Obituaries
Steven H. Norton
Apr 1, 2026
Steven H. Norton passed away Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at Ely Manor in Allegan.
He was born August 27, 1952, in Plainwell, the son of Howard and Gladys (Doty) Norton. He attended Allegan County Development Center and worked as a dishwasher at Hinkle’s bakery until 2005.
Steven had a wonderful sense of humor and loved doing impressions. He liked going on short...
Lorri L. Beauchamp
Mar 29, 2026
Lorri L. Beauchamp passed away peacefully on March 29, 2026, at Rose Arbor in Kalamazoo. Born on January 10, 1975, in Kalamazoo, Lorri was the beloved daughter of Mark Brandli and Barbara Waits.
Throughout her life, Lorri demonstrated a deep commitment to the healing arts and the well-being of others. Her career as an acupuncturist and reproductive specialist reflected her profound...
Mary S. Miller
Mar 28, 2026
Mary S. Miller passed away peacefully on March 28, 2026, at Beacon Health in Kalamazoo. Born on March 12, 1964, in Plainwell, Mary was the cherished daughter of the late Louis and Emily (Ballay) Kubin.
Mary graduated from Otsego High School in 1982. She embarked on her professional career at Alamo Nursing Home, demonstrating early on her commitment to serving others....
Mary J. Riley
Mar 28, 2026
Mary J. Riley, a devoted mother and loving wife, passed away peacefully on March 28, 2026, at Intersect Healthcare in Greenville. Born on October 13, 1956, in Allegan, she was the daughter of Carl and Jean (Oisten) VanNess.
Mary graduated from Otsego High School in 1975 before beginning her career at Barker & Sons. It was there she met her first...
Conrad A. Markle
Mar 24, 2026
Conrad “Sonny” A. Markle, a devoted family man, passed away on March 24, 2026. Born on July 5, 1941, he was the son of James and Dorothy (Kimble) Markle. Conrad’s life was marked by dedication and a commitment to both his work and his loved ones.
A 1961 graduate of Otsego High School, Conrad began his love of sports playing high...
Tamara "Tammy" S. Hoppe
Mar 19, 2026
Tamara "Tammy" S. Hoppe passed away peacefully on March 19, 2026. Born on January 7, 1960, in Kansas, Tammy was the daughter of Jim and Sue (Van Blarcom) Horrocks.
Throughout her career, Tammy served as a registered nurse at Bronson Hospital. Her commitment to helping others extended beyond the walls of the hospital. She was an active member of the Otsego...
Danny L. Little
Mar 18, 2026
Danny Little, age 76, of Plainwell, passed away at his daughter’s home on March 18, 2026, after a brief battle with esophageal cancer.
Born in Martin, Kentucky, on August 22, 1949, Danny was the youngest of Adam and Marie (Salisbury) Little’s six children. The family eventually traded the Kentucky hills for Michigan in 1954, where Dan would grow up and graduate...
Arlene P. Magierka
Mar 17, 2026
Arlene P. Magierka, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and devoted member of her community, passed away peacefully on March 17, 2026, at Beacon Hospital in Kalamazoo. Born on November 26, 1948, in Kalamazoo, she was the cherished daughter Arlon and Dorothy (Shattuck) Gren.
A proud graduate of Otsego High School in 1966, Arlene dedicated much of her life to the care...
Charles D. Elkins
Mar 14, 2026
Charles Douglas Elkins, lovingly known as Doug, passed away peacefully, Saturday, March 14, 2026, at his home in Otsego, surrounded by his family.
He was born in Charleston, West Virigina, on July 10, 1939, the son of Russell and Bertha (Anderson) Elkins. Doug worked as a crane operator installing metal power towers and did concrete fabrication. There wasn’t a piece of...
Bruce D. Culver
Mar 9, 2026
Bruce D. Culver passed away peacefully on March 9, 2026, in Kalamazoo.
