Obituaries

Rita J. Brandys, age 67, of Wellston, and formerly of Centreville, passed away Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009, at the Three Rivers Area Hospital Emergency Room. Rita was born Sept. 24, 1942, in Colon a daughter to the late Wilfred M. and Patience M. (Sprowl) Wing. Rita grew up in Colon, graduating from Colon High School with the Class of 1960. …

Emily S. Bates, age 96, of Three Rivers, died  Friday, December 11th, 2009 at the Riverview Manor Nursing Home in Three Rivers. She was born in Roanoke, IL on March 27, 1913,  a daughter of  Ludvig “Louis” and Sophie (Roehn) Noe. On August 29, 1943 she married Emery Bates. He preceded her in death December 28, 1987.  Emily worked at …

Gary Bryce Landess, age 74, of Colon, passed away Friday, Dec. 11, 2009, at the Heartland Health Care Center in Three Rivers. Gary was born May 20, 1935, in Chicago, a son to the late Bryce and Vera (Stackhouse) Landess. Gary grew up in Chicago where he graduated from Kelly High School. He had spent most of his adult life …

Dorothy Miller, 95, passed away Dec. 7, 2009, at Lacanto, Fla. She was a White Pigeon resident most of her life. She was a homemaker and enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping. She was born April 19, 1914, in Dowagiac. Dorothy was a 57-year life member of the American Legion Auxiliary, past president of Arthur Gouker Post 427, and the Fourth …

Betty Jean Derck, 83, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away Wednesday evening, Dec. 9, 2009, at the Sturgis Hospital Emergency Room. She was born May 10, 1926, in Sturgis, Mich., a daughter to the late Fred and Ida C. (Grant) Mandigo. Betty had lived nearly her whole life in the Sturgis and White Pigeon area and graduated from White Pigeon High …

Shirley Ann Wilkinson, age 77, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009. She was born Aug. 18, 1932, in Elkhart, Ind., a daughter to the late Ivan and Helen (Kunkel) Kunce. Shirley graduated from Sturgis High School and has been a resident of the Sturgis area most of her life except for a few years where she resided …

Dr. Charles W. “Chuck” O’Dell Jr., 64, of Battle Creek, died Dec. 10, 2009 at Battle Creek Health System. He was born Nov. 24, 1945, the son of Charles W. and Katherine M. (Bartling) O’Dell in Detroit. Chuck graduated from Three Rivers High School in 1963, the University of Michigan in 1967 and received his medical degree from the University …

Kevin Michael Glass, 19, of Three Rivers, passed away early Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009 at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, surrounded by his family. He was born in Three Rivers on Jan. 9, 1990 the son of John C. and Connie J. (LePert) Glass. Kevin graduated from Three Rivers High School with the class of 2008. He …

Irene Garton, 77, of Bourbonnais, Ill., passed away at Provena Heritage Village Dec. 7, 2009. She was born Oct. 28, 1932 in Muncie, Ind. the daughter of Joseph R. and Elizabeth Jane (Jackson) Harris. Irene met her soul mate and husband, Frank Garton, in 1950, while still in school, and they were married Jan. 7, 1956 at Muncie Southside Church …

Harold R. Henline, 84, of Three Rivers, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009 at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. He was born in Bellevue on Dec. 12, 1924 the son of Ralph and May (Cooley) Henline. His parents preceded him in death along with a brother, Dick Henline. Harold is survived by …