Obituaries

Ruth E. Casey of Plainwell, Michigan, went to be with her LordSunday, January 10, 2010. Ruth was bornDecember 5, 1926, in Otsego to James and Mildred (Rowe) Casey and was a lifelong resident of the area. In 1944 she graduated fromOtsegoHigh Schoolas Valedictorian. She graduated fromButterworthHospitalNursingSchooland joined the United States Air Force serving eight years as a nurse inEngland,Franceand stateside....

Hazel L. Holmes of Otsego passed away Thursday, January 7, 2010 in Plainwell. Mrs. Holmes was born May 19, 1919 in Marcellus to Arthur and Edith (Timm) Parker and had lived in Otsego since 1939. For 30 years she was employed with the Otsego Public Schools in the hot lunch program, retiring as Supervisor. Hazel was a member of the...

Alane Rae (Chapman) LaFountain,New London,Wisconsin(formerly ofOtsego,MI)passed away unexpectedly,Wednesday January 6, 2010. She was bornJune 22, 1962inPlainwell,Michiganto Lloyd ‘Bud’ and Ruth (McCafferty) Chapman. Alane graduated fromOtsegoHigh School(Michigan) in 1980. OnNovember 7, 1992in thetownshipofTrowbridgeinMichiganshe married Dell LaFountain and they began their life journey. While enjoying life inWisconsinshe was employed as a cook atEmmanuelLutheranSchoolfor 14 years. She leaves her husband of 17 years,...

Roxie Pauline Ellis ofOtsego, MI passed away Monday, January 4, 2010 at her home with her family by her side. Roxie was born August 14, 1919, in Otsego, the daughter of Prentice and Edna (Baumgardner) Stowell. For many years she was employed with Shakespeare and then with the Upjohn Co. Roxie had attended both the Otsego and the Allegan Churches...

Robert Orris ofMartin passed away Saturday, January 2, 2010 at home with his family by his side. Mr. Orris was born February 6, 1926 in Columbus City, Iowa, the son of Wilbur and Nancy (Eshleman) Orris. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. Bob was a Purple Heart recipient, serving in Europe. He farmed most of his...

Bernard A. Livingston ofOtsego,MI pssed awayThursday, December 31, 2009inKalamazoo. Mr. Livingston was bornJuly 24, 1917, in Otsego to Donald and Amy (Brewster) Livingston. Surviving are 4 children, Dion ‘Bud’ (Charlette) Livingston of Plainwell, Gerald ‘Gary’ (Sherry) Livingston of Bertaud, CO, Bernard ‘Bernie’ (Barb) Livingston of Otsego and Theresa ‘Terry’ (Bruce) Drake of New Home, TX; 11 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; 4...

Allen Richard “Dick” McPherson ofOtsego,MI passed awayWednesday, December 30, 2009inKalamazoo. Dick was bornOctober 3, 1936in Plainwell to Eugene and Ivah (Belcher) McPherson and was a longtime resident of Otsego. For about 25 years he owned and operated McPherson TV & Appliance until his retirement. He loved hunting, fishing and shooting skeet and trap at Gun River Skeet and Trap. Dick...

Byron Eugene ‘Gene’ Fullerton, a longtime resident of Allegan, passed awayTuesday, December 29, 2009, at his home after a long illiness. Mr. Fullerton was bornApril 12, 1920inWashington,Indianato Raymond and Grace (Gilley)Fullerton. During WWII Gene served his country on the front lines in the U.S. Army, earned a Bronze Star and was discharged in 1945 as a Staff Sergeant. For 40...

Gerald R. ‘Jerry’ Ziegler of Martin, Michigan, passed awayMonday, December 28, 2009at his home. Mr. Ziegler was bornOctober 29, 1935, inHastingsto Theodore and Ella (Manning) Ziegler and was a lifelong resident of the area. For 16 years he was employed with Lockshore Farms, then 12 years with Pet Corp., then 4 years with Deans Foods and then 12 years with...

