Obituaries

Roland “Pee Wee” Wallace passed away Friday, December 17, 2010 in Kalamazoo. Mr. Wallace was born June 20, 1936 in Valparaiso, IN the son of Earl and Irene (Gott) Wallace. He graduated from Valparaiso High School in 1954, served in the U.S. Army, was a milkman for Dutch Maid and Lockshore dairies for 15 years and owned Pee Wee’s Fishing...

Amy Michelle (Kleinbrink) Cline of Plainwell, MI passed away December 16, 2010 at her home surrounded by beloved family and dear friends after a courageous battle with breast cancer. Amy was born June 3, 1971 in Kalamazoo Michigan. Amy treasured time with her family and always lit up a room with her infectious smile when enjoying time with friends. Surviving...

Donald D. Newton of Otsego, Michigan, passed away Wednesday, December 15, 2010 surrounded by his family in Kalamazoo. Mr. Newton was born February 16, 1931 in Kalamazoo the son of Gilbert and Winifred Newton. Don worked for the city of Kalamazoo as a Water Treatment Supervisor retiring after 35 years. He was a member of the Otsego United Methodist Church,...

Helen L. Barton of Otsego, Michigan, passed away Saturday, December 11, 2010 in Allegan. Mrs. Barton was born April 21, 1926, in Fort Wayne, Indiana to Guy and Reba (Purdy) Wilkins, Helen was a graduate of Otsego High School. On September 20, 1946, she was married to Lyle Barton, who died in 1994. Surviving are a daughter and a son,...

Wilma Lucille Cushman of Otsego, Michigan, went to be with her Lord, Thursday night, December 9, 2010. Wilma was born July 14th, 1917 to the late Walter and Florence (Julien) Reed at their home in Otsego, MI. In 1936 she graduated from Otsego High School. On March 27, 1937 she was united in marriage to the late Charles R. “Bill”...

Barbara Johnson of Otsego, Michigan, went to be with the Lord Wednesday, December 8, 2010. Mrs. Johnson was born August 26, 1931 in Plainwell to Floyd and Harriet (Boulter) McLoud and was a lifelong resident of the area. For 12 years she managed Brumm’s Gallery in Plainwell until her retirement in 2000. Barbara was member of the United Methodist Church...

Jerry Boelman of Parchment, Michigan, went to be with his Lord Thursday, December 2, 2010 in Kalamazoo. Mr. Boelman was born December 8, 1917 in Kalamazoo to Jerry and Jennie (Smith) Boelman. During WWII he served his country in the U.S. Army, stationed in England. There he met and married the former Lillian Sargeant on March 3, 1945 at Stoke-on-Trent....

Ricky Lee Banks of Plainwell (formerly of Otsego) passed away unexpectedly, Saturday, November 27, 2010 in Kalamazoo. Ricky was born March 14, 1956 in Kalamazoo, the son of Gerald and Marlene (VanSparrentak) Banks. He graduated from Otsego High School in 1974 and had worked for Parker-Hannifin for 11 years and for several area heatingand cooling contractors. Rick loved to garden,...

Herbert F. Councell of Kalamazoo, Michigan passed away Thursday, November 25, 2010 in Kalamazoo. Mr. Councell was born August 3, 1917 in Cooper Township to Garret and Ada (Roak) Councell. He had worked for UpJohn Pharmaceutical until his retirement. Surviving are his sons, Kenneth (Sondra) Councell of Hartford and Russell Councell of Otsego; three grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; sister, Mary Lou...

Owen E. Pathic, Jr. of Kalamazoo, Michigan, passed away Tuesday, November 23, 2010 in Kalamazoo. Mr. Pathic was born April 1, 1940 in Alamo to Owen Sr. and Rosa (Pierce) Pathic and was a lifelong resident of the area. He owned and operated the Alamo Marathon station for many years and for over 32 years was a member of the...

Evylin Sophia Sarach Vickery of Kalamazoo, Michigan, passed away Monday, November 22, 2010 in Allegan. Evylin was born June 20, 1952 in Plainwell, the daughter of George and Margarite (Rex) Hatten. Surviving are 4 sisters and 4 brothers, Shirley Luepkes, Kenneth (Pam) Hatten, Barbara (Gary) Henry, Roger Hatten, Doug (Lou Ann) Hatten, George (Linda) Hatten, Velma (Art) Grate, Stormy Melson;...

Ethel M. Tripp passed away Monday, November 22, 2010 at her home. Mrs. Tripp was born April 18, 1920 in Lehigh, Iowa to Lawrence and Geneva (McClain) Crouse and the family moved to Otsego in 1924. For 12 years she was employed with Plainwell Paper Company. Ethel was a devoted homemaker and enjoyed cooking and travel. On June 15, 1940...

Wendell O. Burkett of Delton, Michigan, passed away Sunday, November 21, 2010, at his home. Wendell was born March 15, 1941 in Plainwell to Milton and Glenna (Worden) Burkett and was a lifelong resident of the area. He had been employed first with Allied Paper Co. in Kalamazoo, then workedfor Cytec Industries for 20 years. He also owned and operated...

Ronald Lee O’Dell of Key West, FL (formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan) passed away Sunday, November 21, 2010 in Kalamazoo. Ronald was born June 17, 1950 in Muskegon, MI, the son of Russell R. and Joyce D. (Ritter) O’Dell. In 1968 he graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School and served two tours in Vietnam with the U.S. Marines and retired in...

Catherine V. ‘Katie’ Preston of Kalamazoo, Michigan, passed away Tuesday, November 16, 2010, in Kalamazoo. Mrs. Preston was born November 13, 1930 in Noble County, IN to Ray and Fern (Irwin) Enos. Beginning in 1955 Katie worked with her family at the Alamo Nursing Home, which she later owned and operated until her retirement in 2003. In her leisure time...

Eleanore “Ellie” A. Porter-Smith of Gobles, Michigan passed away Friday, November 12, 2010 in Kalamazoo. Ellie Smith was born September 15, 1929 in Kalamazoo the daughter of Nathan and Ada (Root) Porter. Ellie graduated from Richland High School in 1947. She had worked many clerical jobs over the years her favorite was working at the West Michigan Cancer Center. Ellie...

Don Smith of Otsego, Michigan, has “Gone Away With a Friend” on November 6, 2010. He was born April 7, 1939 to Dave and Margaret (Knight) Smith in Kalamazoo. Don graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School in 1958 then entered the USMC. He served in Japan and was honorably discharged May 11, 1964. He worked for 44 years at Parker...

Margaret M. Bagley passed away Friday, November 5, 2010 at her home. Mrs. Bagley was born January 26, 1928 in Orangeville the daughter of John and Hattie (Berger) McKibbin. She had been employed with the Otsego Public Schools as a Head Cook for many years, retiring in 1992. Margaret enjoyed baking, camping, watching WWE wrestling, and in her early years,...

Janet D. Wakefield Hall of Plainwell, Michigan, passed away Wednesday, November 3, 2010 in Kalamazoo. Janet was born January 23, 1929 in Augusta, the daughter of Aubrey and Leota (Kart) Wakefield.In 1946 she graduated from Otsego High School and worked several years at Shakespeare in Kalamazoo. For over 20 years, she owned and operated Middle Earth Graphics, providing board games...

Bernice M. “Bea” Wood of Otsego, Michigan, went home to be with her Lord Thursday, October 21, 2010. Mrs. Wood was born January 24, 1923, in Kalamazoo to Carl and Statta (Phillips) Branch and was a lifelong resident of the area. A 1941 graduate of Otsego High School, for many years she had been employed with Kalamazoo Tank & Silo,...