Obituaries

Lee Adrian Salisbury, age 79 of Three Rivers, died Tuesday, April 7, 2009 at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo.  He was born in Mishawaka, IN on April 19, 1929 the 3rd of 12 children born to Lewis and Alice (Colley) Salisbury.    Lee was a carpenter by trade.  He worked numerous jobs around the country as part of the Carpenter’s …

Vera Mae Pollitt, age 84, of Three Rivers, died Monday, April 6, 2009 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo following a brief illness.  She was born in Flowerfield Township on July 18, 1924 the daughter of George and Esther (Horn) Bradford and was a lifetime resident of Three Rivers.  She worked at Miller’s Ice Cream Shop before graduating from Three …

Gene Autry Reiff, Jr., age 56 Constantine passed away unexpectedly Monday, April 6th, 2009 at his home. He was born April 13, 1952 in Three Rivers, a son of Gene and Shirley (Eash) Reiff. Gene graduated from Constantine High School in 1971.  On December 24, 2001 he married Jackie Girardot in Constantine. Gene worked as a truck driver at Prairie …

Emogene Reed, age 76, of Constantine passed away Thursday, April 2nd, 2009 at her home following a battle with cancer. She was born in Elkhart Co., IN on October 24, 1932, the daughter of William and Mary Ethel (VanScoik) Schrock. Emogene graduated from Concord High School in 1950 and from Elkhart University as a medical assistant. On July 1, 1956 …

Michael C. Wilder, age 54, of Three Rivers, Mich., went home Thursday, April 2, 2009, following a seven year battle with cancer.  He was born in Saint Thomas, Ontario, Canada, on Aug. 24, 1954, a son of Donald Percey and Sheilah (Ryder) Wilder.  Michael graduated from Glen Oaks Community College and was a journeyman electrician. He had been employed at …

Debrah K. Champion, age 48, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away Wednesday, April 1, 2009, at the Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. She was born Aug. 19, 1960, in Coldwater, and had resided in Sturgis most of life. She enjoyed being outdoors and being cold. Surviving are her mother, Joyce Ryan of Burr Oak; father, Larry Champion of Coldwater; three sisters, …

Allie Pearl McKay, age 92, died early Thursday, April 2, 2009 at her granddaughter’s home near Mendon.  She was born in Moulton, AL on Sep. 29, 1916 the daughter of Jessie and Lillie (Sparks) Jenkins.  Allie was married to William Erby McKay on Aug. 21, 1932 in Moulton.  They moved to Michigan in 1952.  Allie was a farm wife, working …

Naomi R. Steffey, 98, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away early March 3, 2009, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. She was born Jan. 20, 1911, in Decatur, Ind., a daughter to the late Edward Edwin and Edith (Dean) Gilbert. Naomi had resided in Sturgis since 1951 coming from Bronson, Mich. She retired from the American Red Cross following many years …

Dorothy M. Wilson, age 98, of Sturgis, Mich., and winter resident of Venice, Fla., passed away on March 29, 2009.  She was born on Feb. 15, 1911, in Chicago.  Dorothy resided most of her life in Oak Park, Ill.  She was active in many organizations including Infant Welfare, Friends of American Writers, of which she served a term as president, …

Brian Michael Carey, age 36, of Las Vegas, formerly of Sturgis, Mich., died Friday, March 27, 2009, in Las Vegas due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident which also took the life of his loving wife Tracey. He was born Dec. 2, 1972, in Kalamazoo, Mich., a son to Daniel and Shirley (Philpott) Carey. Brian had been residing in …