He was born on October 20, 1931, in Martin, the son of Burt and Theresa (Fox) Culver. Bruce was a lifelong resident of the area and owned and operated his family farm for his entire life. He also spent 30 years as a commissioner for Allegan County Road Commission...
Donald R. Spencer
Mar 7, 2026
Donald Robert Spencer of Grand Rapids passed away Saturday, March 7, 2026, after a two-decade long bout with several illnesses.
He was born June 18, 1957, in Kalamazoo, the son of William and Joyce (Thayer) Spencer. Don graduated from Otsego High School in 1975 and earned his bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University. He went on to spend an award-winning career...
Mary M. Tank
Mar 7, 2026
Mary passed away Saturday, March 7, 2026, at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo.
She was born August 31, 1969, in Plainwell, the daughter of Earl and Carol (Williams) Strope. Mary graduated from Plainwell High School in 1987. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. Mary liked relaxing in the sun, collecting gnomes, following U of M football...
Kathleen L. Brock
Mar 4, 2026
Kathy Brock passed away unexpectedly on March 4, 2026, at Beacon Hospital in Kalamazoo.
She was born on August 22, 1956, to Walter and Vivian (Walters) Reed, in Plainwell. Kathy graduated from Otsego High School in 1974 and proudly served her country in the US Navy. She then attended beauty school and opened her own hair salon in Otsego, later operating...
Francis "Jack" O. Helms
Mar 4, 2026
Jack passed away Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at his home in Otsego.
He was born on February 12, 1940, in Palo, Michigan, the son of Frank and Thelma (Comer) Helms. Jack worked for Kalamazoo Cold Storage and then opened Top Spot Produce, a market and ice cream shop until his retirement in 1993. He also had several rental properties in the...
Robert E. Chamberlin
Mar 2, 2026
Bob passed away Monday, March 2, 2026, at his home on Pine Lake. He was born in Plainwell on September 13, 1937, the son of Murray and Eleanor (Ludwig) Chamberlin.
Bob was a graduate of Plainwell High School, completing his education in 1955. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy. After his honorable discharge, he began his career with...
Phyllis J. Rogers
Feb 28, 2026
Phyllis Jean Rogers passed away Saturday, February 28, 2026, at Sunset Manor in Jenison.
She was born on May 23, 1932, in Otsego, the daughter of Howard and Gladys (Halstead) Kitsmiller. Phyllis graduated from Otsego High School in 1950. On August 4, 1950, she married James Rogers who passed away in 2013.
In her free time Phyllis enjoyed gardening, playing cards and...
Cheryl Stewart
Feb 26, 2026
Cheryl Stewart passed away on February 26, 2026, at the age of 79. Born on May 16, 1946, in Saginaw, Michigan, she was the daughter of Russell and Evelyn (La Fleur) Meir. Cheryl was a proud graduate of Western Michigan University. She worked as a District Court Administrator in Battle Creek, where her passion for public service flourished. She then...
Paul L. Dean
Feb 23, 2026
Paul passed away Monday, February 23, 2026, at his home in Otsego.
He was born June 20, 1939, in Kalamazoo, the son of Frank and Bessie (Valkner) Dean. Paul proudly served his country in the U.S. Army. He worked at Clark Equipment and for many years at Durametallic until his retirement. In his free time Paul enjoyed being outdoors, hunting and...
Ronald D. Watson
Feb 18, 2026
We are saddened to announce the peaceful passing of Ronald Delbert Watson, 78 years old, on February 18, 2026. Ron was born and raised in Otsego, MI. After graduating from Otsego High School, Ron went to study forestry at Lassen Community College in Susanville, California. He later transferred to Northern Michigan University before coming home to take over the family...
Ruth E. Patrick
Feb 14, 2026
Ruth passed away peacefully Saturday, February 14, 2026, at her home in Plainwell, surrounded by her family.
She was born August 15, 1934, in Plymouth, Ohio, the daughter of George and Polkie (Howard) Risner. As a young woman she worked as a seamstress at Kessler and then for several years at Parker Hannifin until her retirement. Ruth enjoyed crocheting, cooking, playing...
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