Obituaries

Herbert F. Councell of Kalamazoo, Michigan passed away Thursday, November 25, 2010 in Kalamazoo. Mr. Councell was born August 3, 1917 in Cooper Township to Garret and Ada (Roak) Councell. He had worked for UpJohn Pharmaceutical until his retirement. Surviving are his sons, Kenneth (Sondra) Councell of Hartford and Russell Councell of Otsego; three grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; sister, Mary Lou...

Owen E. Pathic, Jr. of Kalamazoo, Michigan, passed away Tuesday, November 23, 2010 in Kalamazoo. Mr. Pathic was born April 1, 1940 in Alamo to Owen Sr. and Rosa (Pierce) Pathic and was a lifelong resident of the area. He owned and operated the Alamo Marathon station for many years and for over 32 years was a member of the...

Evylin Sophia Sarach Vickery of Kalamazoo, Michigan, passed away Monday, November 22, 2010 in Allegan. Evylin was born June 20, 1952 in Plainwell, the daughter of George and Margarite (Rex) Hatten. Surviving are 4 sisters and 4 brothers, Shirley Luepkes, Kenneth (Pam) Hatten, Barbara (Gary) Henry, Roger Hatten, Doug (Lou Ann) Hatten, George (Linda) Hatten, Velma (Art) Grate, Stormy Melson;...

Ethel M. Tripp passed away Monday, November 22, 2010 at her home. Mrs. Tripp was born April 18, 1920 in Lehigh, Iowa to Lawrence and Geneva (McClain) Crouse and the family moved to Otsego in 1924. For 12 years she was employed with Plainwell Paper Company. Ethel was a devoted homemaker and enjoyed cooking and travel. On June 15, 1940...

Wendell O. Burkett of Delton, Michigan, passed away Sunday, November 21, 2010, at his home. Wendell was born March 15, 1941 in Plainwell to Milton and Glenna (Worden) Burkett and was a lifelong resident of the area. He had been employed first with Allied Paper Co. in Kalamazoo, then workedfor Cytec Industries for 20 years. He also owned and operated...

Ronald Lee O’Dell of Key West, FL (formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan) passed away Sunday, November 21, 2010 in Kalamazoo. Ronald was born June 17, 1950 in Muskegon, MI, the son of Russell R. and Joyce D. (Ritter) O’Dell. In 1968 he graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School and served two tours in Vietnam with the U.S. Marines and retired in...

Catherine V. ‘Katie’ Preston of Kalamazoo, Michigan, passed away Tuesday, November 16, 2010, in Kalamazoo. Mrs. Preston was born November 13, 1930 in Noble County, IN to Ray and Fern (Irwin) Enos. Beginning in 1955 Katie worked with her family at the Alamo Nursing Home, which she later owned and operated until her retirement in 2003. In her leisure time...

Eleanore “Ellie” A. Porter-Smith of Gobles, Michigan passed away Friday, November 12, 2010 in Kalamazoo. Ellie Smith was born September 15, 1929 in Kalamazoo the daughter of Nathan and Ada (Root) Porter. Ellie graduated from Richland High School in 1947. She had worked many clerical jobs over the years her favorite was working at the West Michigan Cancer Center. Ellie...

Don Smith of Otsego, Michigan, has “Gone Away With a Friend” on November 6, 2010. He was born April 7, 1939 to Dave and Margaret (Knight) Smith in Kalamazoo. Don graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School in 1958 then entered the USMC. He served in Japan and was honorably discharged May 11, 1964. He worked for 44 years at Parker...

Margaret M. Bagley passed away Friday, November 5, 2010 at her home. Mrs. Bagley was born January 26, 1928 in Orangeville the daughter of John and Hattie (Berger) McKibbin. She had been employed with the Otsego Public Schools as a Head Cook for many years, retiring in 1992. Margaret enjoyed baking, camping, watching WWE wrestling, and in her early years,...

