Obituaries
James Odell Hiestand
Jun 11, 2015
James O. Hiestand of Kalamazoo, passed away Thursday, June 11, 2015 at Life Care Center of Plainwell. James was born May 31, 1936 in Allegan, the son of Arthur and Frances (Jameson) Hiestand and grew up on a farm on M-89 in Plainwell. He was a U.S. Army veteran and served from 1959 to 1961. James retried from Burroughs Corp...
Dale Andrew Gilman
Jun 11, 2015
Dale A. Gilman of Kalamazoo, passed away Thursday, June 11, 2015 at home. Dale was born September 28, 1945 in Kalamazoo the son of Andrew and Thelma (Scramlin) Gilman. He was a member of the Michigan National Guard and hereceived his MBA from Western Michigan University. Dale was employed for the IRS then for the U.S. Post Office prior to...
David R. Ripley
Jun 11, 2015
David R. Ripley of Marshall, passed away June 11, 2015. David was born in Kalamazoo on May 23, 1965, the son of Robert and Jane (Rowley) Ripley. He was a Finance Manager and Purchaser at Borgman Ford. He attended mass at St. Philip Roman Catholic Church. David loved his kids, was an avid car collector, and enjoyed music. He was...
Jerry Louis Branch
Jun 10, 2015
Jerry L. Branch of Kalamazoo, passed away Wednesday, June 10, 2015 at home. Jerry was born July 5, 1938 in Kalamazoo the son of Howard and Leona (White) Branch. He was a U.S. Navy veteran and was formerly employed as an operating engineer for Shinville Excavating and Miller David Company. He was a proud member of Operating Engineers Local 324...
Thomas Edwin Puchalski
Jun 9, 2015
Thomas E. Puchalski of Kalamazoo, passed away Tuesday, June 9, 2015 at home. Thomas was born in Chicago, IL on December 21, 1917 the son of Antony & Phyllis (Smolinski) Puchalski. He was a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus, 3rd Degree. He was an avid baseball fan and a long time Chicago Cubs fan....
Nicholas John Capitano
Jun 8, 2015
Nicholas John Capitano, passed away Monday, June 8, 2015 at Heartland Health Care Center. Nicholas was born in Kalamazoo on February 8, 1952 the son of Frank & Ethel (Holland) Capitano. He was a member of the St. Augustine Catholic Church. Nicholas is preceded in death by his parents; sister, Bonnie Weese; and brother, Ralph Capitano. He is survived by...
Calvin Chao
Jun 3, 2015
Calvin Chao passed away Wednesday, June 3, 2015 after a boating accident. Calvin was born June 10, 1995 in Kalamazoo the son of Fei Man and Vou (Chhiu) Chau. He was a 2013 graduate of Portage Central High School and a junior at Western Michigan University. Calvin was an avid volunteer including Habitat for Humanity and enjoyed playing tennis, fishing,...
Chhay Lay Wong
Jun 3, 2015
Passed away Wednesday, June 3, 2015 after a boating accident. Chhay was born November 17, 1997 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia the son of Geck Veng Wong and Kheng Hong. He was a junior at Lox Norrix High School where he was a member of the track, tennis, and diving teams. He was an avid volunteer including Habitat for humanity and...
Maxine Lorraine Mejeur
Jun 3, 2015
Maxine L. Mejeur of Almena Twp. passed away Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at Rose Arbor Hospice. Maxine was born March 18, 1927 in Kalamazoo the daughter of Jason and Mabel (Russell) Waber. She was a member of Second Christian Reformed Church in Kalamazoo She preceded in death by her husband Albert Mejeur; two sisters, Louise Vieke and Helen Storey. Surviving...
Robert Burton Watson
May 30, 2015
Robert B. Watson passed away Saturday afternoon, May 30, 2015 at home. He was 96. He was born October 9, 1918, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He graduated from Kalamazoo College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. On July 12, 1946, Robert was united in marriage to Ella M. Sanborn. They were married for 69 years. Following a 20year stint as...