Sally L. Smecka of Plainwell, Michigan, passed away Sunday, December 20, 2009 at her home. Sally was born February 6, 1944 in Plainwell, the daughter of Emery and Lottie Pauline Cole-Bennett. Sally’s father died in WWII. She grew up on a farm in Alamo and was active in 4H. Sally graduated from Otsego High School in 1962, then was a...

Benjamin ‘Ben’ Hummel ofOtsego, MI passed away Thursday December 17, 2009 at Dussia House in Otsego. Ben was born November 21, 1918 in Kalamazoo, the son of Herman and Fannie (Engel) Hummel. He was an Army Veteran of World War II, where he earned the Bronze Star. Ben was co-owner of McNamara Motor Express. On January 11, 1947 in Kalamazoo,...

Nadene M. Shaffer ofOtsego, Michigan passed away Tuesday, December 15, 2009, in Kalamazoo. Mrs. Shaffer was born March 24, 1924 in Kalamazoo, the daughter of Howard and Marguerite (Higgins) Ladd. Nadene was a 1944 graduate of Otsego High School. In her early years she was a good swimmer and diver and worked at the Coating Mill and at Coburn’s Drug...

Julia Mae Tandy ofPlainwell (formerly of Martin) passed awaySunday, December 6, 2009with her family by her side. Julia was bornJanuary 11, 1904in Martin, the daughter of William Madison and Georgia (Hooper) Brown. Later, Georgia H. married Clyde Patterson. Julia had two half sisters Betty Brown and Agnes Patterson and two half brothers, Charles Brown and Thomas Patterson, who all preceded...

Malcom J. ‘Mac’ Barton of Otsego, Michigan, passed away Saturday December 5, 2009 at his home with his family by his side. Mac was born April 1, 1924 in Otsego, the son of Milo and Esther (Martin) Barton. He graduated from Otsego High School and was an Army veteran of World War II. When he was young, he obtained his...

Lawrence E. ‘Larry’ Sallady of Martin, Michigan, passed awayMonday, November 30, 2009, at his home surrounded by his family. Larry was bornMarch 5, 1948inSan Rafael,CA, to Wayne and Joyce (Bryant) Davis. He began his career at the Otsego Creamery and then worked 20 years at the Kalamazoo Creamery and retired after 8 years with Dean’s Foods. He had been a...

Devota R. Hill of Gobles, Michigan, passed awayMonday, November 30, 2009, inKalamazoo. Devota was bornJuly 16, 1949inFlint, the daughter of Merton and Ruth (West) Cottrell. She taught 3rdgrade at Decatur Public Schools for over 20 years. Devota loved her family and her cats. She enjoyed camping atLake Michiganand collecting beach glass and Petosky stones. She also liked to go antique...

Maureen Herbig Nulty, wife ofGreg Nulty, mother of Jacque Drobny-Commissaris (Jim Commissaris), Dan (Mary) Nulty, Terri (Bert) Cooper. Grandmother 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 Grandmother of...

Bonnie “Bon Bon” Buzzell of Otsego, Michigan, passed away November 9, 2009 in Otsego. She was born on January 29, 1938 in Bradley, MI the daughter of Randy and Beatrice (Woodward) Shook. Bonnie was a homemaker and had also worked at Bittersweet and Joe’s Pizza. On September 23, 1955 in Otsego she married Darl Buzzell who survives. Also surviving are...

Marjorie L. Hendricks of Otsego, Michigan, passed to her heavenly Father on November 8, 2009. She was born in Vestaburg on April 22, 1922, the daughter of the Reverend Alson D. and Helen (Irwin) Hendricks. Marge was a gifted musician, and after World War II formed a dance band with her brother Irwin, playing many venues along Lake Michigan. She...

Erica Lynn Mitchell of Otsego, Michigan, eleven year cancer survivor and Warrior Princess, age 29, of Otsego, Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Port Jefferson, New York, passed into the arms of her creator Wednesday, November 4th at 1: 45 p.m. Erica was born May 21, 1980 at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo, where she died on Wednesday of pneumonia.Erica was a...