Obituaries

Dec 20, 2019

Antoinette Marie Gironda, 77, of Lawrence, MI, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Friday, December 20, 2019 in Lawrence, MI. She was born on March 19, 1942 in Chicago, IL, the daughter of Anthony and Mary Jagla.

Antoinette graduated from Kelley High School in 1961. In 1976 she and her husband Vito moved their...

Dec 19, 2019

George John Nieman, 76, of Paw Paw, MI, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on Thursday, December 19, 2019 at his home. He was born on April 28, 1943 in Detroit, MI, the son of George and Hazel Nieman.

George served faithfully in the United States Navy aboard the USS Antietam for 6 years. He...

Dec 18, 2019

Darlene Kay McKenzie, 74, of Paw Paw, MI, passed away on Wednesday, December 18, 2019 in Kalamazoo, MI. She was born September 21, 1945 in Howell, MI, the daughter of Kenneth L. and Leona McKenzie.

Darlene graduated from Paw Paw High School with the class of 1963 and from Ferris State University with her Associates Degree as...

Dec 16, 2019

Nancy Buskirk, 84, formerly of Paw Paw, Grand Rapids, and Good Hart, daughter of the late Lewis and Hazel Williams, died at Life Care Center of Winter Haven in Florida on Dec. 16, 2019. Nancy, who passed on her love of reading to her kids, was a member of several book clubs and a volunteer at her local Friends...

Dec 11, 2019

Sandra Lee Hagg, 79, of Paw Paw, MI, passed away on Wednesday, December 11, 2019 in Kalamazoo, MI. She was born on May 24, 1940 in Cleveland, OH, the daughter of Milton Faller and Freda (Davis) Berns.

Sandra retired as a 911 dispatcher from Van Buren County Emergency Services. She adored her family but her grandkids and...

Dec 10, 2019

With deep sadness the Mansberger family would like to announce the death of our beloved and admired husband / father Mark Mansberger, age 66, of Paw Paw, Michigan.  Mark was born in Three Rivers, Michigan on April 26, 1953 and was the eldest son of Harry Benjamin Mansberger Jr. and Joyce Darmilee Harder, and oldest brother to siblings Lynn...

Dec 8, 2019

Herbert "Jim" Sage, 88, of Kalamazoo, MI, passed away Sunday December 8, 2019 at his home in Kalamazoo. He was born June 19, 1931 in Gobles, the eldest son of the late Cleon Sage and Nina  (McElheny) Sage. On October 17, 1956, he married the love of his life, Cleo (Wolf) Sage who survives. He is also survived by...

Dec 8, 2019

Lena Grzebyk, 81, of Paw Paw, passed away peacefully Sunday December 8, 2019. She was born December 5, 1938 in Detroit, the daughter of the late Marino Tasti and Mary (Fusto) Tasti. Lena had a spark about her and loved to be around people. She enjoyed living at Miller Court Apartments where she had many friends. She was a...

Dec 8, 2019

Edward Ignacek Sr., 91, of Paw Paw, MI, passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 8, 2019 in his home surrounded by his family. He was born on June 10, 1928 in Chicago, IL, the son of Joseph and Anna (Ehlert) Ignacek.

Edward was raised in Chicago and proudly served in the United States Army including being stationed...

Dec 4, 2019

Bernard Linole Thrasher, 71, of Lawton, MI, passed away on Wednesday, December 4, 2019. He was born in Kalamazoo, on May 16, 1948, the son of Eugene and Wanetta (Kutz) Thrasher. He attended Comstock Schools and Kalamazoo Central High School. Bernard was married to Marie Anne Farrell in 1971. He worked for multiple businesses in the Kalamazoo area including...

Dec 2, 2019

James Robert Tibbitts, age 84, of Mattawan, passed away Monday December 2, 2019 at Rose Arbor in Kalamazoo. He was born September 5, 1935 in Galesburg, the son of  the late Wilbur Tibbitts and Cletus (Prough) Tibbitts. Jim was a Longtime active member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Paw Paw. He served his country in the Army, and enjoyed...

Dec 1, 2019

Patricia Ann Wachtor, 72, of Paw Paw, MI, passed away in her home on December 1, 2019. She was born October 13, 1947 in South Bend, IN, the daughter of Louis and Sophie (Krochmal) Krakowski.

Patricia graduated from South Bend High School. She married the love of her life, Robert Anthony Wachtor on October  5, 1968. They...

Nov 30, 2019

Susan Sievers Dunton, 72, of Lawrence, MI, died on the morning of November 30th, 2019 after a long and hard fought battle with cancer.  Sue was born January 12, 1947 in Ann Arbor, MI, the only child of Edward C. Sievers and Ruth (Venema) Sievers. Sue devoted herself to raising her children and spent many years volunteering with Boy...

Nov 28, 2019

Amy Jo Middleton, 48, of Paw Paw, passed away Thursday November 28, 2019 at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo. She was born January 20, 1971 in Celina, Ohio, the daughter of Rolland Priddy and Judy (Ferguson) Evans. She is survived by her husband, Raymond Middleton, son, Devin Middleton; daughter, Ashlee Middleton; step-son, Korey Wolthuis; mother, Judy Evans and her brother,...

Nov 28, 2019

Clyde Yancey, 85, of Lawton, passed away Thursday, November 28, 2019 at his home. He was born June 9, 1934 in Monkeys Eyebrow, KY, the son of the late Dennis and Ora (Crabtree) Yancey. Clyde retired from the Kalamazoo General Motors plant where he was employed as a tool & die maker. He served his country in the Army...

Nov 27, 2019

Frances Lee Bartlett, age 68, of Paw Paw passed away Wednesday morning, November 27, 2019 at Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo with her family at her side.  Lee was born November 30, 1950 in Chicago, IL the daughter of the late Frank and Betty (Johnson) Bekielewski.   Lee enjoyed knitting, cross stitching, helping the VFW with Poppies, cooking and boating on...

Nov 23, 2019

Barbara Jean White, 88, of Mattawan, MI, passed away at home surrounded by her family on Saturday, November 23, 2019. She was born on May 6, 1931, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the daughter of Kenner and Hazel (Posey) Stearns.

Her family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan when she was a toddler. Barb graduated from South High School in...

Nov 20, 2019

Richard “Dick” Forbes,  passed away unexpectedly, Nov. 20, 2019. Dick was a lifelong resident of Paw Paw, having graduated from Paw Paw High School in 1962.

During an enrollment in the  Air Force, he met his future wife, Diana, who became his lifelong mate of over 54 years.  After being discharged  from the  Air Force, Dick worked...

Nov 15, 2019

Marisha Ray Smith, 65, of, Paw Paw, passed away Friday, November 15, 2019 in Three Rivers, MI. She was born March 4, 1954 in, Kennett, Missouri, the daughter of J.R. Sales and Vera (Bull) Sales. She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas A. Smith in 1997 and her son, Gregory Smith in 2016. She is survived by...

Nov 12, 2019

Janice Sparks, 63, of Plainwell, passed away Tuesday,November 12, 2019. She was born August 1, 1956 in Kalamazoo, the daughter of the late Charles Bergeon Sr.and Nellie (Russell) Bergeon. Janice is survived by her son, Jonathan Bergeon; two brothers, Fred Bergeon and Charles (Kelly) Bergeon Jr., grandchildren, Jonathon Taylor Bergeon and Andrew Dylan Castle, two step-siblings, Jim and Linda...