Obituaries
Betty Jane Peebles
November 21, 2021
Betty Jane Peebles 74 of Kalamazoo passed away Sunday November 21, 2021 at Ascension Borgess Hospital. Betty was born June 28, 1947 in Detroit the daughter of Robert and Agnes (Miller) Barkman. She was a 1966 graduate of Loy Norrix High School and she enjoyed flower gardening, baking and feeding the squirrels. On February 10, 1968 in Kalamazoo Betty was...
Carol Joy Buyce
November 21, 2021
Carol Joy Buyce 79 of Portage passed away Sunday November 21, 2021 at Rose Arbor Hospice. Carol was born September 8, 1942 in Vicksburg the daughter of Donald and Ruth (Knauss) Fritz. She graduated from Vicksburg High School and worked for Plastic Engineering in Portage. Carol enjoyed bird watching, going to garage sales, word search books, watching TV evangelists, Bible...
Mary June Gucma
November 18, 2021
Mary June Gucma of Kalamazoo passed away Thursday November 18, 2021 at Ascension Borgess Hospital. Mary was born December 4, 1942 in Kalamazoo the daughter of June and Kathryn (Grace) Geiger. She was a 1960 graduate of St. Augustine High School and retired from Wellsaw on December 5, 2019 after 38 incredible years as Office Manager. Mary enjoyed spending time...
Donna Marie Moran
November 18, 2021
Passed away Nov. 18, 2021 with her family around her. Donna was born in Chicago, Il on June 24, 1944, the daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Galvin) Burns. She graduated from Immaculate Conception Grade School. She went on to graduate from IC High School, class of 1962, in Elmhurst, IL. On June 12, 1965 Donna married her high school sweetheart,...
Lena Mae Roberts
November 16, 2021
Lena Mae Roberts of Kalamazoo passed away Tuesday November 16, 2021 at Bronson Methodist Hospital. Lena was born July 17, 1938 in Kalamazoo the daughter of Jacob and Flora (Reinbold) Westra. She retired from Magic Maid and enjoyed going to the casino and spending time with her grandchildren. Surviving are 7 children, Randy (Sara) Roberts, Wanda (Joe) Davis, Wendy (Larry)...
Michael Lee Gates, Jr.
November 11, 2021
Passed away November 11, 2021. Mike was born in Kalamazoo on July 26, 1974. He was a Service Technician at Hydro-Chem Systems Inc. Mike enjoyed riding his motorcycle, tinkering with his son, and remodeling his home. He was preceded in death by his parents Michael L Sr, Dorothy Jane (Gentry) Gates and Gary Kamrowski. Mike is survived by His grandmother...
Heather Lynn Case
November 11, 2021
Passed away November 11, 2021. Heather was born in Kalamazoo on May 30, 1980, the daughter of Ray H. and Cynthia A. (Wakefield) Case. Surviving beside her parents are her children: Justice Zain Bays, Jonathan Bays, Conner Case and Nathan Ray Joelee Bays and a brother Bob Case of Portage. Cremation has taken place there will not be visitation or...
Dennis Riley Fleck
November 5, 2021
Dennis R. Fleck 82 of Portage Passed away Friday November 5, 2021 at Bronson Methodist Hospital. Dennis was born May 25, 1939 in Kalamazoo the son of Albert and Patricia (Riley) Fleck. He was a graduate of St, Augustine High School and attended Western Michigan University, where he worked in telecommunications for 12 years after retirement. Dennis was an Air...
Maria Josephine van den Hombergh
November 3, 2021
Maria, loving wife, mother and grandmother, passed away November 3, 2021, at the age of 90 following a brief illness. She was born on July 1, 1931 in Wanssum, the Netherlands, to Pieter Jan and Hendrika (Reijnders) Kunen. She was a member of St. Monica Catholic Church for many years and, more recently, St. Thomas More Catholic Church. On September...
Dorothy Jane Crotty
October 31, 2021
Dorothy J. Crotty passed away October 31, 2021. Jane was born in Kalamazoo on January 22, 1921, the daughter of Daniel and Nellie (LeMieux) Crotty. She was a bookkeeper and Mahoney's Department Store then VandenBerg Furniture. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. Jane was preceded in death by by her siblings: Wayne Crotty, Irene Clark, Vivian Sweetland,...
