Obituaries

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...

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...

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,...

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...

Henrietta F. Selby of Otsego, Michigan, diedSunday, January 6, 2008inKalamazoo. Mrs. Selby was bornJune 10, 1943in Plainwell to Henry and Velma (Johnson) Keech and was a lifelong resident of the area. For the last 15 years she was employed with Village Market in Allegan. Henrietta was very actively involved in the lives of her grandchildren. In 1963 in Allegan she...

Vanya L. Moore ofOtsego,Michigan passed awaySaturday, January 5, 2008at her home. Vanya was bornJune 30, 1934in Otsego, the daughter of George and Veda (Keller) Wood. She enjoyed golf and jazzercise. Vanya was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary VFW Post 3030. OnDecember 27, 1951in Otsego she married,Kenneth Moore, who survives. Also surviving are her children, Kenneth Moore Jr. ofArizona, Diane...

Jacqueline E. ‘Jackie’ Fredericks of Otsego, Michigan, passed awayWednesday, January 2, 2008at her home. Jackie was bornAugust 2, 1968in Big Rapids, the daughter of Patrick and Janet (Hampton) Fredericks. She enjoyed crafts and camping. Surviving are her children Jerry (Kim) Vorva, Ashley Vorva (Brad), and Devon Hopper; her parents and their spouses, Patrick and Lori Fredericks and Janet and Dudley...

Robert E.L. Crim Jr. ofAllegan,Michigan died suddenlyTuesday, December 31, 2007at his home. Mr. Crim was bornAugust 30, 1930inWashington,D.C.to Edward and Virginia (Sanford) Schaefer. At the age of 8 Bob enteredFortUnionMilitaryAcademy. He later graduated fromStantonMilitaryAcademy. He then served his country as a Drill Sergeant in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. Bob earned hisBBAatWesternMichiganUniversityand for over 20 years he was...

AltonL. Snyder ofAllegan diedMonday, December 31, 2007, inAnn Arbor. Mr. Snyder was bornJune 20, 1935in Shelbyville to Howard and Nina (Shook) Snyder and was a lifelong resident of the area.Altonserved his country in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict. He was a member of V.F.W. Post #3030 of Otsego and had served as the post commander. For the...

Charlene Wenckowski of Otsego, Michigan, passed away Saturday, December 29, 2007 at her home. Charlene was born March 2, 1950 in Chicago, IL the daughter of Roy and Barbara (Michienzi) Wenckowski. She attended John Orr High School in Chicago. Charlene was a member of St. Margaret’s Church and was a volunteer at St. Margaret’s School. She loved to cook and...

Constance “Connie” A. Witt ofTustin,MI(formerly of Otsego) passed awayMonday, December 24, 2007at Rose Arbor Hospice inKalamazoo. Connie was bornMay 5, 1927in Otsego, the daughter of Glen and Beulah (Morrison) Nichols. She was an LPN, employed with the Allegan County Health Department. Connie had spent the last 10 winters in Florida. She enjoyed wildlife, gardening, camping, hunting and fishing. Her passion...

Phyllis H. Willett ofVicksburgpassed awayFriday, December 21, 2007atBronsonMethodistHospitalinKalamazoo. Phyllis was bornDecember 29, 1916inOgden Park,ILnear Chicago, the daughter of Carl and Isabel (Forner) Weddon. OnDecember 23, 1939she married Herbert Willett who preceded her in death onAugust 20, 1987.Surviving Mrs. Willett are her daughter Phyllis M. Willett ofVicksburgand her siblings Margorie Will and Dr. Edward Weddon. She was preceded in death by...

Geraldine ‘Jub’ Arnett of Alamo Township, passed awayThursday, December 20, 2007at her home. Geraldine was bornJune 1, 1929inSalyerville,Kentucky, the daughter of James Begale and Bertha Collingsworth. She was employed with Parker Hannifin for 8 years, retiring in 1974. Geraldine was a member of the Otsego Rebekkah Lodge and enjoyed flower gardening, caring for her lawn, playing Canasta and other card...

Lester P. LaCourse of Martin, passed awaySunday, December 30, 2007at his home with his family by his side. Lester was born June 22, 1942 in Huron, Ohio, the son of Lawrence and Violet LaCourse. He served in theU. S.Army during the start of the Vietnam War. One of his favorite jobs when he was living inSandusky,OHwas being a milkman. He...

Alice B. Rinehart of Plainwell, Michigan, passed awayWednesday, December 19, 2007at her home. Mrs. Rinehart was bornAugust 28, 1913inDetroit,Michigan, to Joseph and Grace (Chapman) Wilson. Over a period of 70 years Alice and her husbandClydewere foster parents to over 400 children. Surviving are a son and three daughters, Jerry (Beverly) Rinehart of Cooper, Phyllis Forbes of Gobles, Joyce (Dale) Blanchard...