Obituaries
Benny Louis Aukerman
April 22, 2026
Benny Aukerman, 68, of Kalamazoo, passed away on April 22, 2026. He was born on November 19, 1957, in Kalamazoo, the beloved son of the late Willard and Barbara (Heighton) Aukerman.
Benny’s heart remained full with love for his surviving family. He is dearly missed by his devoted wife, Karen (Warren) Aukerman, who stood by his side through life’s many adventures.
A...
Glenda Sue Story
April 19, 2026
Glenda Sue Story, 71, of Parchment, passed away Sunday, April 19, 2026, at her home.
She was born June 28, 1954, in West Plains, Missouri, the daughter of Glen E. Story and Lena B. (Fox) Story.
Glenda will be remembered for her love and passion for Christmas. Holiday decorating was the most important detail. She also loved bunnies. She enjoyed watching soap...
Jerry G. Steger
April 16, 2026
Jerry G. Steger, age 81, of Oshkosh, WI, passed away on April 16, 2026.
Born on Sunday, March 18, 1945 in Kalamazoo, MI he was the beloved son of George and Josephine Steger. He lived a life grounded in faith, purpose and quiet strength. A devout Catholic, Jerry found great comfort in prayer and the rosary, carrying his faith with him...
Mahlon L. Lantz
April 15, 2026
Mahlon “Mel” Lantz, age 95, passed away peacefully on April 15, surrounded by his loving family.
Mel proudly served his country in the United States Navy as a radarman aboard a destroyer escort. Following his military service, he pursued his passion for the natural world, earning a Bachelor of Science in Fishery Biology from Utah State University. He went on to...
Alberta Pauline Schwab
April 7, 2026
Alberta Pauline Schwab, 77, of Kalamazoo, passed away Tuesday April 7, 2026, at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo.
She was born May 10, 1948, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the daughter of Lloyd Ritter and Clara (Miller) Ritter.
Alberta was an avid reader and enjoyed indulging in a good book. She was also a huge Chuck Norris fan and could often be found watching...
Clayton L. Flagg
April 3, 2026
Clayton L. Flagg, 59, of Kalamazoo, passed away Friday, April 3, 2026 at his home. He was born February 11, 1967 in Sturgis, the son of Donald and Janet (Hamilton) Flagg. On July 11, 1992 in Quincy, Clayton was united in marriage to Angela Kirt. Clayton worked in the automotive industry first as a mechanic for many years at various...
Annette M. Telesko
March 30, 2026
Annette M. Telesko, 64, of Plainwell, passed away at her home on Monday, March 30, 2026. She was born August 7, 1961 in Grand Rapids, the daughter of Salvatore and Mary Ann Pirozzo. Annette was a dedicated wife and mother and played an active role in the lives of her children and grandchildren. In addition to caring for her husband...
Jon F. Sackett
March 3, 2026
Jon F. Sackett, 73, of Kalamazoo passed away Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at his home. He was born September 7, 1952 in Kalamazoo, the son of Franklin and Wanda (Rekel) Sackett. Jon enjoyed biking and golfing and enjoyed spending time in nature. He also was an avid collector of remote control model airplanes. He was also employed by Pemco until...
Steven Carlton Colter Hilmert
February 28, 2026
Steven Carlton Colter Hilmert, age 27, of Lawton, Michigan, passed away on February 28, 2026. He was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Steven worked in construction and enjoyed many aspects of the trade, particularly exterior work such as roofing and siding. He was naturally mechanical and loved working with his hands, often repairing vehicles, fixing equipment, and restoring things he had purchased....
Robert J. Bonhomme
February 21, 2026
Robert J. Bonhomme, Sr., 92, of Portage, passed away peacefully Saturday, February 21, 2026 at Brookdale Senior Living in Portage. He was born July 2, 1933 in Vincennes, Indiana, the son of Stephen and Ethel (Marsh) Bonhomme. Bob left school early to help provide for his family and then enlisted in the U.S. Army, honorably serving his country in the...
