Obituaries

Teresa Lee Cairns of Otsego passed awayWednesday, February 27, 2008at her home. Teresa was bornMarch 5, 1954inKalamazoo, the daughter of Carl and Donna (Mathis) Sabin. She worked for Parker Hannifin Corp. for 20 years. Teresa enjoyed playing pool, dogs & cats, spending time outdoors camping and canoeing and spending time with her family and friends. Teresa had many friends and...

Ronald E. Phillips ofAllegan (formerly of Otsego) passed awayMonday, February 25, 2008inKalamazoo. He was bornAugust 22, 1946in Plainwell the son of Lester and Betty (Burroughs) Phillips. Ron excelled in several sports and won many medals participating in the Special Olympics. His favorites included softball, basketball and bowling. For over 40 years, he was a carry-out and stocker at Harding’s and...

Bernice M. Schwander ofAlamoTownship passed awayMonday, February 25, 2008inKalamazoo. Bernice was bornMay 5, 1910inSt. Louis,Missourito Charles and Mabel (Gallagher) Schearer. Bernice was a member of St. Margaret’s Catholic Church and League of Mary. Surviving are 2 daughters, Joyce Peterman ofKalamazooand Mary (Frederick) Edison of Sarasota, FL; 5 grandchildren; 9 great grandchildren; great great grandchildren. A Memorial graveside service will be...

Mildred O. Miller ofAlamoTownship passed awayThursday, February 22, 2008inAlamo. Mildred was bornAugust 1, 1912in Allegan, the eldest of seven children born to John and Bertha (Ketchum) Black. She attended the Alamo Community Congregational Church for 80 years. As a child, she would walk by herself three miles to church and back. This would make her late for Sunday lunch at...

William E. McHale Sr. of Otsego,MI passed awayTuesday, February 19, 2008at his home. Mr. McHale was bornApril 18, 1921inDetroit,MIthe son of Andrew and Mabel McHale. He was an Army Veteran of WW II and had been a welder at Hammond Machinery in Otsego. Bill enjoyed gardening, fishing, ballroom dancing and listening to music. On April 13, 1963 in Otsego, he...

Rita C. Jameson-Popp of Plainwell (formerly of Lawton and Otsego), passed awaySunday, February 10, 2008, in Plainwell. Rita was born inNew York Citythe daughter of Frank and Lillian (Gutman) Kelly. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science atSt. John’sUniversityinNew Yorkand attended theCollegeofWilliamand Mary inWilliamsburg,Virginia. Rita was the children’s librarian atSouth Huntingtonand at Patchogue,Long Island,NY. Later she was assistant librarian...

Guillermo ‘Willy’ Castaneda of Plainwell, Michigan, diedSunday, February 10, 2008at his home. Willy was bornMarch 10, 1961in Plainwell toSantiagoand Amelia (Lopez) Castaneda and was a lifelong resident of the area. For many years he was employed as a trainer with the Allegan Department of Mental Health. Surviving are his companion of 20 years, Terri Jackson of Plainwell; 2 daughters and...

Milton E. Selby, Sr., of Otsego, diedTuesday, January 29, 2008inKalamazoo. Mr. Selby was bornOctober 30, 1933in Burnips to Benjamin and Josephine (Kelso) Selby and was a lifelong resident of the area.Miltonenjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, coon hunting, raising horses and mules and playing cards, especially poker.In 1968 in Allegan he married Henrietta Keech, who preceded him in death onJanuary...

Joan B. Kramnic of Kalamazoo, Michigan, passed away Sunday, January 27, 2008 in Alamo. Joan was born September 18, 1940 in Duluth, MN, the daughter of Louis and Esther (Thompson) Kramnic. She was a 1960 graduate of Whitehall-Yearling High School in Columbus, OH and was an Art major at Ohio State University in Columbus. While living in Washington, D. C.,...

Donna J. (Kohlhoff) Jarvis of Allegan, Michigan, died Sunday, January 27, 2008, in Kalamazoo. Donna was born June 17, 1942 in Benton Harbor to Leo and Leola (Hawks) Kohlhoff. She had earned a scholarship at Interlochen Music Camp and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. For many years she had been employed as an operator with the phone company. She...

