LEE ANDREW HOOLEY age 96 of Sturgis, Michigan passed away Monday  evening, December 29, 2008, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. The family will receive friends from 2:00-4:00 and 6:00-8:00 P.M. Friday  at the Hackman Family Funeral Homes – Hackman Chapel, 114 S. Nottawa  St., Sturgis. Funeral services  will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday at the Sturgis Evangelical Church,  …

FRANCES “FRAN” JOHN, age 99, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday afternoon, December 30, 2008, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. The family will receive friends from 1:00-2:00 P.M. Saturday at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, where services will begin at 2:00 P.M. A graveside committal will follow the service at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Sturgis.

ROBERT ELDON BURGOYNE age 94 of Sturgis, Michigan passed away Saturday  evening December 27, 2008. The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 P.M. Tuesday at the  *Hackman Family Funeral Homes – Hackman Chapel, 114 S. Nottawa St.,  Sturgis. Funeral services will  be held at 11:00 A.M. Wednesday at the First Presbyterian Church in  Sturgis.  A graveside committal will follow the …

John Takacs, age 102, of Mendon, died Monday, Dec. 29, 2008, at Tendercare, Portage. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Saturday,  Jan. 3, 2009, at the Eickhoff Funeral Home in Mendon. The family will receive friends one hour prior to services at the funeral home. Burial will be in Mendon Cemetery.

I’d like to take a moment or two to recognize and thank a few people. As 2008 ends and some of us think of New Year’s resolutions, the one thing that comes to mind is thanking those who normally don’t receive enough recognition. I’m talking about

Carol Ann Lapham, age 65 of Burr Oak, Michigan passed away Sunday  December 28, 2008. A private memorial graveside service and burial of the ashes will take place at  Oak Lawn cemetery in Sturgis at a later date.

Gloria N. Mann, age 80, Mottville Township, passed away on Sunday, December 28th, 2008. Visitation will be Friday from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at the Eley Funeral Home in Constantine. Religious Services will be held at the Trinity Missionary Church in Constantine at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, January 3rd. Mausoleum Encryptment will take place at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Osceola …

VIOLA A. MELCHI, age 98, of Sturgis, Michigan passed away Sunday morning  December 28, 2008. A memorial service celebrating will be held at 3:00 P.M. Wednesday at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Sturgis. A graveside  committal will follow the service at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Sturgis.

This is a very special time of the year. It doesn’t matter what religious beliefs you have, it is a time of celebration. For me, the day after tomorrow is Christmas. I personally feel that it has become too commercialized. Too much emphasis has been placed on shopping for gifts that we can’t really afford, and not enough emphasis has …

William Smith, 82, of Three Rivers, died Dec. 2. Memorial services will be held on Jan. 17 at 2pm at the Hohner Funeral Home.