Obituaries

Fern I. Preston

Fern I. Preston

Nov 4, 2018

Fern I. Preston, age 110, of Battle Creek, died Sunday, November 4, 2018. Fern was born in Lorain, Ohio on June 24, 1908 to Hugo and Fern Kikstadt. Fern was among the third graduating class from Lakeview High School in 1926. Fern married G. Herbert Preston who sadly preceded her in death in 1996. Throughout her life Fern worked for...

Lois (Johnson) Hendershott

Lois (Johnson) Hendershott

Nov 3, 2018

Lois (Johnson) Hendershott of Richland, MI and formerly of Charlotte and Hastings, MI Lois, age 90, died Saturday afternoon, November 3, 2018 at the Gull Arbor Adult Foster Care Home, Richland. Lois, the daughter of Maurice and Lillian (Troyer) Johnson, was born in Hastings on October 1, 1928; resided in the Hastings and Middleville areas and moved to Charlotte in...

Elizabeth Marie "Betty" Wiegand

Elizabeth Marie "Betty" Wiegand

Oct 31, 2018

Elizabeth Marie "Betty" Wiegand of Battle Creek, MI Betty, age 60, died unexpectedly Sunday, October 21, 2018 at her residence. Betty, the daughter of Edward and Ruth (Orr) Neil, was born in Battle Creek on January 22, 1958 and a lifetime area resident. She attended Marshall Schools and graduated from Wright Beauty Academy. Betty had been employed at the salon...

Phyllis I. Croften

Phyllis I. Croften

Oct 31, 2018

Phyllis I. Croften, 87, of Battle Creek, died Wednesday, October 31st, 2018. Phyllis, a lifelong resident of Battle Creek, was born to Ray and Ila Mae (Philip) Woodman on January 26th, 1931. She graduated from what is now Battle Creek Central in 1949 and went on to receive her LPN, in 1956, from Battle Creek Practical Nursing Education Center. Phyllis...

Ardell L. Torres

Ardell L. Torres

Oct 31, 2018

Ardell L. (Pierce) Torres, age 92, went to be with her Lord on Tuesday morning, October 30, 2018 at her home in Pennfield. Ardell was born September 19, 1926 in Bellevue, Michigan to Elston and Jessie (Morris) Pierce. She was a 1944 graduate of Bellevue High School, where she was a cheerleader and a majorette in their first marching band....

Charles David "Charlie" Schaap

Charles David "Charlie" Schaap

Oct 29, 2018

Charles David "Charlie" Schaap of Richland, MI Charlie, age 66, died Monday morning, October 29, 2018 at Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo, MI following a lengthy and courageous battle with Leukemia. Charlie, the son of John W. and Arlene G. (Deur) Schaap, was born in Holland, MI on May 15, 1952; He graduated from Holland High School in 1970 and received...

Wilma Rae "Willie" Dzioba

Wilma Rae "Willie" Dzioba

Oct 29, 2018

Wilma Rae (Barber) Dzioba, age 82, formerly of Athens, went home to her loved ones on October 29, 2018, with her daughter at her side, at the Calhoun County Medical Care Facility. Wilma, known as "Willie" to her family and friends, was born in Battle Creek on September 19, 1936, to Franklin W. & Mildred P. (Bailey) Barber, the youngest...

Delbert Leroy "Del" Holroyd

Delbert Leroy "Del" Holroyd

Oct 28, 2018

Delbert L. "Del" Holroyd of Kalamazoo, MI Del, age 96, passed away Sunday, October 28, 2018, at his home. Del was born November 19, 1921 in Foley, MN, the son of Milo and Emma (Bigelow) Holroyd. A lifelong resident of Cooper Township, Delbert attended Richland Schools and served his Country honorably and nobly in the United States Army during World...

James "Jim" Barlow

James "Jim" Barlow

Oct 27, 2018

James "Jim" C. Barlow Sr., 100, of Battle Creek, passed away Saturday, October 27th, 2018, at the Legacy at the Oaks. Jim was born on July 6th, 1918 in Ripley, Tennessee to Charles and Margaret (Halfacre) Barlow. Jim attended Battle Creek Central High School. Jim served in the US Army during WWII and went on to work for Clark and...

Edward Henry Vanvleet

Edward Henry Vanvleet

Oct 26, 2018

Edward Henry VanVleet, age 68, of Battle Creek sadly passed away on Friday evening, October 26, 2018. He was born in Battle Creek on November 15, 1949, the son of Edward and Pauline (Little) VanVleet. A true outdoorsman, Edward enjoyed fishing, hunting, and driving around watching the deer. He was a member of the P.N.A. and most of all loved...

