Obituaries

Naila Watson of Allegan (formerly of Otsego) passed away Sunday, July 14, 2013 in Allegan. Naila was born November 3, 1924 in Plainwell the daughter of Delbert and Ruth (Jones) Sherwood.On January 1, 1944 in Otsego, at her parents’ home she married Richard Watson who preceded her death in 2008. Naila and her husband were owner/operators of Dick’s Grocery Stores...

William B. Laws of Mattawan, Michigan, passed away Thursday, July 11, 2013 in Kalamazoo at Rose Arbor Hospice. Mr. Laws was born October 11, 1930 in Lawton to Harry and Ethel (Emorey) Laws.During the Korean Conflict he served his country in the U.S. Army. For 42 years he was employed as a pipe fitter with Georgia Pacific, retiring in 1992....

Dale Wells, Sr. of Otsego passed away Saturday, July 6, 2013. Dale was born April 6, 1931 in Otsego to Clarence and Helen (Barrett) Wells.He had worked in the plastics and metal industry as a factory worker and had cut wood on site.On May 27, 1951 in Plainwell he was married to Margaret May Bailey who survives. Also surviving are...

Dale Buskirk of Martin, Michigan passed away Thursday, July 4, 2013 at his home surrounded by his family. Dale was born January 29, 1933 in Hopkinsburg to Howard and Alma (Belton) Buskirk, the youngest of 13 children. Dale had been employed with Michigan Bell Telephone, First Tel Communications, and Hidden Valley. He served his country in the Army during the...

Arnold ‘Arnie’Kruithoff of Otsego passed away Wednesday, July 3, 2013 in Plainwell. Mr. Kruithoff was born July 27, 1924 in Allegan to Henry and Mildred (Brenner) Kruithoff. He was a veteran of WWII serving in the Army, a Past Commander, District Commander, Life Member and Honor Guard member of VFW Post 3030. Arnie worked for the MacSimBar/Mead from 1944 to...

Robert Irving of Plainwell, Michigan pssed away Sunday, June 30, 2013 at his home. Bob was born January 9, 1966 in Plainwell to Robert and Dorothy (Holloway) Irving. For many years he was employed in the construction industry.Surviving are his parents; a stepson, Joshua Gibbard of Otsego; siblings, Peggy Town of Otsego, Theresa (Dave) Irving of Allegan, Daniel Irving, Julie...

Robert L. ‘Bob’ Sadler of Kalamazoo, Michigan, passed away Monday, July 1, 2013 at Rose Arbor Hospice, with his family by his side. Mr. Sadler was born August 13, 1926 in Cleveland to Joseph and Mildred (Rehar) Skufca Sadler.He was a veteran of WWII, serving in the Army. Bob was an avid Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Indians fan, enjoyed golfing,...

Dale M. Bemis of Gobles passed away Wednesday, June 26, 2013 in Ann Arbor. Dale was born August 28, 1950, the son of Kenneth R. and Rita (Jedele) Bemis.Dale was an Army veteran of the Vietnam War and later served in Korea. He enjoyed his job as a plumber, also woodworking and being with his grandchildren.Surviving are 3 sons, Dale...

Danny J. ‘Dan’ Burchett of Otsego, Michigan, passed away unexpectedly Tuesday, June 25, 2013 in Kalamazoo. Dan was born March 17, 1945 in Otsego to Loren and Berniece (Boerman) Burchett and was a lifelong resident of the area.From 1963 to 1966 he served his country in the U.S. Army and was a sergeant serving in Santo Domingo. For thirty years...

John M. ‘Jack’ Blanchard of Otsego, Michigan, passed away Monday, June 24, 2013 at his home. Mr. Blanchard was born December 1, 1934 in Kalamazoo to John E. and Evelyn (Baxter) Blanchard.Jack was a 1953 graduate of Marshall High School. From 1955 to 1959 he served his country in the U.S. Marines. After his return home from the Marines he...