Lary Alan Kloosterman
October 30, 2021
Lary A. Kloosterman 67 of Kalamazoo passed away Saturday October 30, 2021 at home. Lary was born October 17, 1954 in Kalamazoo the son of Jay and Shirley (Irvin) Kloosterman. He is survived by his wife Patricia (Bell) Kloosterman; daughter Abbi (Rusty) Patterson; grandchildren, Isaac Patterson and Kai Flegel; brothers, Dennis (Shyla) Kloosterman, Joel (Sharon) Kloosterman; sister-in-laws, Mary (Bell) Kiel,...
Tommie Ellen Clark
October 28, 2021
Passed away at home on October 28, 2021. Tommie was born in Kalamazoo on June 24, 1933, the daughter of Stephen and Agnes (Brennan) Hipskind. She was a medical Assistant to Dr. Thomas Redmond D.P.M. She was preceded in death by sisters: Peggy Campbell, Mary Jo Hanley and Nancy Page. Tommie is survived by her husband Donald L. Clark, children:...
Mary Kathryn Tilma
October 28, 2021
Mary K. Tilma, age 94, of Kalamazoo, succumbed to COVID-19 Thursday, October 28, 2021 at Ascension Borgess Hospital. The family is greatly appreciative for the care Mary received from the healthcare staff and especially her dedicated nurses. Mary was born July 15, 1927 in Grand Rapids, the daughter of Herman and Kathryn (Snook) Davey. She was a 1945 graduate of...
Richard Allen Clemmens
October 28, 2021
Passed away on Oct. 28, 2021 at home with his family around him. Rich was born in Kalamazoo, on June 12, 1954 the son of Walter H. and Frances K. (Lyles) Clemmens. He was employed by: Bee Clean, D&L and Perfection Cleaning Services. He loved fishing, grilling out, working on cars, running RC cars, cars, he had a crazy sense...
David Barr
October 25, 2021
David (Dave) Barr, age 87 passed away peacefully in Christ his Savior in Kalamazoo, MI on Monday October 25, 2021. Born in Plymouth, IN he was the son of James Hobart and Imogene Barr and was raised in Silver Spring, MD. In his youth he played the clarinet & tenor saxophone in several bands, even the Washington Redskins Band. Dave...
Margaret Mary Hammill
October 19, 2021
Margaret M. Hammill passed away on October 19, 2021. Margaret was born on November 3, 1923. She was the daughter of William and Hazel (Marshall) Steffler. She married her high school sweetheart, Frank Hammill on January 19, 1946. Frank preceded her in death on August 13, 2012. Margaret was a loving mother and is survived by her four daughters, Karen...
Brian Dale Longjohn
October 18, 2021
Brian passed away suddenly Monday October 18, 2021 after a brief battle with cancer at his home he shared with his wife and sweetie, Sharon. Brian was born December 10, 1958 in Kalamazoo, the youngest son of Gabriel and Jeannine (Sly) Longjohn. Brian worked alongside his dad and brother Bruce in the family business Longjohn Concrete. After his retirement, he...
Wendy Kay Kelly
October 18, 2021
Wendy Kay Kelly, 70 of Comstock Township passed away Monday October 18, 2021 at home. Wendy was born April 1, 1951 in Kalamazoo the daughter of Robert and Ruby (Eckler) Brown. She was a bartender for many bars in the area including Nobb Hill and Shortstop. Wendy enjoyed bowling, playing pool and camping. On April 5, 1980 in Kalamazoo, Wendy...
Tracy Shontel Hegler
October 18, 2021
Tracy was born in Union City, Tennessee to Wilma Hegler and Michael Stewart. Tracy was a wonderful wife, mother, sister, daughter, aunt, and person all the way around. She will truly be missed. Tracy was proceeded in death by her grandparents Willie Alvin and Willie Mae Hegler; mother Wilma Hegler; aunts Debra Williams, Letricia Hegler; uncles Steve Hegler and Willie...
Frankie Lynn Wilson
October 12, 2021
Frankie Lynn Wilson 57 of Schoolcraft passed away Tuesday October 12, 2021 at home. Frankie was born September 9, 1964 in Pocahontas, AR the son of Bennie and Alma (Holmes) Wilson. He was employed as an electrician and enjoyed riding motorcycles, music, barbeques with the family, and taking his grandchildren to the lake and to the movies. Surviving are three...