Obituaries
Lillian Ellis
Feb 16, 2018
Lillian Ellis of Kalamazoo passed away Friday February 16, 2018 at Oakview Terrace. Lillian was born July 31, 1924 in Kalamazoo. She was a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and retired from Portage Public Schools as a bus driver. Lillian was united in marriage in 1946 in Kalamazoo to Woodrow Ellis who preceded her in death in 2012. Also preceding...
John Alexander Ptacek
Feb 8, 2018
John Alexander Ptacek passed away February 8, 2018 at Bronson Methodist Hospital surrounded by his loving family. John was born to Frank and Anna (Poulick) Ptacek October 6, 1934 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He was married to Sharon Baird August 7, 1970 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. After John retired from Bonnes Electric, he enjoyed fishing, hunting, bowling, and golfing for many years....
Carol Jane Houser
Feb 7, 2018
Carol Jane Houser passed away on February 7, 2018 at her home in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She was born to Carl and Cecilia (Sager) McMillian April 14, 1960 in Kalamazoo, graduating Comstock High School and attending Anderson College in Indiana. Carol was united in marriage to the late Robert Houser, who preceded her in death in 2012. She was proud of...
James Edwin Sootsman Jr.
Feb 4, 2018
James Sootsman, Jr (JJ) passed away suddenly on February 4, 2018. James went to St. Joseph Catholic School and graduated from Portage Central High School. He loved the outdoors. He was very skilled at many things and enjoyed learning new trades. James was a great husband and father, who loved hard and was loved by many. He is survived by...
Louise Anne Hoffman
Feb 1, 2018
Passed away Thursday, February 1, 2018 at the Upjohn Nursing Home in Kalamazoo. Louise was born September 19, 1937 in Monroe, Michigan to Victor and Aurelia (Steiner) Weipert. She graduated from St. Mary Academy (Monroe) in 1954, and earned a B.S. in Chemistry from Marygrove College in 1958. On September 27, 1958 in Monroe, Louise was united in marriage to...
Paul John Borgais
Jan 31, 2018
Paul John Borgais passed away peacefully on January 31, 2018 at Kairos Dwelling. He was born October 25, 1940 in Kalamazoo, MI. In August 1963, he married Mary (Jean) Cole who survives and even though they were no longer married she remained his true friend to the end. Together they had two sons who also survive, Paul A. (Wendy) Borgais,...
Martha Anne Brouwer
Jan 28, 2018
Martha Anne Brouwer passed away peacefully on January 28, 2018 at Borgess Medical Center. She was born to Louis and Dorothy (Kluck) Mezo on November 4, 1951 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Martha loved her profession as a registered nurse, liked to travel, and enjoyed art as well as her pets. She is survived by her husband Thomas Brouwer; brothers Phil Mezo...
Jeffrey Thomas Kirk
Jan 22, 2018
Passed away Monday January 22, 2018 at Borgess Medical Center, after a long battle and fight with cancer. Jeffrey was born January 31, 1975, raised on the Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg, VA the son of Joseph and Dianne (Shaffer) Kirk. He loved spending all his time with his family as he was a loving father and husband. Jeffrey enjoyed the...
Dennis Allen Boylan
Jan 20, 2018
Passed away Saturday, January 20, 2018 at Vibra Hospital Amarillo, TX. Dennis was born September 1, 1947 the son of Robert and Mary (Klobucher) Boylan. Dennis grew up in Parchment, MI. After completing eighth grade in 1961 Dennis left home to enter the seminary to fulfill his lifelong calling to be a Catholic priest. On May 18, 1974 Dennis was...
Carol Ann Fisher
Jan 17, 2018
Carol Ann Fisher was born February 6th 1950 to Warren (Bud) and Sally Day. As the oldest of eight children, Carol began fulfilling a role that would persist throughout her life: the role of caregiver. Helping to clean the house, cooking meals, and looking after her younger siblings were chores she did not mind because they served to help both...
