Obituaries

Norma Lee Martin, 61, of Three Rivers, passed away on Monday, Dec. 6, 2010 at her home. She was born in Broadhead, Ky. on May 22, 1949 the daughter of Robert Jefferson and Myrtle (Taylor) McKinney. Norma moved from Jamestown, Ind. to Three Rivers in 1987. She spent time waitressing and also was employed at American Axle and Manufacturing in …

Theresa L. Young, 50, of Vandalia, died Monday, Dec. 6, 2010 at her home following a short illness. She was born on June 25, 1960 in Lake County, Ill., to Anthony and Adell (Johnson) Derucki. She was a resident of the Vandalia area coming from Marcellus and Schoolcraft. She was married to Randy D. Young on Aug. 14, 1976 at …

Robert “Bob” Alton Rice, 91, of Three Rivers, died Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010 at Heartland Health Care Center in Three Rivers. He was born to the late Harry Floyd Rice and Eula Griffith Rice, on Dec. 1, 1919, in Kalamazoo. He married Anne Elizabeth Wray-McCann in 1946, having met her in the United Kingdom during World War II. Bob enlisted …

Juanita “Shorty” June (nee: Hays) Abel, 85, of Three Rivers, passed away on Monday, Dec. 6, 2010 at Three Rivers Health Respite Suites. She was born in Sturgis on Dec. 24, 1924 the daughter of Edgar and Jessie (Quick) Hays. Mrs. Abel has been a life long resident of this area. She performed tap dance for the troops at Fort …

Russell J. VanVorst, age 78, of Eaton Rapids, passed away Dec. 4, 2010, in Charlotte. He was born April 11, 1932, in Colon, a son of Clyde and Marie (Hackett) VanVorst. Russell graduated from Colon High School in 1950. He was a Korean War veteran serving in the United States Army. He retired from the State of Michigan in 1985. …

Dena Kay Upp, age 62, of Grand Haven, passed away Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010, at Heart Wood Hospice in Spring Lake. Dena was born Sept. 25, 1948, in Coldwater, a daughter of Darrel L. and Ruth M. (Smith) Upp. Dena grew up on her family farm in rural Sherwood, moving to Grand Haven in 1971. She had worked for 15 …

Deo C. Miller, age 88, of Sherwood, passed away Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010, in Coldwater. Deo was born March 9, 1922, in Matteson Township, a son of the late Ray and Edna (Farrand) Miller. He had lived all of his life in the rural Sherwood area, graduating from Sherwood High School with the class of 1939. On June 4, 1949, …

John Paul Jones, 84, of Sturgis, Mich., died Dec. 4, 2010, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis following a six-month illness. He was born July 15, 1926, in Wabash, Ind., a son to Osmond Paul and Inez (Estes Miles) Jones. He was a graduate of Fort Wayne High School and attended Purdue University and was a member of the U.S. Army …

Vicki Lynn (Yoder) Boyle, age 56, of Burr Oak, Michigan passed away Thursday evening December 2, 2010 at the Community Health Center of Branch County in Coldwater, Michigan. She was born April 28, 1954 in Sturgis, Michigan the only daughter of William and Freida (Casner) Yoder. Vicki’s early life was lived in Burr Oak and she graduated from Burr Oak …

Janet Mae Lucas, age 60, Constantine, passed away Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at her home, surrounded by her loving family. She was born Aug. 7, 1950, in Highland Park, a daughter of Gordon and Betty (Anderson) Ferguson. Janet attended Watervliet High School, and later graduated from Constantine Public Schools. On July 15, 1967, she married Daniel J. Lucas in Benton …