Obituaries

Mary Todd, 74

Mary E. Todd, 74, of White Pigeon, Mich., died Thursday, June 4, 2015, at Heartland Health Care Center in Three Rivers. She was born Aug. 31, 1940, in White Pigeon, the daughter of Frank and Ellen (Messner) Todd. She lived all of her life in White Pigeon and was a White Pigeon High School graduate. She was employed at The …

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Alyona Springer, 20

Alyona Alexandra Springer, 20, of Three Rivers, died Friday morning, after a pedestrian accident on U.S. 131 near Three Rivers. A native of Russia, she was born in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, on July 30, 1994, to Alexandra Melinichenko. After her birth mother’s death, Alyona and her older sister Darya “Dasha” Springer spent their early years in Orphanage #59, Krasnoyarsk. Alyona and …

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Iola Mesler, 73

Iola M. Mesler, age 73, of Colon, passed away June 4, 2015, at her home, surrounded by her family, after a hard fought 11-month battle with cancer. Iola was born Oct. 19, 1941, in Plattsburgh, N.Y., a daughter of the late Charlotte Patnode and Everest Woodward. On Jan. 10, 1957, she married Wallace L. J. Mesler and they spent 58 …

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Michael Perry, 17

Michael I. Perry, age 17, of Sturgis, was surrounded by his loving family at their home Wednesday morning, June 3, 2015, when he was called to heaven following a long, courageous battle with cancer. He was born May 22, 1998, in Sturgis, a son of Lewis and Karen (Miller) Perry. Michael was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a member of …

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Emma Markum, 73

Emma Jane Markum, age 73, of Jones, died Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo following a long illness. She was born in Johnstown, PA on May 8, 1942 the daughter of the late Ray and Ruth (Weirick) Alwine. She graduated from high school in Pennsylvania, and later earned her Masters’ Degree in Computer Science and Business …

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Ailleen Avery, 67

Ailleen Bell Avery, age 67, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at Fairview Nursing and Rehabilitation Community in Centreville. Ailleen was born in Three Rivers on June 5, 1947, a daughter of Leslie and Edna (Wright) Featherstone. On October 1, 1962 she married Donald E. Avery in Centreville. She had previously worked for Harmon Dudd Marina on Klinger …

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Lou Ann Benson, 50

Lou Ann Benson, age 50, of Burr Oak, died Sunday, May 31, 2015 at her home following a long illness. She was born in Kankakee, IL on June 23, 1964 the daughter of Willis F. and Virginia (Renner) Johnson. The family moved to Michigan in 1966 and she attended several local schools. She enjoyed outdoor activities, especially arrowhead hunting, fishing, …

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James Watson, 58

James D Watson, age 58, of White Pigeon, MI, passed away suddenly Monday, June 1, 2015 at his home. James was born in Elkhart, IN on April 13, 1957, a son of Harold and Barb (Scott) Watson. He graduated from Constantine High School in 1976. On Feb. 7, 1981, he married Anne Romano in Goshen, IN. James was an equipment …

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Lois Munson, 84

Lois M. Munson, age 84, of Constantine, MI, passed away Sunday, May 31, 2015 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. Lois was born in Constantine on November 24, 1930, a daughter of Johnny and Lorene (Smith) Leister. She graduated from Constantine High School in 1948. On September 26, 1948 she married Richard W. Munson at the Messiah Lutheran Church parsonage …

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Dorothy Shoemaker, 86

Dorothy Ann (Smith) Shoemaker, 86, of Three Rivers, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 23, 2015, with her children surrounding her at bedside. Dorothy was the daughter of Harm and Katherine (Koets) Smith, who both preceded her in death. She was born on Feb. 9, 1929 in Kalamazoo. She graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School in 1947. On May 31, …

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