Local Obituaries

May 7, 2023

Our beloved mother and grandmother, Gloria Lee Johnson Dirks, was born to Benjamin & Lillian (Litwiller) Johnson on April 27, 1930, near Middleton, Michigan. Mom enjoyed a happy childhood on the small family farm on Hayes Road along with her three sisters and one brother. She gave her heart to the Lord and was baptized on Oct. 21,1945 by...

Apr 30, 2023

Wilbur Lee Thompson, age 73, of Charlotte, formerly of Winter Haven, Florida, passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, April 30, 2023. He was born April 29, 1950, in Joplin, Missouri, the son of Donald and Mary (Sanders) Thompson. Wilbur faithfully served his country as a Sargent in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. During the...

Apr 27, 2023

Mandy Marie Norris, age 46 of Charlotte, passed away at home surrounded by those she loved most on Thursday, April 27, 2023, after a long and courageously fought battle with cancer. Mandy was born to Toby and Cindy Burnett on May 10, 1976. She graduated from Olivet High School with the class of ’94. Mandy married Chester Norris on...

Apr 15, 2023

Joyce Eileen Williams, age 87, of Charlotte, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, April 15, 2023, at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing. She was born September 12, 1935, in Hebron, Ohio, the daughter of Ernest and Marie (Snider) Bowers. Joyce graduated from Hebron High School with the class of 1953. On October 11, 1959, in Hebron, Ohio, she married Griffith Leland...

Apr 7, 2023

Steven Lee Perry, age 74, of Charlotte, passed away on Friday, April 7, 2023, at his home. He was born June 12, 1948, in Charlotte, the son of George and Ruth (Jaquette) Perry. Steve graduated from Olivet High School in 1966. On June 24, 1967, he married his high school sweetheart, Gloria Jean Buncich at St. Mary Catholic Church...

Apr 3, 2023

Timothy Mark Davenport, age 61, of Charlotte, Michigan, passed away on April 3, 2023. Tim was born on October 26, 1961, in Grand Rapids, Michigan to Robert and Deloris (Teske) Davenport. He graduated from Kentwood High School.

Tim lived in Florida for many years and lots of memories were made there. He bought a yearly...

Apr 2, 2023

James Arthur Vanness II “Sleepy”, age 28, of Lansing passed away unexpectedly in a motorcycle accident on Sunday, April 2, 2023. He was born August 11, 1994, in Lansing the son of James and Patricia (Reed) Vanness. Jimmy adored his family and friends. He had a tremendously giving spirit and would give anybody the shirt off his back. He...

Mar 26, 2023

Tim E. Gingrich, age 61, of Charlotte, passed away Sunday, March 26, 2023. He was born November 21, 1961, in Charlotte, the son of John and Kay Dawn (Tinkey) Gingrich. Tim graduated from Charlotte High School in 1980. While Tim was in high school he started his first job. This job enabled him to build a foundation of hard...

Mar 24, 2023

Jennifer Sue Pickett, age 52, of Charlotte, passed away at her home on Friday, March 24, 2023. She was born July 25, 1970, in Marshall, Michigan, the daughter of James and Lonna (Watson) Pickett. Jenny was raised in Charlotte and graduated from Charlotte High School in 1988. She had a passion for her family and was devoted to each...

Mar 21, 2023

Stanley Charles Jeffery, age 80, of Olivet passed away on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at Ascension Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo. He was born May 1, 1942, the son of Alford and Alberta (Amar) Jeffery. Stanley loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren very much. He also had a passion for fast cars, motorcycles, and his numerous pets. Stanley retired from Airway...

Mar 17, 2023

Mary Kathleen Heath, age 89, of Eagle formerly of Charlotte, passed away Friday, March 17, 2023, due to complications from Alzheimer’s Disease. She was born October 8, 1936, in Charlotte the daughter of James and Mary (Salter) Polhamus. On February 14, 1954, Mary married James Heath. Mary was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She loved working in her...

Mar 16, 2023

E.A. “Ted” Heutsche passed into his eternal reward in the early morning of March 16 after suffering for many years from fronto-temporal dementia. He was at home surround by his family. He was 74 years old.

Edward Alton Heutsche II was born September 7, 1948 in Sharon, Pennsylvania, son of Robert and Anne Huether Heutsche....

Mar 12, 2023

Steven LaRen LaVoye, age 51, of Charlotte passed away on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at his home. He was born July 1, 1971, in Mt. Pleasant, the son of Max and Ramona (Davis) LaVoye. Steve grew up in Farwell and graduated from Farwell High School in 1989. Steve was a quiet soul who loved and cared for his family...

Mar 9, 2023

Larry Lee Masters, age 70, of Charlotte passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 9, 2023, at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing. He was born August 16, 1952, at Hayes Green Beach Hospital in Charlotte the son of Robert and Doris (Lynd) Masters. Larry graduated from Olivet High School with the class of 1970. On June 26, 1971, he married the...

Mar 5, 2023

Doreen Penner Wilson was born July 14, 1933 to Aaron and Elsie (Toews) Penner in Manitoba, Canada. She peacefully passed away in the early morning hours of March 05, 2023 at Maple View Retirement Community at Ithaca, Michigan, reaching 89 years.

She grew up in the St. Anne, Manitoba area in a family of eleven...

Mar 4, 2023

Ralph Edwin Griffus, age 71, of Charlotte, passed away on March 4, 2023, after a long and hard-fought battle with cancer. In losing this earthly fight, he gained his Heavenly home. Ralph was born December 5, 1951, in Chesaning, Michigan, to Asa and Louise (Dingler) Griffus. He spent his growing up years in the same area and graduated from...

Feb 21, 2023

Raymond DuRelle Arnold Sr., age 77, of Lansing, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Tuesday, February 21, 2023. He was born August 9, 1945, in Miami, Florida, the only child of James and Elma Mae (Griffin) Arnold. Ray graduated from high school in 1964 in Milledgeville, Georgia. He married his high school sweetheart, Shirley Leon...

Feb 20, 2023

Michael Scott Bruce, age 71, of Charlotte passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Monday, February 20, 2023. He was born May 28, 1951, in Charlotte, Michigan, the son of Kenneth and Dorothy “Pat” (Bouska) Bruce. He graduated from Charlotte High School with the class of 1969. On August 26, 1972, he married Annette Cloar. Together...

Feb 14, 2023

Ruth Marie Perry, age 94, of Olivet passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, at her home. She was born August 20, 1928, at the family farm in Charlotte, the daughter of Darwin and Helen (Johnson) Jaquette. On July 19, 1947, she married George Elwood Perry at her family home. Together they...

Feb 8, 2023

Dorothy Sophie Wehr, age 95, departed quietly for heaven on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, surrounded by family. Dorothy was born September 15, 1927, in Lansing, Michigan, to Karl and Sophie Wildeman. She graduated from Eastern High School in Lansing and worked at the Style Shop in East Lansing, where she met her husband, Max. They were married in 1947...