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Obituaries

Local obituaries for Kalamazoo, Portage, & Climax MI.

Hannah E. Steinfeld

Hannah E. Steinfeld

Dec 17, 2024

Hannah E. Steinfeld, age 93 of Kalamazoo, died at Wings Home under hospice care on December 17, 2024. She was born on July 10, 1931, in Dowagiac, the daughter of Clark and Lora (Stockwell) Churchill. Hannah was a graduate of Dowagiac Union High School. She was a baker at the Loy Norrix High School for 15 years. On April 20,...

Leonard E. Wagaman

Leonard E. Wagaman

Dec 13, 2024

Leonard (Len) Eugene Wagaman, 98 of Kalamazoo, MI peacefully entered into the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, during the early morning hours of December 13, 2024 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Dementia. Leonard longed for the day when he would see Jesus and spoke of it often with his family and friends. He was born in...

Thomas L. Stimson

Thomas L. Stimson

Dec 12, 2024

Passed away Thursday, December 12, 2024, and the age of 77 with his family by his side. Thomas was born on December 17, 1946, in Lansing, Michigan, to the late John G and Frances (Barnett) Stimson. Tom played football for Ovid High school and loved helping his father on the family farm in Laingsburg, Michigan. After graduating from Owosso High...

Christa Brigitte Sabine Hedlich

Christa Brigitte Sabine Hedlich

Dec 11, 2024

Christa Brigitte Sabine Hedlich (nee von Kannewurff), 81, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, passed away on December 11, 2024. Christa was born in Berlin, Germany, on January 17, 1943, to the late Ernst and Erna von Kannewurff. She attended primary and secondary school in Berlin. Christa swam for the Strandbad Plötzensee swim team. She completed her studies in Hospitality and started studies...

Sandra Dickinson

Sandra Dickinson

Dec 11, 2024

Sandra Kay Dickinson, age 84, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, passed away peacefully at her home on December 11, 2024. She was born on July 11, 1940, in Franklin, Indiana, to John and Margaret (McGinnis) Ingle. Known to those who loved her as “Kay,” she spent her formative years in Franklin, Indiana, where she received her bachelor’s degree from Franklin College. She...

Delight A. Roll

Delight A. Roll

Dec 11, 2024

Delight A. Roll, age 85 of Plainwell, died on December 11, 2024. She was born on October 8, 1939, in Kalamazoo, the daughter of Harold and Bessie (Flegal) Derksen. She was a 1957 graduate of Plainwell High School. Delight was determined and hardworking. She attended WMU and eventually received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from UofM, specializing in geriatric nursing....

Sally Matheson Rathburn

Sally Matheson Rathburn

Dec 10, 2024

Our beloved wife, mother and grandmother Sally Rathburn passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on December 10, 2024, after a short courageous battle of cancer.

Sally was the heart and soul of her family, and she will be dearly missed.

Sally was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan to Viva and Richard Matheson on July 9,1940. She went to high school at...

Linda Mae Benjamin

Linda Mae Benjamin

Dec 8, 2024

Linda Mae (Stevens) Benjamin, age 87, passed away on Sunday, December 8th at 10:52 pm at Rose Arbor after a short battle with cancer. She is survived by her husband of 67 years, John Henry Benjamin, a daughter, Bonnie (Jim) Longhurst, a son, John (Tammy) Benjamin, and a daughter, Nancy (Ron) Saline, five grandchildren, Jessie Lyke, Jarrett (Jordan) Lyke, Taylor...

Barbara J. Cronk

Barbara J. Cronk

Dec 7, 2024

Barbara Jean Cronk of Kalamazoo passed away peacefully on Saturday evening, December 7th, 2024, after a short bout with pneumonia. She was 97 years old, born on May 5th of 1927. Barbara was preceded in death by her mother and father (Gladys May and William “Buster” Cronk), her brothers (Robert and David Cronk), and her sister Marcille Rynd. She is...

Donald Joseph Beckley

Donald Joseph Beckley

Dec 4, 2024

Donald Joseph Beckley died peacefully on December 4, 2024, at Borgess Hospital after suffering a stroke. He was born in Detroit to Joseph and Helen (White) Beckley on Easter Sunday, April 21, 1944. Don graduated from University of Detroit Jesuit High School and attended the University of Detroit, where he met his forever Valentine, Barbara Sorensen. He served as a...