Laura V. Hoogerheide
February 14, 2026
Laura V. Hoogerheide, 101, of Kalamazoo, passed away shortly before midnight on Saturday, February 14, 2026 at Sue’s Loving Care in Kalamazoo. Laura was born October 7, 1924 in Kalamazoo, the daughter of Paul and Marion (Dugo) Barone. She was a graduate of St. Augustine High School. Laura was united in marriage to Joseph Hoogerheide who preceded her in death...
Theodore "Ted" Mak
January 31, 2026
Theodore “Ted” Mak, age 95, of Portage, passed away peacefully at home on January 31, 2026, surrounded by the people who loved him most. Ted was born January 23, 1931, in Kalamazoo, to Valentine and Gladys (Walentowska) Mak. He graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School in 1949, and from an early age was known for his intelligence, curiosity, and quiet...
Sue Fletcher
January 23, 2026
Ethel “Sue” Fletcher, 81, of Kalamazoo passed away Friday, January 23, 2026 at her home. Sue was born March 24, 1944 in Hillsdale, Michigan, the daughter of David and Beth (Marsh) Elliott. She was a graduate of Hillsdale High School and went on to nursing school to earn her LPN license. In 1963, she was united in marriage to Richard...
Charles B. Mack
January 17, 2026
Charles Mack was born to Return Mack and Eunice Swinehart on January 28, 1935 in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, where he lived out his life, just shy of 91 years, passing peacefully at 5:15am January 17, 2026, with his son, Michael nearby. Known to his friends as Chuck or Charlie, he married Miriam Marcelle Chaney on August 6, 1953 and they...
Marilyn J. Beimer
January 6, 2026
Marilyn J. Beimer, 100, of Richland, passed away Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at Meilland Square Memory Care in Kalamazoo. She was born June 30, 1925, in Allegan, Michigan, the daughter of Leon Shimmons and LaVern (Wynne) Shimmons. Marilyn was a dedicated wife and mother to her husband, Carl, and their children, Gary and Jim. She was a devoted grandmother and...
James H. Fish
December 27, 2025
James H. “Jim” Fish September 5, 1943 – December 27, 2025 Cooper Township, Michigan
Jim Fish passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 27, 2025, after a brief illness, surrounded by his family. Born in Kalamazoo on September 5, 1943, to Earl and Elsie Fish, Jim was the second of four children and grew up on the city’s east side. After graduating...
Alfred Louis Mirakovits, Jr.
2025
Alfred Louis Mirakovits, Junior, of Portage and Grand Blanc, Michigan, and Phoenix, Arizona, passed away in December 2025 at his home. He is survived by his adult children, Aaron Mirakovits (Nathan Robinson) and Lindsay Lefers (Quentin Lefers), grandchildren Charlotte and Edward Lefers, sisters Donna Bruns (Darcy Bruns) and Grace Cunningham (Mike Cunningham), and former spouses Kathy Busch Mirakovits and Cindy...
John C. Wick
December 20, 2025
John C. Wick, 68, of Kalamazoo, passed away on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. He was born on April 22, 1957, in Lansing, as the firstborn son of Ronald and Joyce (Harger) Wick. After the passing of his parents, John was lovingly cared for by his devoted sister, Anne, her fiancé, Ron, and John's niece,...
Michael L. Reilly
December 19, 2025
Michael L. Reilly, age 76, of Kalamazoo passed away peacefully on Friday, December 19th, 2025 at Rose Arbor Hospice in Kalamazoo.
Mike was born March 24, 1949 at Borgess hospital. He was adopted by Jack and Dorothy Reilly as an infant and was the eldest of five sons.
He graduated from Hackett Catholic High School in 1969 and was employed at the...
Louis P. Kostakis
December 15, 2025
Louis P. Kostakis, 94, of Kalamazoo, passed away peacefully Monday, December 15, 2025 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. Louie was born February 16, 1931, in Kalamazoo, the son of Peter and Demitra (Skoubes) Kostakis. He graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School and enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard. Louie was united in marriage to the former Jacquelyn Minor, with...