Dawn K. Riley of Otsego, passed awayWednesday, January 23, 2008at the Cleveland Clinic inOhio. Dawn was bornMay 22, 1964inKalamazoo.Dawn was the former owner of Debt Relief of Michigan and the owner-operator of Blimpies in downtownKalamazoo. In high school, she played softball and later enjoyed watching football, basketball and hockey. OnAugust 23, 2003, inPullman, she married Robert Riley who survives. Also...

Larry D. Penny, Jr. of Otsego, Michigan , died suddenlyTuesday, January 22, 2008, at his home. Larry was bornDecember 5, 1966inMillington,Tennessee, to Larry Sr. and Joyce (Conley) Penny. He was a 1985 graduate ofPlainwellHigh School, did his Army basic training atFt. Dix,NJ,AITtraining atFt. Benning,GA, and received additional military training, including a PLDC and served as an Assistant Platoon Sergeant and...

DeVon D. Culver passed away peacefully onSunday, January 20, 2008in Wayland with his family at his side.DeVonwas bornJune 26, 1928inMishawauka,IN, the son of Willard and Lillian (Kruger) Culver. He started working at KVP Sutherland in Parchment, MI in 1946 at the age of 18 until his retirement in 1988 after 42 years. OnOctober 2, 1948inKalamazoo, he married the former Irene...

Robert “Bob” Garrison of Alamo Township diedThursday, January 17, 2008, in Plainwell. Mr. Garrison was bornMarch 14, 1922inKalamazooto Charles and Lulu (Leversee) Garrison and was a lifelong resident of the area. During WWII Bob served his country in the United States Army. For over 40 years he was employed with Georgia Pacific Paper Co. OnMay 17, 1947he married Edna who...

Fritz O. Lester ofPlainwell,Michigan passed awayJanuary 15, 2008in Plainwell. Mr. Lester was bornDecember 7, 1924inChicago,Illinois. Fritz was an accomplished engineer, having worked forBrunswickinMuskegonand retiring from Parker-Hannifin of Otsego in 1991. He loved golf, the out-of-doors and soccer, and was a very kind and giving, intelligent and self-made person. Surviving are his wife, the former Clarabelle Walling; three children, Wolfgang Lester...

Cecelia A. Seel of Plainwell, Michigan, passed awaySunday January 13, 2008in Plainwell. Mrs. Seel was bornNovember 22, 1910inBentonHarborto Harry and Charlotte (Buursma) Miller and had resided inBentonHarboruntil 1964. She then lived inArizonabefore moving to the Otsego-Plainwell area in 1996. From 1952 to 1956 she was employed with Heath Company ofBentonHarbor. She was a member of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church of...

Raymond L. Fuller of Otsego, Michigan, passed awaySunday, January 13, 2008at his home. Mr. Fuller was bornJanuary 25, 1938in Plainwell to Ervin and Ethel (Fletcher) Fuller and was a lifelong resident of the area. Ray was an excellent carpenter and retired after many years in the building trades. He especially enjoyed cars and his animals. OnJuly 4, 1989in Otsego he...

Donald E. Shaff of Plainwell (formerly of Otsego) passed awayThursday, January 10, 2008, in Plainwell. Mr. Shaff was bornMarch 31, 1922inAlamoTownshipto Daniel and Marian (Russell) Shaff and was a lifelong resident of the area. For over 40 years he owned and operated Donald Shaff Heating and Air Conditioning. Surviving are his wife of 65 years, Betty (Blanchard) Shaff; a daughter,...

Barbara A. Allen of Kalamazoo, Michigan, passed away Thursday, January 10, 2008 in Kalamazoo. Mrs. Allen was born June 24, 1929 in Plainwell to Fred and Alyce (Smith) Johnson and was a lifelong resident of the area. Barbara was a member of the 12thStreet Baptist Church, where she started their library, and was a member of the Business and Professional...

AdaF.Zantello,passed awayWednesday, January 9, 2008, inAlamo. Mrs. Zantello was bornMay 8, 1917in Paw Paw,Michigan, to Jay and Laura (Edick) Stratton. From 1950 to 1973 she owned and operated a beauty shop inAlamo.Adaenjoyed bowling, knitting, sewing and square dancing with her husband, Ray. She loved golfing and reading a good book. She had also enjoyed putting on Treasure Hunts for her...