Obituaries

Donald R. Tiedeman, age 93, of Cumming, Ga., and a former Sturgis resident, passed away peacefully on Good Friday, April 22, 2011. He was born Nov. 18, 1917, in Swartz Creek. Mr. Tiedeman was a loving husband and father. He was a member of the Episcopal Church and active for many years at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Sturgis, a …

June Louise Koehl (Ware), age 87, passed away March 10, 2011, at the TenderCare Nursing Home in Kalamazoo. June was born June 5, 1923, in Sturgis, to Ernest “Slim” and Elsie Louise Ware. She was raised in the Sturgis area and graduated in 1940 from Sturgis High School. June married her high school sweetheart William (Bill) Koehl on April 11, …

Tom Allyn Roellchen, 76, of Mendon, passed away April 27, 2011, after a four-year battle with health problems. Tom was born to Edward and Cleo Roellchen of Vininnes, Ind., on June 13, 1934. His parents preceded him in death, along with one brother, Phillip C. Roellchen. He graduated Indiana University’s School of Business in 1958. After working for several companies, …

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 …