Obituaries

Judy Shafer, age 81, of LaGrange, died on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at Parkview LaGrange Hospital. Mrs. Shafer was born on June 1, 1942, in Fort Wayne to Lawrence D. “Buck” and Mary J. (Myers) Witham. She worked as an assembler at Dometic Corporation and had worked at other various jobs. On January 23, 1974, in LaGrange, Judy was married …

Dorothy Evelyn Fennell, age 97, passed away on Wednesday, December 6, 2023 at Health Win Nursing Home in South Bend. Dorothy was born in Sturgis on October 2, 1926 to the late David and Pearl (Yunker) vonOlnhausen. Dorothy married Richard Arthur Fennell on October 5, 1947 at the Pretty Prairie Church in Howe, Indiana. She was preceded in death by …

James Brian Miller, age 77, of Sturgis, passed away Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at Willowbrook Memory Care at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. He was born September 21, 1946 in Three Rivers, son of the late Nyle Cameron and Marguerite Jean (Bolander) Miller. Jim was a lifelong Sturgis resident and a graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of …

Donelda Adell Hart, age 87, of Colon, passed away Monday morning, December 4, 2023 at her home. She was born October 17, 1936 in Flint, Michigan daughter of the late Elmo W. and Dorothy (DePlanche) Bryan. Donelda resided in Sturgis area since 1972 coming from Flint. She was first married to Albert Richard Fields.  On November 2, 1974 she married …

Wayne G. Hinkley, age 78, of Portage, and former longtime resident of Sturgis, passed away Monday afternoon, December 4, 2023 at his home. He was born October 4, 1945 in Miami, Florida son of the late Frank and Thelma (Snell) Hinkley, Jr. Wayne resided in Portage since 2020 coming from Sturgis. His early life was lived in Colon where he …

David L. Hochstetler, age 72, of Sturgis, passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 3, 2023 in the arms of his beloved wife at home, following a short illness. He is now a resident of Heaven with many loved ones who went before him. He was born in Sturgis on October 19, 1951 and was a graduate of Sturgis High School …

We regretfully lost our Dad on Saturday, December 2, 2023 after a long illness. Bruce Allen Brown lived 87 years loving his family and friends with a smile that will not be forgotten. Born the son of Dean Alton Brown and Mary (Parmeter) Brown in Milford, Michigan on October 13, 1936. Bruce was the youngest of three children. He lived …

Deborah Jean Price, age 67, of Centreville, passed away Thursday, November 30, 2023 at Ascension Borgess Hospital. She was born July 30, 1956 in Three Rivers, the daughter of Leon A. and Margaret I. (Nusbaum) Price, and graduated from Three Rivers High School with the Class of 1974. Deborah had a great sense of humor, and loved knitting hats and …

William Dale Picker, age 93, of LaGrange and formerly of Sturgis, died Wednesday, November 29, 2023, at The Waters of LaGrange. He was born on February 25, 1930, in Sturgis to Paul F. and Gladys M. (Letsom) Picker. Dale worked as an engineer at Grumman-Olson in Sturgis. While working for Grumman-Olson he was involved with designing and winning the contract …

Charles S. Dittman, age 87, of Sturgis, passed away Friday morning, December 1, 2023 at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis. He was born February 12, 1936 in Indiana, only child of the late Nova and Chlois (Rosenbaum) Dittman. Charles resided in Sturgis since 1989, coming from Sterling Heights. His early life was spent in Campbellsburg, Indiana. While working at Hillsdale …