Obituaries

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...

January 12, 2015

David Norris, age 60, of Delphos, OH, formerly of St. Johns, MI, went to be with the Lord on January 12, 2015 surrounded by his family.

He was born October 24, 1954 in Portsmouth, Virginia, the son of James and Veronica Norris.

He graduated from Ithaca High School in 1974 and had worked many years...

January 10, 2015

Margaret E. Schepler, age 95, of Rogers City, MI and Boynton Beach, FL, passed away Saturday, January 10, 2015 at Eaton Community Palliative Care in Charlotte, MI. A Memorial Service will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes, St. Johns, MI on Saturday, January 17, 2015 at 11:00 A.M., with Pastor Keith Whipple officiating. Margaret was born in Carp Lake,...

January 9, 2015

Barbara Ann Hill, 83, passed away peacefully surrounded by family in her Mesa, Arizona home on January 9, 2015.

Barbara was born August 15, 1931 in Lansing MI to Charles and Bessie Chenoweth.   She studied business and sang in the choir at Lansing Eastern High School.  After graduation in 1949, she married Richard Dean Hill, her husband...

January 7, 2015

Imogene E. Beracy of Ashley, died Wednesday, January 7, 2015 at Carson City Hospital.  Born on March 26, 1920 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan to Clyde L. and Inez (Curtiss) Kent.

Imogene was a graduate of Lansing Eastern High School Class of 1938 and went on to attend Lansing Business School.  She married Joseph Beracy on July 23,...

January 6, 2015

Jini Larry, 90, of Ithaca, died Tuesday, January 6, 2015 in Richmond, California. She had been suffering from Alzheimers the past several years. She developed pneumonia on New Years Day and was not able to recover.

Jini was born on February 12, 1924 in Ithaca, Michigan. Jini graduated from Ithaca High School with the class of 1942....

January 5, 2015

Marjorie E. Blizzard, age 100, passed away peacefully on January 5, 2015. She was born on June 3, 1914 in Bingham Twp., Clinton County, the daughter of Martin and Minnie (Harris) Peck and lived all of her life in Clinton County. Her marriage to Neil Blizzard on September 22, 1935 ended with his death on March 23, 1999. Marjorie...

January 4, 2015

Charles W. "Bud" Palen, of Ovid, MI, died Saturday, January 3, 2015 at the age of 91. Born May 27, 1923 in Lansing, MI to Charles B. and Ivah (Morehouse) Palen, Bud was a World War II Army veteran and owned and operated Michigan Livestock Service, Inc. In 1947 he married Jean Cheney at People's Church in Lansing, MI....

January 4, 2015

Gary Allan Bast, age 59, of Ashley, MI passed away Sunday, January 4, 2015 at his home. There will be no services. Gary was born in St. Johns, Michigan on August 8, 1955, the son of Donald and Alvina Bast and Terry Zimet. Gary married Teresa (Snyder) on August 4, 1990 in the country on their family farm. Gary was...

January 3, 2015

Jacqueline Simcox, Passed away suddenly on January 3, 2015 at her daughters home in Ithaca at the age of 75.

Jackie was born August 10th, 1939 in Blue Earth Minnesota, the daughter of Harold and Lucy (DePaepe) Wold. She married Eugene Simcox on August 10th, 1957. He Preceded her in death. Jackie was a member of the...

January 3, 2015

Carole Moore, 71 of Harbor Springs, died January 3, 2015 at home. Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie, MI on Thursday, January 8, 2015 at 2:00 P.M. with visitation prior to the service from 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. Carole was born in Hillsdale, Michigan, the daughter of Hoyt and Georgia Muffitt. She grew up...