away Monday, April 25, 2011, at Thurston Woods Village. She was born Sept. 27, 1923, in Kalamazoo, a daughter to the late Harry E. and Catherine I. (Kuhns) Eberhard. Jeane had been a resident of Sturgis most of her life and on Feb. 26, 1944, in Sturgis she married Neal I. Hart. …