Obituaries

Richard Lewis “Dick” Dale, age 87, of Three Rivers, passed away on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016, at Grace Healthcare, after many years of pain. He was born June 4, 1929, in Michigan, a son of Cyril and Lauretta (Fisher) Dale. Dick graduated from Constantine High School, where he was a member of the football and baseball teams. He was employed …

Ruth Elizabeth Cutler passed away on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016, at Bickford Cottage in Portage. Ruth was born May 9, 1921, in Batavia Township, Branch County, a daughter of Alex and Kate (Nelson) McCrary. Ruth worked for many years as a receptionist in physicians’ offices and retired as a pharmacy clerk from Upjohn Company in 1990. On Sept. 1, 1951, …

Rebecca “Becky” Yoder, 60, of Constantine, died at 8:55 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, at her home. She was born Nov. 24, 1956, in Sturgis, to Frank and Bev (Musser) Lutz. On Jan. 27, 1974, in White Pigeon, she married Rich Yoder. He survives. Survivors in addition to her husband are a son, Nick (Ashley) Yoder of Constantine; a grandson, Robert …

Vickie Lynn Anable, age 63, of Three Rivers, died Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016 at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. She was born in Sparta, WI on Sep. 17, 1953 the daughter of Spencer Odell and Patricia Louise (Shields) Trones. She moved from Wisconsin to Michigan in 1991. Vickie was a loving wife and mother who enjoyed spending time with her …

Priscilla L. Somers, 96, of White Pigeon, died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, at New Friends of Kalamazoo, following a brief illness. She was born July 21, 1920, in Detroit, a daughter of Robert Earle and Mary M. (Plodzik) Handy. She was a resident of the White Pigeon area since 1989, coming from Paw Paw and Plainwell. She was religious educational …

Rosie Lee Betts, age 83, of Three Rivers, formerly of Chicago, went to be with her Lord on Sunday, Dec. 4th, 2016 at her home surrounded by her loving family.  She was born on March 6, 1933 in Jefferson County, MS.; the daughter of the late Henry and Henretta (Carter) Martin. Rosie was born and raised in Jefferson Co., Miss.  …

Duane D. Frisbie, age 96, of Colon, passed away Monday, Dec. 5, 2016, at Community Health Center of Branch County in Coldwater. Duane was born Aug. 11, 1920, at a home west of Colon, to James and Mabel (Blenman) Frisbie. He was the youngest of six children. After returning from the Army, Duane married Dorothy Hargreave Groth. She had two …

Jeff Jackson, age 50, of Colon, passed away unexpectedly at his home, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016. Jeff was born Dec. 30, 1965, in Elgin, Ill., a son to the late Clyde and Mildred (Fredericks) Jackson. He had lived most all of his life in the Colon area, where he was a self employed carpenter. On July 27, 1993, he married …

Geralyn A. (Gerri) Finch-Smith, 66, of Kalamazoo, died Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, at The Laurels of Galesburg, following a brief illness. She was born May 31, 1950, in Detroit, a daughter of Paul B. and Mary E. (Walsh) Mecklenborg. She was a resident of Kalamazoo the past seven years, coming from South Haven, and lived many years in White Pigeon. …

Susan Jean “Susie” Bingaman, age 73, of Vicksburg, died Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016 at Riverview Manor in Three Rivers following a brief illness. She was born in Grand Rapids, MI on Sep. 25, 1943 the daughter of Sterling M. and Alice L. (Kobb) King. After graduating from Mendon High School with the class of 1961 she worked at the Haas …