Obituaries

Carolyn Suzanne "Carol" West

Carolyn Suzanne "Carol" West

May 18, 2014

Carolyn Suzanne "Carol" West, age 67, of Battle Creek and Palmetto, FL passed away at home on May 18, 2014 after a lengthy battle with fallopian tube cancer. Carolyn was born on October 23, 1946, in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Raymond Woodbridge and Mary Elizabeth (Betty Smith) West. Carolyn grew up in Glen Ellyn, Illinois and Battle Creek where...

Jean A. Stout

Jean A. Stout

May 17, 2014

Jean A. Stout, 57, of Battle Creek, died May 17, 2014. Jean was born June 9, 1956 in South Bend, IN to Roland and Tina McGriff. She graduated high school and went on to take college classes at beauty school. She would later work for many years at Aunt Millie's Bread Company. Jean had many hobbies in life, but especially...

Clarence J. Debruine

Clarence J. Debruine

May 15, 2014

Clarence J. "Red" DeBruine, 85, of Battle Creek, went home to be with the Lord on May 15, 2014. Red was born May 5, 1929 in Battle Creek to Lewis and Amelia (Pfennig) DeBruine. He attended Hastings Schools and went on to be a tool and die maker for Michigan Carton and Container Co., retiring after 48 years of dedicated...

Louis John "Louie" Alkema

Louis John "Louie" Alkema

May 12, 2014

Louis John Alkema of Hickory Corners, MI Louie, age 88, died Monday afternoon, May 12, 2014, at Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo, MI, following a brief illness and surrounded by his loving family. Louie, the son of John and Ella (Johnson) Alkema, was born on August 3, 1925 in Grand Rapids, MI and moved to Hickory Corners in 1967. He was...

Stephen Douglas "Steve" Smith

Stephen Douglas "Steve" Smith

May 9, 2014

Stephen Douglas "Steve" Smith of Battle Creek, MI Steve, age 65, died Friday evening, May 9, 2014 at the Boschway Adult Foster Care Home, Battle Creek, surrounded by his loving family after a lengthy illness. Steve, the son of Harlow D. and Marion I. (Cantrell) Smith, was born on December 25, 1948 in Battle Creek and was a lifetime resident....

Katherine E. Conrad

Katherine E. Conrad

May 8, 2014

Katherine E. Conrad, 99, of Battle Creek and Linn Creek, MO died at Osage Beach Health Care Center on Thursday, May 8, 2014.Katherine was born April 14, 1915 in Lake City, Michigan to Ward P. and Frances L. (Peck) Sherman. She was a 1934 graduate of Ottawa Hills High School in Grand Rapids, MI. Katherine was employed at Lerner's Dress...

Mary J. (Messinger) Pitts

Mary J. (Messinger) Pitts

May 8, 2014

Mary J. (Messinger) Pitts, 93, died at her home on May 8, 2014. Mary was born in Three Rivers, MI in 1921, the daughter of Floyd and Erie (Searle) Messinger. She graduated in 1939 from Three Rivers High School, working for the Telephone Company and Fairbanks Morris before moving to Battle Creek in 1951. Mary J. Messinger was united in...

William Howard Hosking

William Howard Hosking

May 7, 2014

William Howard Hosking, 93, of Gratiot Lake and Battle Creek, MI died at Bronson Battle Creek with family at his side on Wednesday, May 7, 2014.Howard was born in Hancock, Michigan to William and Myrtle (Gray) Hosking on May 27, 1920. Howard was raised in Calumet, Michigan, where he was a graduate of Calumet High School Class of 1937. Upon...

Helen Joyce (Little) Myers

Helen Joyce (Little) Myers

May 5, 2014

Helen Joyce (Little) Myers, 85, of Battle Creek died at Borgess Medical Center on Monday, May 5, 2014, after a long illness. Helen was born April 1, 1929 in Schoolcraft, MI to Roy and Hazel (McClain) Little. She grew up in Battle Creek and was employed at the former People's Saving & Loan Association and in Real Estate for Walt...

William Arthur "Bill" Kabel

William Arthur "Bill" Kabel

May 5, 2014

William Arthur "Bill" Kabel of Lawrence, MI Bill, age 65, died unexpectedly Monday, May 5, 2014, at his residence. Bill, the son of Earl Harold and Borgil Lillian (Knudson) Kabel, was born on April 12, 1949 in South Haven, MI; was 1967 graduate of Lawrence High School and was a lifetime area resident. He retired in 2001 due to health...

