Obituaries

Jane Haas, age 91, of Mendon, died Saturday Feb. 19, 2011 at her home following a long illness. She was born in Mendon on May 9, 1919 the daughter of Carl and Florence (White) Heiney and was a lifetime resident of Mendon. She graduated from Mendon High School with the class of 1938. Jane was married to Terrence “Ted” Haas …

John R. Christensen, 86 of Dade City, Fla., formerly of Sturgis, passed away Feb. 4, 2011. He was born Aug. 5, 1925, a son of Fred and Eva (Owen) Christensen. On Oct. 15, 1946, he married Retha B. Perrin. She died Sept. 9, 1994. In 1996, he married Grace who survives in Dade City. He was a veteran of the …

Howard Eugene Bennett, 78, of White Pigeon, died Feb. 17, 2011, at his home of natural causes. He was born May 1, 1932, at Long Lake in Cass County, to Clem and Bessie (Newman) Bennett. He had resided in Florence Township, White Pigeon, since 1938 and was a farmer for many years. He operated the Moonlight Restaurant, was a White Pigeon …

Michael B. Yaros, 83, of Sturgis, passed away Thursday afternoon, Feb. 17, 2011, at his home. He was born May 9, 1927, in Gary, Ind., a son of the late Mike and Marie (Grantz) Yaros. Mr. Yaros had resided in Sturgis since 1972 coming from Muskegon where he graduated from Muskegon High School with the class of 1945. After serving …

Paul R. Pridgeon,age 71, of Sturgis, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011, at the Courtyard Healthcare Center in Goshen, Ind. He was born March 7, 1939, in Fairfax, a son of the late Ernest and Josephine (Roberts) Pridgeon. On Sept. 2, 1985, at the First Presbyterian Church in Sturgis, he married M.Jane (Bashor) …

Wilbur R. Coffey, age 73, of Cocoa, Fla., passed away Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011. Wilbur was born Aug. 23, 1937, in Benton Harbor. He retired after 35 years from the Sturgis Foundry in Sturgis. He was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church of Sturgis. Wilbur loved to play golf and was an avid Bowler for many years in both …

Willis R. Dyehouse, 46, of Bronson, died Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo, following a short illness. There will be no visitation. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church in Sturgis, with the Rev. Jim Bender officiating. Burial will take place at a later date. Arrangements were by Farrand Funeral Home in White …

Ernest Robert Graham, age 94, of Three Rivers, MI. passed away on Friday, Feb. 11, 2011 at the Heartland Health Care Center. He was born July 28, 1916 in St. Louis, MO., the oldest of six children born to Ernest W. and Lillie Mae (Logan) Graham. Ernest graduated from Tilden Technical High School and also Chicago Technical College and attended …

Mary Elizabeth (Francisco) Borger, age 93, of Three Rivers, died Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011 in her home. She was born June 20, 1917 in Fort Wayne, the daughter of James and Anna (Green) Francisco. In her youth, Mary played on the girls’ basketball team, relished in spending her days at her grandparents’ farm where she particularly enjoyed horseback riding, and …

Lois A. Hassenger, age 76, of Three Rivers, passed away Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. She was born April 7, 1934, in Columbia City, Ind., a daughter of Ralph and Lura (Kneller) Smith. Lois attended Centreville and Three Rivers schools. On Sept. 2, 1950, she married Stanley Hassenger at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Three …