Obituaries

Paul Stemen, age 78 of Sturgis, Michigan passed away Thursday November 5, 2009 at the Community Health Center of Branch County in Coldwater. He was born November 14, 1931 in LaGrange County, Indiana a son to the late Stanley and Mildred (Dunifin) Stemen. He had resided most of his life in the Sturgis and Bronson area and graduated from Bronson High …

Earl Wayne Cook, age 77, formerly of White Pigeon, died Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009 at Fairview Living Center where he had resided the past 2 years. He was born in Chicago, Il on Nov. 19, 1931 the son of Samuel and Harriet (Smith) Cook and attended schools in Chicago. Wayne served in the U.S. Army before moving to Saint Joseph …

Judy Ann Jones, age 66 of Sturgis, Michigan passed away Monday afternoon November 9, 2009 at her home following a battle with cancer. She was born December 25, 1942 in Sturgis a daughter to the late Delois and Betty Jane (Jordan) Lung. Judy resided nearly her whole life in Sturgis with the exception of 16 years when she lived in Colon. …

Keriann McLain, 19, of Three Rivers, passed away Wednesday morning, November 4, 2009. Keriann was born November 19, 1989 in Kalamazoo the daughter of Patrick and Wilma (Doornbos) McLain. She was a graduate of Centreville High School and was employed at Pizza Hut in Three Rivers. Keriann loved God; and lived life to the fullest. She also enjoyed spending time …

Lyle Richard Merritt, age 95, of Constantine, passed away Friday, November 6th, 2009 at the Heartland Health Care Center in Three Rivers. He was born in Constantine on December 28, 1913, a son of Frank and Inez (Sawyer) Merritt. He attended school in Constantine. On May 28, 1938 he married Evelyn Maynard in Benton Harbor, she preceded him in death …

Edward Thomas Johnson, 84, of Okeechobee, Fla., died Monday, Nov. 2, 2009 in the Hamrick Home. Born July 30, 1925 in Saginaw, he graduated from Saginaw High School in 1943, Hillsdale College in 1951 and Western Michigan University in 1964. Edward proudly served in World War II Infantry as a Staff Sergeant and was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious …

Brian Scott Wise, age 42, a talented woodworker of Three Rivers, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, at his home. He was born April 17, 1966, in Detroit, a son to Robert and Elizabeth Jane (Stiles) Wise. His early life was spent in Sturgis, where he attended Sturgis High School. Brian had lived several years in the Detroit area, …

Albert M. “Roy” Peterson, age 68, of Sturgis, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, at the Veterans Hospital in Ann Arbor. He was born Oct. 17, 1941, in Birmingham, Ala., a son of the late Alden W. and Janet (Chalmers) Peterson. Roy had resided in Sturgis since 1954, coming from Evanston, Ill., and was a graduate of Sturgis High School …

Donna Jean Vogel, age 73, of Mesick, and formerly of Sherwood, passed away Nov. 3, 2009, in Cadillac. Visitations will be today at the Schipper Funeral Home LTD. in Colon.  Graveside Services and burial will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Sherwood Cemetery in Sherwoood.  Arrangements by Schipper Funeral Home in Colon

Millard S. “Buster” Lantz, 95, of White Pigeon, died at 9:25 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, 2009, at Elkhart General Hospital. He was born Aug. 4, 1914, to Lester H. and Amanda (Detweiler) Lantz in St. Joseph County, Ind. On March 6, 1937, he married Helen M. Griffin in Goshen. She died July 25, 2002. He is survived by three daughters, …