Jack Eugene Sauer

Jack Eugene Sauer

Dec 3, 2024

Jack Eugene Sauer, age 93, of Schoolcraft, MI, passed away peacefully on December 3, 2024, at home surrounded by his loving family.

Jack was born on July 8, 1931, in Kalamazoo, MI, to Otis (Red) and Mildred (Garl) Sauer. He graduated from Schoolcraft High School in 1949. After graduating from high school, he attended Michigan State College (later the University) where...

Thelma Marie Taylor

Thelma Marie Taylor

Dec 1, 2024

Thelma Marie Taylor, age 89, of Climax, passed away from surgery complications at Centrica Rose Arbor Place on December 1, 2024. She was born on April 24, 1935, in Calhoun County, Michigan, the second oldest daughter of Charles O. and Pauline I. (Hoskins) Schneider. Thelma was a lifelong resident of Climax, except for the six years she lived on Travis...

Krishna Rama

Krishna Rama

Dec 1, 2024

Dr. Krishna B. Rama, better known as “Ram”, “Rama”, “Ramanna”, “Ram Uncle,”, “Captain”, and “Dad”, was born in Kenkere Palya, Bangalore, Karnataka, India on September 13, 1935. On the morning of December 1, 2024, he passed away peacefully in his sleep at home. He is loved by his family and so many friends and will be dearly missed.

Rama lost both...

Dale E Steeby

Dale E Steeby

Nov 29, 2024

Dale Elbert Steeby, 91 of Kalamazoo, passed away peacefully at home on November 29, 2024. He was born in Kalamazoo on June 7, 1933, to Elbert and Hettie Steeby.

In 1951, Dale graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School. He was on the State Class A high school championship team for basketball two years running. He also played baseball and football for...

Steve Reule Wilson

Steve Reule Wilson

Nov 28, 2024

Steve Reule Wilson, age 72 of Portage, MI passed away on Thursday, November 28 peacefully in his sleep. He was born in Ann Arbor, MI on July 13, 1952 to the late Garver and Isabelle (Reule) Wilson. Steve graduated from Huron Highschool in Ann Arbor, moving on to Western Michigan University where he earned his bachelor's degree in mathematical studies...

Evelyn Geiger

Evelyn Geiger

Nov 28, 2024

Evelyn Geiger passed away at her home in Portage on November 28, 2024 at the young age of 97. She never classified herself with the old people. She was born on July 25, 1927, in South Haven to Cecil and Mildred (Wright) Lang. 

Evelyn attended Kalamazoo Central High School and then worked briefly at Upjohn. Her true calling was to be...

Richard Lee Groenheide

Richard Lee Groenheide

Nov 28, 2024

Richard Groenheide of Kalamazoo, Michigan, went to be home with his Lord and Savior on November 28, 2024, at the age of 86. He was the son of Arthur and Clara Groenheide. On June 9, 1961, Rich married Marcia Kooi. This year, Rich and Marcia celebrated 63 years of marriage.

Rich graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School in 1956 and from...

Carol Clapp

Carol Clapp

Nov 27, 2024

Carol Annette Clapp was born November 11, 1933, to Glen and Hilda Odor in Rembrandt, Iowa, and entered God‘s eternal glory on November 27, 2024. She had two sisters, whom she loved dearly, Delores (Mcgrew) Odor and Lenora (Paterson) Odor.

The majority of her childhood was spent in Salem, Oregon and Rembrandt, Iowa. Carol shared many stories of working in the...

Marjorie Francis Boughner

Marjorie Francis Boughner

Nov 26, 2024

The Greatest Generation lost another member when Marjorie Francis Boughner (Manial) died on Tuesday, November 26, 2024. She was 96.

Marge was born to Francis and Walter Manial in Saginaw, MI, on May 10, 1928. She was married to Jack Boughner on February 28,1948; he proceeded her in death in 2006. Marge is survived by two daughters, Judy Hiers (Rich) of...

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