Rosetta Burchett
May 30, 2015
Rosetta Burchett of Kalamazoo, passed away Saturday May 30, 2015 at Borgess Medical Center. Rosetta was born April 25, 1932 in Grubbs, AR the daughter of Frank and Mable (Kendall) London. She was a plastics press operator and a member of AFL-CIO, she enjoyed gardening and fishing. She was preceded in death by two husbands, Woodrow Taylor and Lawrence Burchett;...
Rudolph Paul Wolchina, Jr.
May 27, 2015
Rudolph P. Wolchina, Jr. of Mattawan, passed away Wednesday May 27, 2015 at Rose Arbor Hospice. Rudy was born Sept. 26, 1934 in Chicago the son of Rudolph and Amelia (Balogh) Wolchina. He graduated from K-College and retired from Performance (Allied) Paper Co. Rudy was an accomplished woodworker and an avid gardener. Surviving are several nieces & nephews, great-nieces &...
Richard "Dick" Joseph Caldwell
May 25, 2015
Dick (Richard Joseph) Caldwell was called home to his Creator on May 25, 2015. He was 4 days short of his 58th birthday. He passed away on Memorial Day, his favorite holiday. Dick was loved as a Son, Husband, Brother, Uncle and Friend. All those who knew him will miss him. The son of Dr. James and Rosalie Caldwell, he...
Lepha Mae Trainer
May 24, 2015
Lepha Mae Trainer of Kalamazoo, passed away Sunday, May 24, 2015 at Bronson Methodist Hospital. Lepha was born on June 21, 1928 in Kalamazoo, the daughter of Joseph & Esther (Lockard) Morlan. She was a member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 6252 and loved to square dance. Lepha was preceded in death by her son, Kirk Trainer; two sisters,...
William Joseph Meyers
May 19, 2015
William J. Meyers of Cooper Twp, passed away Tuesday, May 19, 2015. Bill was born June 14, 1924 in Cooper Twp. the son of Joseph and Blanche (VanderWeele) Meyers. He graduated from State High School and Western Michigan College. Bill was a US Army veteran serving during WWII, receiving the Bronze Battle Star and while participating in the Philippine liberation...
Victoria "Vickee" Miller
May 17, 2015
Passed away on May 17, 2015 at Borgess Gardens. Vickee was born March 12, 1932 in Kalamazoo, the daughter of Antoni & Mary (Chodacznik) Socha. She graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School in January of 1950. Vickee was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. She loved to play bingo and cards, go bowling, polka dance, and play the slots...
Dorothy Louise Franzen
May 9, 2015
Dorothy L. Franzen of Portage, passed away Saturday, May 9, 2015 at Upjohn Community Center. Dorothy was born in St. Louis, MI on her grandmother’s farm. She was the only child of George and Louise Sefcik, and she was proud of her Czech and Bohemian heritage. Dorothy grew up on the South Side of Chicago in an area where immigrants...
Ripsom-Brucker J. Sandra
May 6, 2015
Sandra J. Ripsom-Brucker of Gun Plain Township. Passed away Tuesday, May 6, 2015 at Plainwell Nursing Home, Kalamazoo, MI. Sandra was born May 8, 1936 in Wood River, IL the daughter of Alfred and Ruth (Hamilton) Thallman. She graduated from East Alton Wood River Community High School in 1954 and received her Bachelor’s as well as Master’s Degrees from Illinois...
Sandra J. Ripsom-Brukker
May 6, 2015
Sandra J. Ripsom-Brukker of Bloomington, passed away Tuesday, May 6, 2015at Plainwell Pines Nursing Home, Kalamazoo, MI. Sandra was born May 8, 1936 in Wood River, IL the daughter of Alfred and Ruth (Hamilton) Thallman. She graduated from East Alton Wood River Community High School in 1954 and received her Bachelor’s as well as Master’s Degrees from Illinois State University....
Mary Agatha Sieklucki
May 3, 2015
Mary A. Sieklucki of Kalamazoo, passed away Sunday, May 3, 2015 in Alamo Nursing Home. Mary was born Sept. 28, 1921 in Kalamazoo the daughter of Ciro and Catherine (Dugo) Barone. She graduated from St. Augustine High School and Nazareth College and was a member of St. Monica Catholic Church. On Dec. 8, 1943 in Jamaica, NY Mary was united...