Obituaries

January 25, 2015

Joseph Stanley (Shag) Yurek, age 88, of St. Johns, MI died Sunday, January 25, 2015. Joe was born on February 1, 1926 in Duplain Township, MI, the son of Joseph Edward and Agnes Mary (Marek) Yurek. He married Margaret J. Carroll on May 21, 1949. Joe served his country in the U.S. Marines during WWII. He was a proud...

January 25, 2015

Kathryn J. Wells, age 100 a longtime resident of St. Louis, Michigan entered eternal rest Sunday, January 25, 2015 at Schnepp's Health Care Center, St. Louis, MI. Funeral Services will be held at First United Methodist Church St. Louis, MI on Thursday, January 29, 2015 at 11:00 A.M., with Pastor Terri Bentley officiating. Burial will take place at Oak Grove...

January 24, 2015

Kyle Nestle, 28, of Ithaca died suddenly Saturday January 24, 2015 at his home. He was born September 11, 1986 in Alma, Michigan to Terry and Karen (Gearhart) Nestle.

Kyle loved the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Redwings and his large collection of toy tractors. He loved to go fishing with his parents. He loved spending time as a...

January 23, 2015

Mary Helen McDaid, age 90, of rural Ithaca, died Friday, January 23, 2015, at Ashley Care Center.

Mary Helen was born May 15, 1924, in Owosso, the daughter of Harold and Eloise (Reeb) Thayer. She graduated from Owosso High School .  She married Murl McDaid on August 28, 1947, and together they raised six children on the...

January 23, 2015

James Frederick "Minnow" Halfmann, age 67, passed away on January 22, 2015. Born in Fowler, MI, December 5, 1947 the son of Alfred Sr. and Seraphine (Noeker) Halfmann, he lived most of his life in the Fowler area. He was a member of Most Holy Trinity Church and the Knights of Columbus. Jim served in the United States Army...

January 22, 2015

Frances T. Dunay died January 21, 2015 at the age 93. She was born February 17, 1921 in Bannister, Michigan, the daughter of Joseph and Frances (Bocek) Vandruska. Frances was a member of the Holy Family Catholic Church, the Altar Society, and the ZCBJ in Bannister. She married August Dunay on February 4, 1939.

Surviving her are...

January 21, 2015

Joyce Margaret Curtis, age 88, of St. Johns, MI passed away Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at Hazel I. Findlay Country Manor, St. Johns, MI. A Memorial Service will be held in the spring. Joyce was born in Elsie, Michigan on July 10, 1926, the daughter of Ralph and Lydia (Fields) Woodard. Joyce married William M. Curtis on April 30, 1988....

January 20, 2015

Lora Brooks, age 73, of St. Louis, Michigan died Tuesday, January 20th, 2015 at Pine River Healthcare Center, St. Louis, MI. A Graveside Service will be held at Prichard Cemetery, Elwell, Michigan on Monday, January 26, 2015 at 11:00 A.M. Lora was born in Lansing, Michigan on May 22, 1941, the daughter John and Nora Blanche (Elya) Ames. She attended...

January 19, 2015

Wayne C. Walker, age 84, of Allegan, MI formerly of St. Johns, died Monday, January 19, 2015 at his home. A Memorial Service will be held at Pilgrim United Methodist Church on Saturday, May 16, 2015 at 11:00 A.M. A Graveside Service was held at South Bingham Township Cemetery, St. Johns, MI, on Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 10:00 A.M.,...

January 18, 2015

James Aubrey White died on January 18, 2015 in his home at All the Kings Horses Children's Ranch in Benson, AZ after a 5 year battle with adrenal cancer. James White was born on April 1, 1947 to Roswell and Frances White in Rochester, NY. He graduated in1965 from Gates-Chili High School, and served in the army from 1969-71. He...

January 18, 2015

Douglas Allen Sowle of Breckenridge, MI passed away on Sunday, January 18, 2015, in Midland, MI, at the age of 71. Funeral Services will take place on Friday, January 23, 2015 at 1:00 P.M. at Breckenridge High School Gymnasium, Breckenridge, MI. Visitation will be held on Thursday January 22, 2015 from 2-8 P.M. with the family present from 2-4 and...

January 18, 2015

Lila Marie Kruger, age 68, of St. Johns, MI passed away Sunday, January 18, 2015 at Sparrow Health Systems, Lansing, MI. A Memorial Service will be held at Grove Bible Church, St. Johns, Michigan on Friday, January 23, 2015 at 3:00 P.M., with Pastor Larry Smith officiating. Visitation will be held at the church from 2:00 P.M. until the time...

January 16, 2015

Marlus Jean 'Molly' Deming, age 66, of Elsie, MI passed away Friday, January 16, 2015 at Covenant Healthcare, Saginaw, MI. Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie chapel on Monday, January 19, 2015 at 2:00 P.M., Burial will take place at Ford Cemetery, Gratiot County, MI. Visitation will be held on Sunday January 18, 2015 from...

January 16, 2015

Leonard L. Morford, age 80, of Lancaster, NH formerly of Ithaca died Friday, January 16th, 2015 in New Hampshire. Leonard was born in Cheboygan, Michigan on January 30, 1934, the son of Lester and Lillian Oma (Stead) Morford. A Memorial service will be announced in the spring by Smith Family Funeral Homes, Ithaca Chapel Online condolences can be sent to...

January 16, 2015

On January 16, 2015, Sergeant Stanley Stambersky saluted the American flag within his heart for the last time. Stanley was born in Ashley, MI on November 28, 1920, the son of Frances Vanecek. His early years were spent helping his family maintain the farm and household. In 1942, Stanley was drafted into World War II, as a Sergeant in General...

January 15, 2015

Donna Jean Brown, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, age 62, of St. Louis, died suddenly on January 15, 2015.

Donna was born January 16, 1952, in Alma, the daughter of Donald Lee and Anna May (Morris) McGill.  She married Terry Lee Brown on March 24, 1973.  She worked at K-Mart in Alma for over 25 years....

January 15, 2015

Dorothy Mikus, age 91, of Kingsley, MI passed away Thursday, January 15, 2015 at her home. Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes Ithaca, MI on Monday, January 19, 2015 at 11:00 A.M., with Mr. Rick Murgittroyd officiating. Burial will take place at North Star Cemetery, North Star, MI. Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 18,...

January 15, 2015

Ilene Catherine Purves, age 92 of Elsie, Michigan passed away on January 15, 2015 in San Bruno, CA. Family and friends are invited to remember Ilene at a graveside service to be held at the Fairfield Township Cemetery on Sunday, August 30, 2015 at 1:00 P.M. All are invited to a luncheon at the Elsie United Methodist Church following the...

January 15, 2015

Marian R. Maron, age 81, passed away on January 14, 2015. She was born in St. Johns on August 13, 1933, the daughter of Roscoe and Ruth (Bandt) Rathbun. Marian was a Meals on Wheels volunteer for 30 years, enjoyed doing plastic canvas, volunteered with Ovid Ambulance Service, was an active member of the Ovid Acme Society and lifetime...

January 13, 2015

Hugh J. Sova, 86 of Ithaca passed away Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City.

He was born March 3, 1928 in Alma to Frank and Alice (Brooks) Sova. On November 22, 1950 he married Donelda M. Martyn. A graduate of Alma High School, Hugh enlisted in the Navy and served actively from...