Milan Bobinac

Milan Bobinac

May 3, 2014

Milan Bobinac, age 89, of Battle Creek died at Bronson Battle Creek on Saturday, May 3, 2014. Milan was born October 5, 1924 in Licko Lesce, Croatia to Martin and Manda (Rubic) Bobinac. He fought with the United States Army in World War II and he would later come to the USA in 1950 with his wife and son from...

Mason Vincent Continenza

Mason Vincent Continenza

Apr 27, 2014

Mason Vincent Continenza was born and sadly passed away shortly after on Sunday morning, April 27, 2014 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. Mason was the beautiful baby boy of Anna M. Continenza. He is survived by his mother, Anna; his loving brother, Zakk Continenza; his grandparents, Cindy & Vince Continenza; his great-grandmother, Molly Continenza; his uncle, Nathan Continenza, and...

Tamera "Tammy" Letson

Tamera "Tammy" Letson

Apr 27, 2014

Tamera Jean "Tammy" Letson, 49, of Battle Creek, lost her battle to cancer April 27, 2014. Tammy was born February 15, 1965 in Ft. Dix, NJ to Raymond Letson and Joyce Wielinksi. She graduated from Springfield High School and attended K.C.C.Tammy was the world's best mother that her children and grandchildren could have been blessed with. Tammy was full of...

Russell James "Flip" Taber

Russell James "Flip" Taber

Apr 25, 2014

Russell James "Flip" Taber, age 60, of Kalamazoo died Friday afternoon, April 25, 2014 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. He was born in Kalamazoo on January 7, 1954, the son of James V. and Jeralene (Carlson) Taber. Flip served his country as a member of the United States Marine Corps.Flip married the "Love of His Life", Dolores P. Rodgers...

Helen L. Hart

Helen L. Hart

Apr 20, 2014

Helen L. Hart, 92, of Battle Creek, died Sunday, April 20, 2014. Helen was born October 25, 1921 in Battle Creek to Carl and Helen (Harris) Baccaro. She graduated from Battle Creek Central High School in 1939 and worked for many years at Sears Roebuck Credit Central. Helen married Paul Jones, who preceded her in death. She then married George...

Richard E. Hayes

Richard E. Hayes

Apr 18, 2014

Richard E. "Dick" Hayes, 77, of Battle Creek, died Friday, April 18, 2014 at home surrounded by his loving family. Dick was born June 8, 1936 in Coldwater to John and Martha (Okeneske) Hayes. He graduated from St. Philip Catholic High School in 1955 and went on to serve honorably in the U.S. Army. On December 29, 1962, Dick married...

Wayne H. Nelson

Wayne H. Nelson

Apr 18, 2014

Wayne H. Nelson, 71, of Richland, MI, died on Good Friday.Wayne was born to the late Marian and Howard Nelson, March 10, 1943, in Greenville, Michigan. Wayne graduated from Greenville High School in 1961 and joined the Navy, where he served in the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged in 1966. After the Navy, he attended Western Michigan University. He...

Ronald E. "Ron" Foster

Ronald E. "Ron" Foster

Apr 18, 2014

Ronald E. "Ron" Foster, age 79, of Battle Creek died Friday evening, April 18, 2014. He was born in Battle Creek on October 2, 1934, the son of Hobart A. and Julia (Long) Foster and graduated from Battle Creek Central High School. Ron faithfully served his country as a member of the United States Army. He retired from the Kellogg...

James D. Hill

James D. Hill

Apr 17, 2014

James Donald Hill, 80, passed away peacefully at home at Gull Lake on April 17, 2014. He was born September 24, 1933 in Bad Axe, MI to Marion (Campbell) Hill and Walter Hill. He spent his boyhood in Bad Axe during which time he decided to dedicate his life to the ministry. He graduated from Alma College earning a BA...

Luz Maria Garcia

Luz Maria Garcia

Apr 16, 2014

Luz Maria Garcia, age 93, of Battle Creek, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, April 16, 2014 surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Welda, Texas on December 13, 1920 to Marcelino and Andrea (Arguello) Bocanegra. She moved to Battle Creek in the early 1940's.Shortly after moving to Battle Creek, Luz married Jose Cruz Garcia on May...