Obituaries

Donnie L. Rop of Plainwell, Michigan, passed away peacefully at home with his family after a brief illness on Tuesday, July 21, 2009. Don was born December 7, 1942 in Kalamazoo, the son of Claus and Daisy (Budzinski) Rop. He had been employed with Menasha Paper Company in Otsego retiring after 30 years of service. Don is survived by his...

Sandra M. Winkler of Plainwell, Michigan, passed away Sunday, July 19, 2009 in Plainwell. Sandra was born October 31, 1946 in Kalamazoo to Richard and Virginia (Laws) Lovett and had been a lifelong resident of the area. Surviving are three children, Charles (Mary) Winkler, Jr. of Plainwell, Kimberly (Jeffrey) Shafer of Portage and Thomas Winkler of Plainwell; seven grandchildren, Michael,...

William Eric ‘Bill’ Steinke of Otsego, Michigan, went home to be with the Lord onJuly 19, 2009. Bill was bornDecember 16, 1967, inPlainwell,Michigan, to Gerald and Joyce (Niles) Steinke. He was employed with Safari Circuits. Bill loved spending time with his son, Rickey, and close friends, Brad and Seth. He also loved camping, cooking, fishing, gardening and having coffee with...

Donald J. Watters ofOtsego passed awayThursday, July 16, 2009in Cooper Twp. Don was bornNovember 28, 1936in Plainwell, the son of James and Helen (Hanson) Watters. For many years he owned and operated a milk hauling business, Don Watters Milk Hauling. Don loved model trains with an entire room filled with a track set-up. He also was an avid coin collector...

Irene M. Seekman of Otsego, MI passed away Saturday, July 11, 2009 at her daughter’s home surrounded by loving family members. Mrs. Seekman was born September 3, 1915 in Olwine, IA, the daughter of Orville John “Huck” and Verna (Kimbell) Finn. On June 25, 1937 in Goshen, IN she married Earl Seekman, who preceded her in death in 2001 after...

Roland Jay ‘Mickey’ Morey of Plainwell, Michigan, passed away suddenlyMonday, June 29, 2009. Mr. Morey was bornApril 16, 1942, inKalamazooto Max and Wiona (Spring) Morey. Mickey began his career at Menasha Corp. where he worked in many capacities including personnel director and superintendent. He was then employed for many years as a sales representative with Appleton Mills Paper Products, retiring...

Richard A. Massingill of Otsego, Michigan (formerly of Livonia) passed away Thursday, June 25, 2009 in Kalamazoo. Mr. Massingill was born August 31, 1922 in South Bend, IN the son of Harry and Lucille (Breysacher) Massingill. Richard received a Bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and Master’s and Specialist Degrees from the University of Michigan. He was the Principal at Warren...

Jack Tompkins of Otsego, MI passed away Thursday, June 25, 2009 at his home. Jack was born January 29, 1935 in Colorado, the son of John and Ruby (Baker) Tompkins. He served in the Army from 1953 to 1959 and then worked at the Otsego Falls Paper Mill for 14 years, retiring in 1975. Jack was a member of VFW...

Agnes G. Ives of Allegan, Michigan, passed awaySunday, June 21, 2009in Allegan. Mrs. Ives was bornAugust 6, 1922inCharleston,West Virginia, the daughter of Peter and Berdie (Hofarozt) Peck. Surviving are a son and daughter and their spouses, Pastor David and Saundra Ives ofKalamazooand Jean and Jack Madalinski ofFt. Wayne,IN; 6 grandchildren; 9 great grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. Preceding her in...

Daniel Dutton of Alamo Township passed awayWednesday, June 17, 2009inGrand Rapids. Dan was bornAugust 12, 1963, in Allegan. At age 14 he began working under the CETA plan at the Otsego athletic fields for 3 years, Dan had also worked winters at Bittersweet, and he worked in area factories including Alex Foods, Allegan Tubular and Allegan Metal Finishing. Most recently...