Harry E. Rose passed away Thursday, June 20, 2013 in Otsego. Mr. Rose was born September 16, 1917 in Bloomingdale to Homer and Beatrice (Hilliker) Rose. For many years Harry was employed with Sutherland Paper/Georgia Pacific. In his leisure time he enjoyed hunting, fishing and watching Tiger baseball. He was preceded in death by his wives, Nina Munn in 1972...

Sotero R. Gonzales of Plainwell passed away Friday, June 21, 2013 at his home. Mr. Gonzales was born December 15, 1931 in La Feria, TX to Andres and Eloisa (Longoria) Ramirez. Sotero had worked for over 30 years at Plainwell Paper Company and in his leisure time enjoyed camping, watching westerns, fishing, gardening, reading the Bible and attending church.On August...

Joyce Ann Shattuck, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, passed away Monday, June 17, 2013 in Kalamazoo. Mrs. Shattuck was born August 17, 1939 in Otsego to Robert and Pauline (Bittenbender) Griffith and had been a lifelong resident of the area.For many years she was employed with the Lake St., Kalamazoo and Plainwell Burger Chefs. She had many...

Joyce A. Berner of Kalamazoo (formerly of Otsego) passed away Sunday, June 16, 2013, in Kalamazoo. Mrs. Berner was born October 9, 1942 in Plainwell to Wayne and Louise (Mollitor) Livingston.She was a 1960 graduate of Otsego High School and had attended Western Michigan University. Joyce began her career at Kal Equip in Otsego and then stayed home to raise...

Roslyn ‘Rosie’ (Venema) Cook of Otsego, Michigan, passed away Thursday, June 13, 2013, in Allegan. Rosie was born April 21, 1934, in Otsego, the only child of Henry and Elizabeth (Sisson) Venema.In high school Rosie worked at Colburn’s Drug Store as a soda jerk. This is where she met the love of her life, Hadley. After graduating from Otsego High...

Craig D. Bowers of Otsego, Michigan, passed away Thursday, June 6, 2013, at his home. Craig was born November 10, 1962 in Plainwell to Ward and Vivian (Bray) Bowers and was a lifelong resident of the area.From 1992 until 2001 he was employed with Perrigo Co. as a line leader and had also worked as a car detailer. In his...

Marcia J. Modd of Otsego, Michigan, passed away on Wednesday, May 29, 2013. Marcia was born on September 20, 1940 in Grand Rapids, MI to Leo and Verna Fischer.Marcia has been preceded in death by her husbands, Ralph MacEachron who died in 1984 and Tom Modd who died in 1987; son-in-law, Tim Counterman; granddaughter, Amy Lynn; sister, Betty Michaski and...

Matthew A. ‘Matt’ Artis, Sr. of Otsego, Michigan, passed away Monday, May 27, 2013.Matt was born February 12, 1970 in Plainwell to Larry and Mary (Dumas) Artis and was a lifelong resident of the area. He was a Christian and a member of Plainwell Assembly of God. He volunteered with St. Vincent DePaul Society and had also served as president...

Richard Henry ‘Hank’ Collick, Sr. of Kalamazoo, Michigan, went to be with his Lord and Savior Sunday, May 19, 2013 in Kalamazoo. Hank was born July 9, 1927 in Allegan to Thomas John II and Rose (Hawkins) Collick .Hank had worked for Al Schanz Plumbing and Heating in Kalamazoo and served in the US Army in Korea. He was a...

Harvey ‘DuWayne’ Hicks of Trowbridge, Michigan, passed away Monday, May 20, 2013, in Kalamazoo. Mr. Hicks was born October 16, 1926 in Trowbridge Township to Theodore DuWayne ‘Ted’ and Lucy (Bolenbaugh) Hicks and was a lifelong resident of the area.He served his country in the U.S. Navy during WWII in the South Pacific on the destroyer, USS Cotton. DuWayne received...