Obituaries

Philip George King or “Flip” a loving son, brother, uncle, great uncle and friend, was born Feb. 23, 1962, in Sturgis, and passed away in Jan. 1, 2010 in St. Joseph. Philip was the “Michael Jackson” of the family. He was exotic, unpredictable, and humorous with a “twist.” He was also very intelligent, talented and good- natured. Philip grew up …

Florence E. Hostetler, age 81, of Elkhart, Ind. died Dec. 31, 2009, at Elkhart General Hospital. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Friday at Walley-Mills-Zimmerman Funeral Home, Elkhart, and from 10-11 a.m. Saturday at California Road Missionary Church, Elkhart. proceeding the 11 a.m. funeral service. Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Colon Lakeside Cemetery in Colon.

Phonethip  Mounsithiraj, age 41, of Centreville, passed away Monday, January 4th, 2010 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. He was born in Vientiene, Laos on October 28, 1968,  a son of  Theuang and DamDouane (Laungrath) Mounsithiraj. In 1980 Phonethip and his family moved to Centreville and he later graduated from Centreville High School in 1987. While in high school he participated in …

Marcella E. (Wing) Miller, age 89 of Plainwell and formerly of Mendon, died Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010 at the Plainwell Pines Nursing Facility where she was a patient for one month. She was born in Fulton, MI on Sep. 6, 1920 the daughter of Maurice Robert and Elma Annie (Shook) Wing. She attended Leonidas Elementary and later graduated from Colon …

Larry K. Tilbury, age 57 of Constantine, passed away Monday, December 28th, 2009 at his home following a brief illness. He was born in Three Rivers, on September 14, 1952, a son of Kent and Sue Ann (Barnhardt) Tilbury Sr. Larry graduated from Constantine High School in 1969 and served four years in the U.S. Air Force. Larry worked in …

Jay Pittenger, age 90 of Sturgis, Michigan passed away early Friday evening January 1, 2010 at his home. He was born October 16, 1919 in Manitou Beach, Michigan a son to the late Jay Ralph and Clara Belle (Heslet) Pittenger. Mr. Pittenger had resided in Sturgis since 1940 coming from Hudson, Michigan. On September 11, 1942 he married Lorene Dixon …

Lila Royer, age 66, of Burr Oak, Mich., passed away Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, in Cadillac, Mich. She was born Sept. 10, 1943, in Burr Oak, a daughter to Junior Gerald Summey and Laura Louise Milliman. Lila lived nearly her entire life in Burr Oak and was a graduate of Burr Oak High School with the Class of 1962. On …

Margaret Rambadt, age 94 of Sturgis, Michigan passed away Thursday morning December 31, 2009 at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. She was born December 6, 1915 in Kalamazoo, Michigan a daughter to the late Floyd and Etta (Baker) Chapman. Margaret had resided nearly her entire life in Sturgis. On May 19, 1934 she married Edmond Rambadt in LaGrange, Indiana. He died …

Bryan Shelly, 17, of Marcellus, succumbed to hidden depression early Sunday morning, Dec. 27, 2009. A senior at Marcellus High School, “Byron” was an excellent student, co-captain of varsity soccer and basketball teams, and a friend to all. He was a yearbook photographer, National Honor Society member, Spanish Honor Society president, and informal tutor. Surviving family includes his mother, Kim …

Jalaine R. Bacholl, age 61, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009, at Sturgis Hospital. She was born Dec. 2, 1948, in Grand Haven, Mich., a daughter to Raymond and Gertrude (DeCook) Vanderwal. Jalaine had been a resident of Sturgis since 2005, moving here from Angola, Ind. She was a homemaker and enjoyed crocheting, knitting, and was an …