Rita Ann Rifenberg
Jan 16, 2018
Rita Ann Rifenberg passed away January 16, 2018 at her home in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She was born to Milo and Frances (Cunningham) Rifenberg in Constantine, Michigan, in June 25, 1933. Rita worked for many years as a clerk for a telephone communications company. She is survived by her seven nieces and nephews. Rita is preceded in death by her brother...
Shirley Anne Sauber
Jan 15, 2018
Shirley Anne Sauber, age 87 and formerly of Midland, MI, passed away peacefully at Brookdale Assisted Living in Portage, MI on January 15, 2018. Shirley was born on March 19, 1930 in Lake Linden, MI, the daughter of Albert and Marie (Lulaid) Pelland. On January 24, 1953, also in Lake Linden, Shirley was united in marriage to William (Bill) Joseph...
Caroline Louise Cleland
Jan 10, 2018
Caroline Louise Cleland passed away January 10, 2018. She was born November 8, 1930 in Kalamazoo, Michigan the daughter of Paul and Minna Mursch. She worked for her brothers at Mursch Ice and Coffee Shop for 16 years, and then retired from Upjohn after 25 years. She was a lifetime member of the Zion Lutheran Church. Caroline was preceded in...
John Francis Laughlin
Jan 4, 2018
John Francis Laughlin passed away Thursday January 4, 2018 at Bickford Cottage assisted living community in Portage, Michigan. John was born to Edward and Margaret (Gorman) Laughlin in Gary, Indiana on August 25, 1928. John received a BA from DePaul University where he studied English and a Law Degree from Notre Dame. He was a Corporate Attorney for Wausau Insurance...
Rev. Fr. Wieslaw Lipka
Jan 3, 2018
Rev. Father Wieslaw Lipka passed away Wednesday January 3, 2018 at Kairos Dwelling. Fr. Lipka was born to Marian and Wladyslawa (Kukulska) Lipka January 12, 1941, in Gasewa, Poland. Fr. Lipka joined the ranks of Priesthood in 1965. He continued to minister in Poland for 30 years when he was called to the United States to preach in 2001, spending...
Patricia Marie Smetana
Jan 3, 2018
Passed away on Wednesday January 3, 2018 at Rose Arbor Hospice. Pat was born August 5, 1925 in Grand Rapids, MI to Francis X. and Marie (Mergener) Burns. Pat received bachelor and master degrees from the University of Michigan in social work and education. She taught in Ferndale, MI and was an administrator for Grand Rapids Public Schools before marrying...
Elizabeth Ellen McGraw
Dec 30, 2017
Elizabeth “Betty” Ellen McGraw was born in Albany, NY, on May 27, 1928 to Edward and Marie (Pappalau) Braman. She passed away after a brief illness on Saturday, December 30, 2017. She had many loves in her life, most importantly, her husband of 64 years, John (“Jack”), who she met in first grade and married on September 20, 1952. They...
Dione Dea Daley
Dec 28, 2017
Passed away December 28, 2017. Dione was born in Kalamazoo on June 5, 1933 the daughter of LeRoy and Vivian (Warren) DeMink. Dione was an artist in Portrait, Water Color and Acrylics. She was preceded in death by her husband John E. Daley on April 3, 1994. She is survived by her children: Darcy & Tom Pavlack of Otsego, Tish...
Donald Paul Bowler
Dec 28, 2017
Donald “Paul” Paul Bowler passed away December 28th, 2017 at his residence. Paul was born June 3, 1950 to Donald and Suzanne (Sager) Bowler in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He graduated from Portage Northern High School, was a member of the Comstock VFW, was a talented handyman, and enjoyed fishing and hunting. Paul served in the US Army during the Vietnam War,...
Dionisha C Espinosa
Dec 27, 2017
Passed away December 27, 2017. Dionisha was born in the Philippines on February 8, 1926 the daughter of Gregorio and Paula (Hernando) Cabel. She was a member of St. Monica Church. She was preceded in death by her husband Urbano Espinosa Sr. on March 6, 2009, 2 brothers and 3 sisters. Dionisha is survived by her children: Josette Gatchalian of...