Obituaries

November 11, 2014

Randy Duane Wang, age 61, of Ashley, Michigan passed away Tuesday, November 11, 2014 at Ashley Care Center. A Memorial Service will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie, MI on Friday, November 14, 2014 at 10:00 A.M. with Pastor Kathy Leydorf-Keck officiating. Randy was born in Carson City, Michigan on August 6, 1953, the son of Kenneth and...

November 10, 2014

Virginia L. Cole, age 86, of Alma, MI passed away Monday, November 10, 2014 at McLaren Central Michigan Hospital, Mt. Pleasant, MI. Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Ithaca, MI on Thursday, November 13, 2014 at 11:00 A.M. Burial will take place at Ithaca Cemetery Ithaca, MI. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 12, 2014...

November 9, 2014

Doris V. Plaza, age 89, passed away on the bright and sunny morning of November 7, 2014. She was born June 5, 1925 in Carson City, the daughter of Lyle and Ruby Ann (Allison) Dunn. Doris was a house wife and a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, the Ladies Altar Society, St. Patricia Guild and was involved with...

November 4, 2014

William Henry Richards, 78, went home to his Lord on October 30, 2014 while hunting in South Dakota. He was preceded in death by wife Karol (Barrett) Richards of St. Johns, brother and sister-in-law Clyde and Thelma Richards of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, sister and brother-in-law Bernadine and Leon Wilson of Canton, Ohio.

He is survived by wife...

November 3, 2014

Terry Evonne Gilbert, age 67, of North Star, MI passed away Monday, November 3, 2014 at her home. Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Ithaca, MI on Thursday, November 6, 2014 at 1:00 P.M., with Pastor Peter Carlson officiating. Burial will take place at North Star Cemetery, North Star, MI. Visitation will take place on Wednesday,...

November 3, 2014

Gene Arthur Gall of Bannister, MI died Friday, October 31, 2014 at the age of 86. Born July 29, 1928 to Herman and Clara (Vorndan) Gall in Norfolk, NE, Gene served in the US Air Force during the Korean Conflict. He married Delores Gall in 1961 and she preceded him in death on July 31, 2007.

Surviving...

November 1, 2014

Jerry Jay Walker, age 72, of Crystal, MI passed away Saturday, November 1, 2014 at Carson City Hospital in Carson City, MI. Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie, MI on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 at 11:00 A.M., with Dr. Donald Ferris-McCann officiating. Burial will take place at Duplain Township Cemetery, St. Johns, MI. Visitation will...

November 1, 2014

Earl Edwin Brown, III, age 58, of Elsie, Michigan passed away Saturday, November 1, 2014 at his home, surrounded by his family, after a 3 year battle with ALS. A Memorial Service will be held at Carland Brethren in Christ Church, Owosso, MI on Sunday, November 9, 2014 at 1:30 P.M. with Rev. Monty Kent and Mr. Matt Airgood officiating....

October 31, 2014

John Thomas "Tom" Baker, age 71, of Ashley, MI passed away Friday, October 31, 2014 at his home. Per his request, there will be no formal funeral service. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 from 2-8 P.M. at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Ithaca, MI. Tom was born in Gratiot County, Michigan on July 16, 1943, the son...

October 30, 2014

Agatha A. Mankey, age 86, passed away on October 29, 2014. She was born on June 27, 1928 in Fowler, the daughter of Frank and Mary (Pohl) Witgen. She married Bernard Mankey on January 12, 1949 and he preceded her in death in August of 1986. Agatha was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church.

She is...

October 27, 2014

Carl R. Shaw, age 88, of Ithaca, MI went home to be with Jesus on Monday, October 27, 2014 at Masonic Pathways in Alma, MI. Funeral Services will be held at St. Louis Church of the Nazarene on Thursday, October 30, 2014 at 11:00 A.M. with Pastor Tom Crider officiating. Burial will take place at North Star Cemetery, North Star,...

October 25, 2014

Gary Dean Whitford of St. Johns, MI died Friday, October 24, 2014 at the age of 70. Born March 13, 1944 to Eugene and Dorothy (Slagell) Whitford, Gary worked as a drafter/designer for General Motors for over thirty years. On October 30, 1965 Gary married Judith Jane Gantz Whitford and she survives him.

Also surviving are his...

October 25, 2014

Theron Eugene Jessup, age 85, of St. Louis passed away Saturday, October 25, 2014 at Schnepp Healthcare Center in St. Louis, Michigan. Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 at Smith Family Funeral Homes, St. Louis, MI, with Mr. Keith Wise officiating. Burial will take place at Chapel Garden Cemetery, Seville Township, MI. Visitation will be held...

October 25, 2014

Dortha E. Platner, age 99, of Elsie, Michigan died Saturday, October 25, 2014 at Ashley Care Center, Ashley, Michigan. Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes Elsie, Michigan on Saturday, November 1, 2014 at 11:00 A.M., with Dr. Donald Ferris-McCann officiating. Burial will take place at Riverside Cemetery, Elsie, MI. Visitation will be held on Friday, October...

October 23, 2014

Donald Gary Gross, age 73, of Ithaca passed away Thursday, October 23, 2014 at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing.

Donald was born July 5, 1941 in Saginaw, Michigan to  Howard and Lena (Leiner) Gross. He married Mary Ann Bigelow December 18, 1993 in North Star, Michigan.

Donald was a graduate of Arthur Hill Tech in Saginaw....

October 22, 2014

Violet M. Baker, age 92, passed away on October 21, 2014. She was born in Ovid on March 22, 1922 the daughter of Edward L. and Anna M. (Eiserman) Anderson. She was a homemaker, formerly owned/operated Baker's Lazy B Resort in Crystal, MI, and Dol Jac Enterprises, Inc. in Ovid with her husband, Leonard "Jack" Baker, whom she married...

October 22, 2014

Shirley J. Wetzel, age 93, of Ithaca, died Wednesday, October 22, 2014, at Gratiot Medical Center in Alma.

Shirley was born September 20, 1921, in Alma, the daughter of Arthur and Leona (Gager) Chisholm.  She married Clifford Charles Wetzel on June 25, 1943.  Clifford preceded her in death on November 9, 2003.

Shirley enjoyed oil...

October 22, 2014

Robert G. Crocker, age 79, of Ashley, died Wednesday, October 22, 2014, at Schnepp Health Care Center in St. Louis.

Bob was born April 29, 1935, in Ashley, the son of George and Frances (Wymer) Crocker.  He graduated from Ithaca High School in 1953 and married Phyllis June Miller on November 19, 1954 in Alma.  He drove...

October 21, 2014

Albert James Sharp, age 90, of Elwell, MI passed away on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at his home. A Military Graveside Service will be held at Oakwood Cemetery in Grand Ledge, MI on Saturday, November 1, 2014 at 2:00 P.M., with Pastor Dennis Dubendorf officiating. Albert was born in Almont, Michigan on February 12, 1924, the son of Charles Irving...

October 20, 2014

Nancy Eunice (Dershem) Dunkel slipped into her eternal sleep in Zephyrhills, FL, October 20, 2014. Nancy was born June 22, 1942, the daughter of Harold and Louis (Bingham) Dershem. She is survived by her husband Eugene W., 3 sons, Jay of St. Johns, Steven (Judi) Gansevoort, NY, and Rex of Zephyrhills, FL, 1 daughter Nicole of Perrinton, MI, 7 grandchildren;...