Obituaries

Gertrude Jane “Trudy” Dury, age 77, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away early Sunday morning, Jan. 31, 2010, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis following a five-month illness. She was born Nov. 13, 1932, in Detroit, Mich., a daughter to the late Charles and Lucille (Baer) Richards. Trudy had resided in Sturgis since 1953. Her early life was spent in Montpelier, Ohio …

Bertha H. Monroe, age 92, of Sturgis, passed away late Saturday evening, Jan. 30, 2010, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. She was born May 15, 1917, in Jonesville, Mich., a daughter to the late William H. and Daisy (Kint) Monroe. Bertha had resided in the Sturgis and Coldwater area most of her life. She had worked at Arch Workshop …

Paula Faye Bickel, 72, of Mendon, died Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010 at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. She was born at the family home in Lake City on Jan. 31, 1937 one of 12 children born to Hallett H. and Hazel M. (Sheldon) Bickel. Paula was a 1955 graduate of Lake City High School, and later worked for the Lake …

Paula Faye Bickel, age 72 of Mendon, died Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010 at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. She was born at the family home in Lake City, MI on Jan. 31, 1937 one of 12 children born to Hallett H. and Hazel M. (Sheldon) Bickel. Paula was a 1955 graduate of Lake City High School, and later worked for …

Dorothy Lucille Dechow, 84, of Three Rivers, passed away Tuesday, January 26th at Borgess Medical Center. Arrangements are pending at the Hohner Funeral Home.

Lois Jean (Jeanne) Snodgrass, age 79, of Jones, MI. formerly of Elkhart and Clinton, IN., passed away on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010 following a lengthy illness. She was born on July 24, 1930 in Clinton, IN. the daughter of John and Doris Mae (Slaven) White. Jeanne graduated from Hillsdale High School, IN. and later received her B.A. and Masters at …

Amos S. “Musik” Schwartz, 90, of Burr Oak, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010, at his home. He was born Oct. 6, 1919, in Berne, Ind., a son of the late Samuel and Effie Mae (Eicher) Schwartz. Musik had resided in the Burr Oak area most of his life. Before coming to Burr Oak, he had resided in Berne, Ind., and …

Beverly H. Burmeister, 85, formerly of Sturgis, passed away in Tucson, Ariz., on Jan. 25, 2010. She is survived by children Kristin (Craig) Adryan of San Francisco, Karolyn (Ron) Bedgood of Tucson, Arthur (Linda) of Boulder, Colo., Barbara (Barry) Rovner of Tucson, Louis T., Tucson, and Bob (Melita) of Orlando, Fla.; grandchildren Alyssa, Denise, Tommy, Timmy, Lindsay, Jeff and Megan; …

Rodney LeRoy Lafler, Sr., age 71, of Three Rivers, passed away Friday, January 22, 2010 at the Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. He was born in Centreville on October 15, 1938, a son of Elwood and Maxine (Schweitzer) Lafler. Surviving Rod are his wife Marilyn (Sweet Dailey) Lafler, daughter Kristine Hayden, son Rodney (Shawn) Lafler, Jr., all of Three Rivers, …

Kevin Jon Miller, 49, of Sturgis, passed away late Tuesday evening, Jan. 26, 2010, at the Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. He was born Nov. 1, 1960, in Sturgis, a son of the late Elmer Ray and Shirley Louise (Rowan) Miller. Kevin had lived his whole life in Sturgis, where he graduated from Sturgis High School with the class of …