Obituaries

December 14, 2016

Betty Lou Hull age 77, of St. Johns, MI, passed away Wednesday, December 14, 2016, at her home.

Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes - Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI, on Monday, December 19, 2016 at 11:00 A.M.  Burial will take place at Duplain Township Cemetery, St. Johns, MI.  Visitation will be held...

December 13, 2016

Florence Near age 93, of Saginaw, MI, passed away Tuesday, December 13, 2016, at Hoyt Nursing Home, Saginaw, MI.

There will be no services.

Florence was born in Saginaw, MI on October 12, 1923, the daughter of Allen and Anna Lovella (Towne) Hunt.  Florence was a homemaker most of her life.

She is...

December 12, 2016

Marie Helen Bezemek age 56 of DeWitt, MI, passed away Monday, December 12, 2016, at the DeWitt Road AFC Home.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Catholic Community of St. Jude, DeWitt, MI, on Thursday, December 15, 2016 at 11:00 A.M., with Rev. Fr. Robert Irish officiating.  Burial will take place at St. Johns...

December 12, 2016

Joseph C. "Joe" Teall age 93, of St. Louis, MI, passed away Monday, December 12, 2016, at Masonic Pathways, Alma.

Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes, St. Louis, MI, on Thursday, December 15, 2016, at 11:00 A.M., with Mr. Keith Wise officiating.  Burial will take place at Ridgelawn Cemetery,  Breckenridge, MI. Visitation will...

December 11, 2016

Nina Fern Guild, age 90, of Ithaca, died Sunday, December 11, 2016, at Country Friends Adult Foster Care.  She was born in Alma on August 23, 1926, the daughter of William and Floy (Perdew) Mahler.  She married Robert Eugene Guild on April 12, 1946.  He preceded her in death on February 4, 2015.  They had been married for almost...

December 11, 2016

Anthony David Bontrager (age 14) the youngest of 11 children was born on February 11, 2002 to Henry and Ida Bontrager.  On December 11, 2016, at approximately 1 P.M., he was tragically killed in a weather related auto accident.

Anthony loved constructing things with Legos, playing on his Wii, free-hand drawing, tinkering with electronics, spending time with...

December 10, 2016

Florence Evelyn DeVuyst 94 of Ithaca went to be with her Heavenly Father on December 10, 2016 at the Laurels of Carson City.  Florence, daughter of Hugh and Bessie Boling, was born on March 25, 1922 in North Star Township.  She graduated from Fulton High School in 1940.

On June 13, 1942 she married Arshane DeVuyst in...

December 10, 2016

Robert E. "Bob" Byrnes age 88, of Ovid, MI, passed away Saturday, December 10, 2016, at Welcome Home Assisted Living, Elsie, MI.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church, Ovid, MI, on Wednesday, December 14, 2016 at 11:00 A.M. with Rev. Fr. Raymond Urbanek officiating.  Burial will take place at Maple...

December 10, 2016

Mark William Smith age 47, of Ashley, MI, passed away Saturday, December 10, 2016, at his home.

Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes - Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI, on Tuesday December 13, 2016 at 12:00 P.M., with Pastor Suzanne Rasmussen officiating.  Visitation will be held on Monday, December 12, 2016 from 2-8...

December 7, 2016

John Mojica age 68, of Lansing, MI, formerly of St. Louis, MI, passed away Wednesday, December 7, 2016, at Sparrow Health Systems, Lansing, MI.

Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes 117 North East Street, St. Louis, MI, on Monday, December 12, 2016 at 11:00 A.M., with Pastor Thomas Ewer officiating.  Burial will take...

December 6, 2016

Lawrence Fidler, age 95, of Ithaca, passed away at Woodland Hospice in Mt. Pleasant, with his family by his side, on Tuesday, December 6, 2016.

Lawrence was born in Marion, Michigan, on September 15, 1921, the son of Mahlon and Elma Elizabeth (Stahl) Fidler.  His mother preceded him in death when he was 9 years old, and...

December 5, 2016

Randy Lee Doyen age 59 of Trufant, MI, passed away Monday, December 5, 2016 at his home.

A Memorial Service will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes - Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI, on Saturday, December 10, 2016 at 1:00 P.M., with Pastor Mona Kindel officiating.  Visitation will be held on Saturday, December 10, 2016 from...

December 4, 2016

Benjamin Charles "Gentle Ben" Rolfe age 64 of Chapin, MI, passed away Sunday, December 4, 2016 peacefully at his home with his family surrounding him.

Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes Elsie, MI, on Wednesday, December 7, 2016 at 1:00 P.M with Wild Bill officiating.  Burial will take place at Wildwood Cemetery, Chesaning,...

December 3, 2016

Mary Ellen LaRose age 75, of St. Louis, MI, passed away Saturday, December 3, 2016, at Mid Michigan Medical Center, Midland, MI.

A Memorial Service will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes, St. Louis, MI, on Wednesday, December 7, 2016 at 12:00 P.M., with Pastor Justin Daron officiating.  Visitation will be held from 10:00 A.M. until...

December 2, 2016

Eilene Marie Cole age 79, of Oxford, AR, passed away Friday, December 2, 2016, at her home.

A Memorial Service will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes - Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI, on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 at 2:00 P.M., with Pastor Kathy Leydorf-Keck officiating.  Visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 from...

November 30, 2016

Paul Louis “Sprocket” Krauter age 66, of Laingsburg, MI passed away Wednesday, November 30, 2016 at his home.

Funeral Services will be held at the Smith Family Funeral Homes - Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI on Sunday, December 4, 2016 at 1:00 P.M. Visitation will be held on Saturday, December 3, 2016 from 2-8 P.M. with family...

November 29, 2016

Life long resident of Ithaca, Ruth Foster Sparks, age 94, passed away on November 29, 2016 with her family by her side  in Rockville, Indiana. Ruth was born at home on the Earl Davis farm in Emerson Township, Gratiot County, to Elmer Ray and Rosa Belle (Barnard) Foster on 19 March 1922. The location of her birth was less...

November 28, 2016

Gunner Steven Thelen, age 2 months old, of Fowler, MI, passed away Monday, November 28, 2016, at Sparrow Clinton Hospital, St. Johns, MI after complications due to Trisomy 18 (Edwards Syndrome).

A Graveside Service will be held at Most Holy Trinity Cemetery, Fowler, MI, on Thursday, December 1, 2016 at 10:00 A.M., with Rev. Fr. Dennis Howard...

November 28, 2016

Richard Joseph Schueller age 73, of Lyons, formerly of Fowler, MI, passed away Monday, November 28, 2016 at Hazel I. Findlay Country Manor, St. Johns, MI.

A Memorial Mass will be held at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Fowler, MI, on Friday, December 2, 2016 at 10:30 A.M., with Rev. Fr. Michael Williams officiating.  Burial will take...

November 26, 2016

Denzil G. Allen, age 90, passed away November 26, 2016 at Ashley Care Center.

Born to Howard Wing Allen and Blanche Yarnell Allen in rural Shepherd on February 14, 1926. He leaves behind his wife of 69 years, Rebecca Buchanan Allen - together they raised four children, Ricky (Lana) Allen of Ithaca, Patricia (Florian) Chirra of Pioneer,...