Obituaries

Ruth Evita Bontrager, age 74, of Grass Lake, Michigan and a former longtime resident of St. Joseph County, passed away on March 24, 2023 in Grass Lake. She was born March 19, 1949 in Petoskey, daughter of the late Harold and Elaine (Lance) Tobias. Ruth resided most of her life in the Centreville, Sturgis and Colon area, moving to Grass …

Janet Gay Swartzentruber, age 87, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at her home. She was born December 13, 1935 in Daughter of the late Glen and Bernice (Brockway) Hesher. Mrs. Swartzentruber resided in Sturgis since 1972 coming from Arkansas. On October 8, 1955 she married David William Swartzentruber in Howe, Indiana. She retired from Ross Laboratories in …

Dolores Jeanne “Lori” Moore, age 96, of Three Rivers, passed away Saturday, April 15, 2023 at her home surrounded by her loving family. She was born March 24, 1927 in South Bend, the daughter of Ralph and Genevieve (Blodgett) Arndt, and earned her GED from Marcellus High School in 1969. Lori worked at Michigan Gas in the bookkeeping department, then …

Gary David Brandt, age 74, of Sturgis, passed away Saturday, April 15, 2023 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo due to congestive heart failure. He was born July 16, 1948 in Three Rivers, son of the late Jack William and Joyce Louise (Murphy) Brandt. Gary resided in Sturgis since 1985. His early life was spent in Colon where he was …

Mildred (Millie) G. Johnson, age 71, of Colon, passed away on Saturday, April 15, 2023, at Grand Vista Assisted Living in Coldwater. She was born on March 16, 1952, in Sturgis, a daughter to the late James and Marjorie (Ecklin) Hansen. Millie attended and graduated from Sturgis High School with the class of 1970. On November 14, 1970 Millie married …

Pamela “Pam” Jean Walters (Lewis) of Huntsville, Alabama passed away suddenly on April 6, 2023 at the age of 63. Pam was born on November 19, 1959 to Clair and Phyllis Lewis in Lansing, Michigan. Pam graduated from Glen Oaks Community College with her RN degree and went on to excel as a nurse for a career spanning 42 years. …

Nila J. Thompson, age 72, of Burr Oak, passed away unexpectedly at her home on Sunday, April 9, 2023. She was born on June 24, 1950, in Sherwood, Michigan a daughter to the late Niles and Rose Mary (Drake) Inman. In October of 2001, Nila married Jack Thompson in Sturgis. Nila owned and operated Nila’s Goat Farm where she manufactured …

Richard G. Sylvester, age 86, of Mendon, died Sunday, April 16, 2023 at Heartland Healthcare Center in Three Rivers.  He was born Jackson County, Michigan on Aug. 22, 1936 the son of Peter and Anna (Houseman) Sylvester.  He was married to Willnetta “Dolly” Harrison on Oct. 9, 1954 in Auburn, Indiana. They moved to Mendon in 1971 coming from Rives …

Leland H. “Lee” Wickey, age 74. of Centreville, diedon Saturday, April 15, 2023 at his home. He was born March 21, 1949 in Goshen, a son of Henry and Suzanne (Hostetler) Wickey. Lee attended school in the LaGrange area. On May 19, 1972 he married Deborah Anne Elliott at the First United Methodist Church in Sturgis. She preceded him in …

Marian Emerson Hair, age 100, of Harbor Springs, Michigan and a former longtime Sturgis resident, passed away on December 8, 2022 in Harbor Springs, She was born Aug. 13, 1922, in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, daughter of the late Donald and Hannah (Lincoln) Emerson. Her parents had moved from northern Indiana to Canada to farm, then returned to the United …