Obituaries

May 2, 2013

Jason Jeffrey Ruedger, age 24, of Alma, MI died Thursday, May 2, 2013. Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes, St. Louis, MI on Monday, May 6, 2013 at 1:00 P.M., with Pastor Terri Bentley officiating. Visitation will be held on Sunday, May 5, 2013 from 2-8 P.M. with family present from 2-4 & 6-8 P.M. at...

April 30, 2013

Mary A. Jones, age 92, of Owosso, Michigan died Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at Memorial Healthcare in Owosso, Michigan. Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes Elsie, MI on Friday, May 3, 2013 at 2:00 P.M., with Rev. Ray A. Strawser II officiating. Burial will follow at Ford Cemetery, Gratiot County, Michigan. Visitation will be held on...

April 30, 2013

Clarence "Gene" Hinton, age 77, of St. Johns, MI died Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at his home surrounded by his family. Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes St. Johns, MI on Sunday, May 5, 2013 at 1:00 P.M., with Rev. Dan Maas officiating. Burial will follow at Mt. Rest Cemetery, St. Johns, MI. The family will...

April 29, 2013

Alberta Irrer passed away, April 28, 2013 at the age of 96. Born July 31, 1916, in Fowler, MI, she was the daughter of Albert and Augustina (Hafner) Martin. Alberta married Norman Irrer in Fowler on October 18, 1941 who preceded her in death on June 9, 1986.

Alberta is survived by her six children, Tom (Marilyn)...

April 29, 2013

Marilyn Joyce Whitford, age 73, of Ashley, Michigan died Monday, April 29th, 2013 at Ashley Care Center. Funeral Services will be held at Bethel Mennonite Church, Ashley, Michigan on Friday, May 3rd at 11:00 A.M. with Pastor Joe Pendleton officiating. Visitation will be held on Wednesday May 1, 2013 from 6-8 P.M. and on Thursday, May 2, 2013 from 2-8...

April 28, 2013

Elaine A. Piper, age 65, of Ithaca died Sunday, April 28, 2013 at Schnepp’s Healthcare Center in St. Louis.

Elaine was born December 19, 1947 to Ronald and Maxine (Proctor) Sanders in Alma, Michigan. She married Leslie Piper in July of 1974. He preceded her in death in 2003.

Elaine was employed at General Motors...

April 27, 2013

Vickie L. Brilhart, age 65, of Ithaca. Died Saturday, April 27, 2013 at home.

Vickie was born March 5, 1948 to Carroll Daton and Shirley (Detillion) Hipolite in Alma. She married William S. Brilhart, Jr. July 9, 2005 in Aurora, Colorado.

Vickie worked for 42 years as a waitress, being employed at Muscott’s Dairy, the...

April 27, 2013

Dr. Richard LeGrande Sheppard, Jr., age 68, of Mt. Pleasant, passed away Saturday, April 27, 2013, after a short battle with Melanoma Cancer.

Richard was born September 17, 1944, to the late Richard and Margaretha (Winkler) Sheppard, in Peoria, Illinois.  He graduated from Edina-Morningside High School in 1962.  He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Luther...

April 26, 2013

LaVern D. Smith, age 87, of Sumner, MI died Friday, April 26th, 2013, at Warwick Living Center in Alma, MI. Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes Ithaca Chapel on Tuesday, April 30th, at 11:00 A.M. Pastor George Showers will officiate. Burial will take place at New Haven Township Cemetery in Gratiot County, MI. Visitation will be...

April 19, 2013

Russell B. Westbrook I, age 86, died on April 19, 2013 in Flint, MI. He was born in Ionia, MI, on October 3, 1926, the son of Rosell and Lavern (Ream) Westbrook. He married Dorna Hoover on December 11, 1947 in Luther, MI, and she preceded him in death on August 12, 2009 after sharing 62 years together. Russell...

April 18, 2013

Shirley Jo Hubbard, age 74, of Ithaca, MI passed away Thursday, April 18, 2013 at Gratiot Medical Center, Alma, MI. Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes Ithaca, MI on Sunday, April 21, 2013 at 2:00 P.M., with Rev. Douglas Strait officiating. Burial will take place at Pine Grove Cemetery, Gratiot County, MI. Visitation will be held...

April 17, 2013

Francisco "Kico" Martinez passed away with his family by his side, on April 16, 2013 at the age of 84. Born October 11, 1928 in San Antonio, Texas, he was the son of Miguel and Matilde (Marin) Martinez. Francisco was a longtime member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in St. Johns. He retired from Motor Wheel after 39 years...

April 14, 2013

Lucille Behler, age 89, of St. Louis, MI died Saturday, April 13th, 2013 at Pine River Healthcare Center in St. Louis, MI. Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes St. Louis Chapel on Monday, April 15th at 11:00 A.M. Dr. Keith J. Wise will officiate. Burial will take place at Oak Grove Cemetery in St. Louis. Visitation...

April 13, 2013

Alan J. Stehlik, age 45, passed away on April 13, 2013, after a nine year battle with brain cancer. Born November 4, 1967, in St. Johns, he was the son of James and Helen (Kral) Stehlik. On April 24, 1993, Alan married Christine (Pearson) Stehlik in Lansing. Alan loved fishing and hunting, being with his family and spending time...

April 12, 2013

Frank Albert VanAmburg passed away on April 12, 2013 at the age of 62. He was born on August 12, 1950, in St. Johns and was the son of Frank and Jean (Cramer) VanAmburg. He was a member of Ovid First Baptist Church and the American Legion Post #225.

Frank is survived by his ex-wife, Manuela VanAmburg...

April 10, 2013

Benito Ruiz Garcia, age 83, of Alma, died Wednesday, April 10, 2013, at Covenant Hospital in Saginaw.

Benito was born June 29, 1929, in San Antonio, Texas, the son of Vicente and Preciliana (Ruiz) Garcia. Benito was a man of great integrity. He was a man of his word. A perfectionist, he was known for his work...

April 8, 2013

Florence Emma Muscott, 104,of Summerville, S.C. widow of Dean Felton Muscott, died on Monday,April 8, 2013 at Royal Oaks Nursing Home.

She was born on June 28, 1908 in Breckenridge, daughter of the late Robert Greening and Florence Marie (My'ander) Greening. She lovingly cared for many neighbors and relative's children while living in Michigan. She loved flowers,...

April 6, 2013

Sharon Kay Doolittle, age 55, of St. Louis, MI left us to be with her son Charlie on Saturday, April 6th, 2013 at her home. Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes St. Louis Chapel on Tuesday, April 9th at 11:00 A.M. Mr. Keith Wise will officiate. Burial will take place at Chapel Garden Cemetery. Visitation will...

April 2, 2013

Carolyn Bodwin, age 87, passed away on March 29, 2013 at her home in East Lansing, Michigan. Carolyn was born August 30, 1925 in Owosso, Michigan, the daughter of Wilfred and Dorothy (Wheeler) Clapp and they preceded her in death. Carolyn was an accomplished pianist and taught vocal music in the East Lansing School System, directing many fine musical...

April 2, 2013

Frank Joe Chapko, age 85, of Elsie, MI passed away Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at his home surrounded by his family. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Cyril's Catholic Church, Bannister, MI on Saturday, April 6, 2013 at 10:00 A.M., with Rev. Fr. Marcel Portelli officiating. Burial will take place at Ford Cemetery, Gratiot County, MI....