ClydeC. “Red”Covault, Jr, ofOtsego passed awayMonday, June 15, 2009, at his home. Mr. Covault was bornMarch 3, 1929, inTrowbridgeTownshipto Clyde Sr. and Ethel (Bergh) Covault, and had been a resident of Otsego since 1942. He had been employed at the MacSimBar Paper Mill and then for over 40 years, beginning in 1951, he owned and operated Otsego TV. Red was...

John W. Bayard of Allegan, Michigan, passed away suddenly,Monday, June 15, 2009, in Otsego. John was bornApril 19, 1958inChicagoto Wayne and Barbara (Smith) Bayard. He was a member of the Otsego Elks #1711 B.P.O.E., the V.F.W. Post #3030, Otsego Moose Lodge #345 and the Allegan Eagles. John loved to cook, read, listen to music and dance, especially to blues and...

Cindy L. Cook of Kalamazoo,MI passed awaySaturday, June 13, 2009inKalamazoo. Cindy was bornFebruary 28, 1957inKalamazoo, the daughter of Richard and Geraldine (Smith) Sage. She loved her children and grandchildren, and she enjoyed going to garage sales. OnMarch 29, 1977inKalamazoo, Cindy was married to Barry Cook, who survives. Also surviving are their children, Richard Cook of Kalamazoo, Amanda (Nick) Riley of...

Robert was born on October 25, 1936, in Escanaba, MI; he passed away June 12, 2009 in Kalamazoo, MI. Mr. Peterson was the son of Harold and Elsie Irene (Anderson) Peterson. He is survived by his loving wife Ruth and sons Jon (Lisa), of Farmington Hills, and Erik (Christy) of Kalamazoo. Robert is also survived by an aunt, Alvina Botwright...

Debra Lee (Harter) (Harris) Nelseon of Plainwell, Michigan, passed away Friday June 5, 2009, at Borgess Hospital with her family by her side. Debbie was born July 13, 1953, in Kalamazoo, the daughter of Leon Sr. and Donna (Newcomb) Harter. Debbie worked at Hinkle’s Bakery for many years until she moved to Indiana to work at Wabash International. She was...

Frank L. Van Gorder, Jr. ofAllegan, passed awayThursday, June 4, 2009inKalamazoo. Mr. Van Gorder was bornJuly 14, 1926, inBessemer,MIto Frank and Ellen (Hacksell) Van Gorder. For many years he was employed as a Tool and Die Maker retiring from Usher Tool & Die in Dutton. He was an Army Veteran of WW II, serving inBelgiumandGermany, where he took part in...

Raymond Henry Malvitz, DDS, of Otsego, Michigan, passed away Thursday, May 21, 2009 at Rose Arbor Hospice with his family at his side. Dr. Malvitz was born August 9, 1928 in Inkster, Michigan, son of the late Henry and Bertha (Pardieke) Malvitz. He graduated from Pharmacy School, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI in 1950. During the Korean War he...

Richard C. ‘Dick’ Hutchens ofOtsego passed awayWednesday, May 20, 2009at his home, surrounded by his family. Dick was born August 19, 1933 in Wabash, IN, the son of Rufus and Katheryne (Fisher) Hutchens. He was a Veteran of the Korean War, serving in the Marines. Dick attendedWesternMichiganUniversityand served 8 years with the Kalamazoo Fire Department. For 12 years he was...

Victor B. Sayles ofAllegan,MI passed awayThursday, May 14, 2009at his home. Mr. Sayles was bornAugust 26, 1952in Allegan, the son of Ralph and Leona (West) Sayles. Victor enjoyed bowling and working on cars. He is survived by his sisters and brothers, Donna, Peggy, Ralph, LeeRoy and James; and his girlfriend, Juanita. He was preceded in death by his parents and...

Elsa Nuyen-Strickland of Portage passed away Thursday, May 14, 2009 in Kalamazoo. Elsa was born October 2, 1923 in South Haven the daughter of William and Anna (Myner) Valkner. She had been employed at Beach Products for over 15 years and for Parker Hannifin in Richland for over 10 years and for Kal-equip for several years. She enjoyed motor home...