Janet D. Wakefield Hall of Plainwell, Michigan, passed away Wednesday, November 3, 2010 in Kalamazoo. Janet was born January 23, 1929 in Augusta, the daughter of Aubrey and Leota (Kart) Wakefield.In 1946 she graduated from Otsego High School and worked several years at Shakespeare in Kalamazoo. For over 20 years, she owned and operated Middle Earth Graphics, providing board games...

Bernice M. “Bea” Wood of Otsego, Michigan, went home to be with her Lord Thursday, October 21, 2010. Mrs. Wood was born January 24, 1923, in Kalamazoo to Carl and Statta (Phillips) Branch and was a lifelong resident of the area. A 1941 graduate of Otsego High School, for many years she had been employed with Kalamazoo Tank & Silo,...

David R. Coburn of Portage, Michigan, beloved husband and father passed away Thursday, October 21, 2010, at his home. David was born September 2, 1952 in Allegan to Beverly O. ‘Cobe’ and Ruth Ann (Clawson) Coburn. He was a graduate of Otsego High School, had earned his Master Degree from Central Michigan University and another Master Degree from Western Michigan...

Melvena M. Metcalf of Kalamazoo, Michigan, passed away Wednesday, October 20, 2010, in Kalamazoo. Mrs. Metcalf was born May 15, 1924, in Chicago, IL to Charles and Katherine (Lawrence) Dumas and was a lifelong resident of the area. Melvena was a graduate of Otsego High School and had been employed with Parker Hannifin Corporation, retiring after over 10 years service....

Patricia A. Powers of Otsego, Michigan passed away Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at her home. Patricia was born January 5, 1936 in Freemont, MI, the daughter of Harvey and Alta (Eaton) Townes. Patricia enjoyed playing darts, garage sales and collecting cows. On December 31, 1955 in Allegan she married Don Powers who survives. Also surviving are her children, Linda VandenBosch...

Bennard David ‘Dave’ Pickett of Otsego, Michigan, passed away Saturday, October 9, 2010 in Kalamazoo. Mr. Pickett was born July 25, 1937 in Kalamazoo to Clifton and Evelyn (Preston) Pickett and was a lifelong resident of the area. Dave was a 1957 graduate of Otsego High School and for 26 years was employed as a millwright with General Motors Corp....

John Gregory (Greg) Nulty, father of Jacque Drobny (Jim) Commissaris, Dan (Mary) Nulty, Terri (Bert) Cooper; Grandfather of Chad (Sally) Drobny, Marni Drobny (Mike) Owens, Matthew (Kelli) Drobny; Dana Nulty (Mike) Beals, Nicole Nulty (Keith) Vale, Tara Nulty (Andy) Callaghan, TG (Corin) Nulty; Kristen Cooper (Michael) Haines, Kathleen Cooper (Steven) Verduzco, Elizabeth Cooper (Benjamin) Simon; Great Grandfather of Carly and...

Judy M. Kruithoff of Otsego, Michigan, passed away Friday, October 1, 2010, at Rose Arbor Hospice. Judy was born February 8, 1950, in Billings, Montana. For over 10 years she was employed with Otsego Public Schools as a bus driver. In her leisure time she loved flower gardening and motorcycle touring with her husband. She also enjoyed horseback riding. Judy...

Lenaria B. Carson of Kalamazoo, Michigan, passed away Thursday, September 30, 2010, in Plainwell. Mrs. Carson was born June 13, 1931 in Schoolcraft to Buck and Emma (Reynolds) Kettle. In her leisure time she enjoyed crocheting afghans, quilting and playing Canasta and Bingo. On November 4, 1974, in Kalamazoo she was married to Albert Carson, who died in 2006. Also...

Larry D. Foe of Plainwell, Michigan, passed away Tuesday, September 28, 2010, in Grand Rapids. Larry was born August 14, 1943, in Dawson Springs, KY, to Harry and Mary (Howell) Foe. In his leisure time Larry enjoyed hunting, fishing and working crossword puzzles. Surviving are two grandchildren, Kim Blake of Cedar Springs and Charles A. Slone of Plainwell; his siblings,...