Obituaries

Winifred B. Grice, 96, of Sturgis, passed away early Wednesday morning, Aug. 24, 2011, at Sturgis Hospital, following a short illness. She was born Feb. 13, 1915, in LaGrange County, Ind., a daughter of the late Morton and Lillian (Stetson) Burkhead. Mrs. Grice had resided in Sturgis since 2000, coming from Edwardsburg, where she had lived for several years. Her …

James Thomas Erdos, 49, of Schoolcraft, went to be with the Lord unexpectedly Monday evening, Aug. 22, 2011. James was born on Oct. 10, 1961 in Three Rivers the son of Steve and Ruth (Walton) Erdos. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Schoolcraft. He worked as a detailer for Wheat Auto Body and Paint in Three …

After a long, wonderful life of 88 years, Jean (Cone) Tozer left to be with her Lord and Savior in Heaven on Aug. 19, 2011. She was born March 11, 1923, in Detroit, to Chester and Augusta (Havens) Cone. She graduated from Sturgis High School in 1940. Jean and her twin sister, June, joined the Women Marines in June 1943 and was …

LeRoy E. “Corky” Diekman Jr., age 59, of Elkhart, Ind., passed away unexpectedly Friday Aug. 19, 2011, at his home. He was born Jan. 6, 1952, in Sturgis, a son of the late LeRoy Edward and Pauline Marie (Mann) Diekman. LeRoy had resided in Elkhart since the age of 18. His earlier life was lived in Centreville, and he was …

Paulette S. Moore, age 64, of Sturgis, and formerly of Colon, passed away, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2011, at the Sturgis Hospital emergency room. Paulette was born Oct. 24, 1946, in Oakland, Calif., a daughter to the late Myron Grant Parks and Dorothy (Smith) Thatcher. Paulette had lived most all of her life in the Colon and Sturgis area and had …

Joan Edith Dalman, age 84, of Sturgis, passed away early Friday afternoon, Aug. 19, 2011, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. She was born Sept. 17, 1926, in Sturgis, a daughter of the late Earnest and Frieda (Holtz) Houck. Joan was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1944. On April 28, …

Edward J. “Ed” Welch, age 87, of Sturgis, and formerly of Griffith, Ind., passed away Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011. Ed was the founder of Welch’s Stop-N-Shop in Griffith and St. John. He was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus Council, and the Griffith VFW. He a former member of the Griffith Chamber of Commerce and the Griffith …

Anna S. Mohney, 69, died Aug. 14, 2011. She was born April 22, 1942 in Chicago, Ill. to Mary (Gargano) Taylor and Samuel Taylor. She graduated from Lowrey High School in Dearborn and went on to study at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti. After college, she went to work for Armstrong International in Three Rivers where she met her future …

Mary “Midge” Bethuram Norton, age 88, of Sturgis, passed away Wednesday morning, Aug. 17, 2011, at home surrounded by her loving family. She was born Oct. 10, 1922, in Richmond, Ind., a daughter to the late Lawrence and Ethel (Cash) Whalen. Mary was first married to Mack Bethuram, this marriage ended in divorce. On Nov. 6, 1976, in Sturgis, she …

June W. Bontrager, 75, of Constantine, passed away Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2011 at the Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo. She was born in Grand Rapids on June 5, 1936, a daughter of William H. and Fern I. (Wadsworth) Hood. On July 7, 1951 June married Jacob C. Bontrager in Covington, Ky. Together they owned and operated Jacob’s Kountry Kitchen in …