Obituaries

Wava M. Heath, age 91, of Mendon, died Sunday, May 15, 2016 at Medi-Lodge of Portage. She was born in Leonidas on Oct. 18, 1924 the daughter of John and Frances (Etheridge) Purdy and attended country schools. She was married to Harry E. Heath on June 20, 1945 and she has resided in Mendon since 1950. Wava worked at the …

Thomas W. Astling, 53, of Constantine, passed away Wednesday, May 11, 2016, at his home. He was born Sept. 17, 1962, in Sturgis, Mich., the son of Charles Richard and Donna L. (Schieber) Astling and lived all of his life in the Constantine and White Pigeon area. He was last employed at Gray Brothers Manufacturing in White Pigeon. He is …

Michal Charity Webb, age 20, of Sturgis, passed away Thursday, May 12, 2016, at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, due to injuries sustained in a pedestrian-automobile accident. She was born March 20, 1996, in LaGrange, Ind. She is the daughter of Leah and Angelo Campos and Landon and Jessie Adams. Michal was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of …

Kalene Sue Smoker, 22, of Colon, passed away on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, surrounded by her loving family at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, May 19, 2016, at Christian Fellowship Church in Sturgis, with Pastor Stephen Middleton officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the memorial service at …

Ellamaree Meyer, aged 95, of Three Rivers and formerly of Centreville, went to be with her Lord Jesus on Wednesday, May 11, 2016. She started her life in Grand Rapids on March 7, 1921, the first of seven children born to Clarence E. and Hazel A. (Terrell) Maxim. In 1944, she married Gerald R. Meyer of Grand Rapids; and together …

Burr Decker, 88, a resident of Colon for 86 of his 88 years of life, entered into eternal rest at Gulfside Hospice in Zephyrhills, Fla. Burr’s happiest moments were in the presence of his wife of 66 years, Virginia (French). Burr was a simple, principled man who loved the outdoors and greatly enjoyed golfing with friends both in Colon and …

Leah L. Decker, age 92, of Bremen, Ind., and formerly of Colon, Mich., passed away Tuesday, May 10, 2016, in Bremen. Leah was born Jan. 24, 1924, in Marion, Ind., a daughter of the late Franklin & Grace P. (Kessler) Cotton. Her early years were spent in Marion. She later moved to Michigan and graduated in 1942 from Lansing High …

Ramona Lou Thaxton, age 86, of Colon, passed away Saturday, May 7, 2016, at her home. Ramona was born Aug. 20, 1929, in Elbow Lake, MN, a daughter to the late Glenn and Nanna (Johnson) Davis. She graduated from high school in 1946 in Minneapolis, MN and attended Asbury College in Kentucky. While there she met her late husband Charles …

Jerry J. Lintz, age 52, of Mottville, died on Thursday, May 5, 2016 at Borgess Medical Center Kalamazoo. He was born August 27, 1963 in Three Rivers a son of John D. and Nancy (Stuckum) Lintz. He graduated from Constantine High School in 1981. Jerry worked at Interstate Manufacturing in Mottville for the past 7 years and previously at Coachman Industries Middlebury …

Eugene J. Stratton, age 77, of Marcellus, MI passed away on National Fireman’s Day, Wednesday, May 4, 2016, at Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo, MI. He was born December 24, 1938 in Kalamazoo, MI the son of Ernest Avery and Mildred Ione (Snow) Stratton. On November 24, 1961 in Dowagiac, MI he married Yvonne R. Powers who preceded him in death …