Obituaries

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, …

Marinus “Joe” Meringa Jr., 83, passed away Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009 in Kalamazoo. He was born April 4, 1926 in Grand Rapids. He moved to Three Rivers with his family in 1940 where his father opened Reen’s Supermarket. Joe joined the United States Navy the same year he graduated from Three Rivers High School, June 6, 1944. After serving in …

Nora E. Ringler, age 78, of White Pigeon, passed away early Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 3, 2009, in White Pigeon Township, due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident. The family would like to express their thanks to God that there were no other injuries in the accident. She was born Sept. 23, 1931, in Coldwater, a daughter of the late …

Leah E. Moore, 92, of Sturgis, passed away Saturday afternoon, Oct. 31, 2009, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. She was born Dec. 7, 1916, in Mount Vernon, Ohio, a daughter to the late Raymond Bishop and Minnie (McCullough) Morey. Mrs. Moore had resided in Sturgis since 1974 coming from California. Prior to that she lived in Columbus, Ohio. She …

Michael Randall Henney, 20, of Bronson, passed away Sunday morning, Nov. 1, 2009, at his home. He was born July 5, 1989, in Sturgis, a son of the late Michael and Kristine (Hoard) Henney. Michael was a lifelong resident of Bronson and a graduate of Fort Custer Military School in Battle Creek with the class of 2007. For the past several years …