Obituaries

Affectionately known as “The Chicken Lady”, Evelyn Alice Nuffer, age 73, of Three Rivers, died Sunday Aug. 23, 2009 following a brief illness.  She was born in Palmer, Alaska on June 28, 1936 the daughter John and Alice (DeGroat) Porter.  Generations have benefited from her volunteer work and generosity as a 4-H Leader.  She has assisted many children at the …

  A lifelong Mendon resident, Maurice “Mike” Kline, Sr., died Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009 following a long illness.  Mike was born on Jan. 9, 1927 to Otto and Ada (Mumby) Kline.  He was a member of the Mendon High School Class of 1944.  After graduation Mike served in the U.S. Army where he was among the first occupants of Japan …

Adolph Bayer, age 95, of Sturgis, Michigan passed away early Saturday morning August 15, 2009 at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. He was born October 23, 1913 in Mineral, Kansas a son of the late Alois and Erstina (Hypsch) Bayer. Mr. Bayer’s early life was spent in Chicago where he became a semi-professional baseball pitcher. He came to Sturgis in …

Lloyd Steiner, age 88, of Sturgis, Michigan passed away Tuesday afternoon August 18, 2009 at the Sturgis Hospital. In accordance with his wishes cremation has taken place. A memorial service celebrating the life of Lloyd Steiner will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday at the Sturgis Missionary Church, 67087 North M-66, Sturgis, MI. Burial of the ashes will follow the service …

Joseph Elva Ringler, age 82 of White Pigeon, passed away early Tuesday morning, Aug. 18, 2009, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. He was born May 13, 1927, in North Dakota. Joe had resided in White Pigeon for the past 17 years, coming from Sturgis. On Oct. 24, 1953, he married Nora Bellaire in Angola, Ind. Following more than 37 …

Sherrill Susemihl, age 67, of Three Rivers, died Tuesday August 18, 2009 at Borgess Medical Center. She was born in Appleton City, MO on July 12, 1942 the daughter of Robert W. and Frances L. (Johndrow) Park. She married Melvin Susemihl he died Sept. 9, 1991. She graduated from Western Michigan University and was a school teacher for 37 years …

Leo Swartz, 86, of Maracellus, died Sunday, August 16th.  Visitation will be at Mater Funeral Home in Marcellus on Tuesday, August 18th, from 2 to 4pm and 6 to 8pm.  Services will be held Wednesday at 11am at the funeral home.  Memorials may be directed to the family

William “Bill” Ratering, 86, of Lakeland, Florida, and formerly of Three Rivers, died August 11th.  A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Harold Joseph Horstman Jr. passed on Aug. 10, 2009. He was born on Aug. 3, 1948, in San Francisco. He married Mary Ann Harker in 1974. They resided in Sturgis, Mich., until retiring from Grumman Olsen in 1999. After becoming an electrical inspector for Livingston County, Harold and Mary Ann have resided in the Brighton area. He is survived by …

David B. Thomas, 75 of Palmetto, Fla., and a long-time Sturgis resident, died Thursday evening Aug. 13, 2009, at the Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, Mich. He was born Dec. 19, 1933, in Universal, Ind., a son of the late John and Martha (Bernard) Thomas. David had resided in Florida since 1980 and prior to that he had lived in …