Eugene L. Bender

Eugene L. Bender

Oct 24, 2018

Eugene L. "Gene" Bender, 89, of Battle Creek, died October 24, 2018. Gene was born November 15, 1928 in Battle Creek to L.J. and Marie (Healey) Bender. He served honorably in the U.S. Army and worked at Battle Creek Rendering, retiring in 1989. Gene enjoyed working in his yard, and especially his rose garden. He received the "Most Beautiful Yard"...

Ruth Marie Ritter

Ruth Marie Ritter

Oct 23, 2018

Ruth Marie Ritter, age 63, of Springfield died unexpectedly on Tuesday morning, October 23, 2018. She was born in Sturgis, Michigan on December 23, 1954, the daughter of John H. and Sylvia M. (Blodgett) Ritter. In her early years, Ruth enjoyed making several types of arts & crafts, and going to the races. Ruth is survived by her children, Donnie...

Donald Ray "Whitey" Petty

Donald Ray "Whitey" Petty

Oct 23, 2018

Donald Ray "Whitey" Petty, 94, of Battle Creek died peacefully with his family at his side at Evergreen Senior Care & Rehabilitation Center on Tuesday, October 23, 2018.Whitey was born April 27, 1924 in Sparta, Tennessee the son of Thomas "Eugene" and Anna "Ethel" (Vinson) Petty. He was raised in Sparta and Hopkinsville, Kentucky and then joined the U.S. Army...

Donald H. "Don" Smith

Donald H. "Don" Smith

Oct 22, 2018

Donald H. "Don" Smith, 75, of Battle Creek collapsed and died unexpectedly on Monday, October 22, 2018. Don was born in a rustic log cabin on September 16, 1943 in Rawdon, Quebec, Canada, the son of Wesley Copping Donald and Dorothy Mabel (Dixon) Smith. He grew up in Canada and worked for Canadian Tire Company. Don was also employed working...

Dorothy Jean Garrett (Taylor) Dunithan

Dorothy Jean Garrett (Taylor) Dunithan

Oct 21, 2018

Dorothy Jean Garrett (Taylor) Dunithan of Augusta, MIDorothy, age 71, died unexpectedly Sunday morning, October 21, 2018 at Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo, MI with her loving family at her side.Dorothy, the daughter of Mervin Garrett and Georgia (Mensch) Taylor, was born in Battle Creek, MI on March 3, 1947 and was raised and lived her whole life in Augusta.She was...

Richard James "Dick" Fate

Richard James "Dick" Fate

Oct 21, 2018

Richard James "Dick" Fate, age 85, of Battle Creek passed away Sunday evening, October 21, 2018. He was born in Battle Creek on September 28, 1933, the son of Frederick and Naomi Fate and served his country as a member of the United States Army and United States Air Force. Dick retired from Smith & Graham Roofing after more than...

David Michael "Dave" Hamblin

David Michael "Dave" Hamblin

Oct 19, 2018

David Michael "Dave" Hamblin of Richland, MI David passed away at his home in Richland, surrounded by his loving family, in the late afternoon on Friday, the 19th of October, 2018. David was born on April 18th, 1959 at Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo.He attended Barbour Hall Boys Military School and was employed at the Gull Road Meijer's as a greeter...

Alyce Virginia (Howard) Mcdonagh

Alyce Virginia (Howard) Mcdonagh

Oct 18, 2018

Alyce Virginia (Howard) McDonagh of Battle Creek, MI Alyce, age 83, died Thursday morning, October 18, 2018 at her residence after a long battle with cancer. Alyce, the daughter of Kenneth O. and Elizabeth D. (Miller) Howard, was born in Kalamazoo, MI on July 21, 1935 and was a lifetime area resident. Her early years were spent with her grandparents,...

Sharon Carol Mason

Sharon Carol Mason

Oct 18, 2018

Sharon C. Mason, 80, of Hickory Corners, Michigan died peacefully at New Friends Memory Care & Assisted Living Facility on Thursday, October 18, 2018.Born March 22, 1938 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Sharon Carol Mason grew up in the Midland Park community on Gull Lake, sharing her family's two-bedroom cottage with her parents and three younger siblings. A natural athlete, she spent...

Katherine Cecelia (Pesenecker) "Katie" Reese

Katherine Cecelia (Pesenecker) "Katie" Reese

Oct 14, 2018

Katherine Cecelia (Pesenecker) "Katie" Reese of Battle Creek, MI Katherine, age 92, passed away Sunday evening, October 14, 2018. Katherine was born in Detroit, Michigan to William J. and Madeline M. (Flowerday) Pesenecker. Her family relocated to Battle Creek when Katie was a small child. She continued to live in the area her entire life. She attended Lakeview and Battle...