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Leslie 'Slim' Curtis
ST. JOSEPH -- Leslie "Slim" Curtis, 86, of St. Joseph, died Friday, Jan. 31, 2003, at Lakeland Specialty Hospital, Berrien Center.
He was born to Alfred and Mary (Keeter) Curtis on April 7, 1916, in Royalton Township. He served his country from May 1, 1942 to Nov. 1, 1945 in the Army Air Force. On March 9, 1946 he married Daisy Wagner. Mr. Curtis worked as a mechanic for Producers Creamery and Cast-a-Matic. His favorite past times were spending time with family and friends, fishing, watching sporting events and putting things back together. He was a member of the VFW in Berrien Springs.
Leslie is survived by his wife, Daisy; three daughters -- Judy (Tim) Newman of St. Joseph, Sharon Curtis of Stevensville, Mary (Ronald) Block of Stevensville; one son, Donald Curtis of Baroda; 11 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
A service will be held at a later date with burial in Spring Run Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Lakeland Foundation-LTAC or Michigan Heart Association.
Robert L. Goens
PAW PAW -- Robert L. Goens, 96, formerly of Paw Paw, passed away Sunday morning, April 6, 2003, at Lakeland Continuing Care Center, Berrien Center.
Bob was born Nov. 23, 1906, in Decatur, the son of the late Louis and Dora (Cotton) Goens.
He was a farmer in the Paw Paw area producing hybrid crops of soybeans and corn and was a live stock dealer and a member of Van Buren County Farm Bureau.
On June 20, 1929 in Decatur, Bob was united in marriage to the former Edith Louise Mitchell who preceded him in death after 53 years of marriage, on June 20, 1981.
Surviving are three sons -- Gordon Goens of Paw Paw, Billy Goens of Omer, Mich., and Roger Goens of McCormick, S C.; seven daughters -- Jacqueline (Bertrand) Evans of Cassopolis, Geraldine Haines of Cassopolis, Joyce (Burton) Perkins of Flint, Mich., Sally (Fred) Davis of Covert, Roberta Jeffries of Mattawan, Marilyn (Yvonne) Evans of Vandalia and Mary Gillam of Vandalia; 43 grandchildren; 54 great-grandchildren; 15 great-great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents, Bob was preceded in death by five brothers and six sisters.
Family will receive friends Thursday 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Adams Funeral Home, Paw Paw where funeral services will be held on Friday at 11 a.m.
Interment will be in Cuddeback Cemetery, Paw Paw.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to charity of choice.
Sophie Hrycko
DOWAGIAC -- Sophie Hrycko, 94, of Dowagiac, formerly of Paw Paw, passed away Saturday, May 31, 2003, at the Cass County Medical Care Facility, Cassopolis.
She was born May 9, 1909, in Poland (Austria) to Martha (Gural) and Valentine Kielbasa. She married Peter Hrycko on July 24, 1934, in Lubno, Poland. She had been a member of the Polish National Alliance, Holy Maternity of Mary Catholic Church of Dowagiac, and St. Mary's Catholic Church of Paw Paw. She resided in France from 1938 until immigrating to the United States and living in Paw Paw, from 1949 until 1989. They then moved to Dowagiac.
She is survived by a son, John Hrycko of Eau Claire; daughter, France Meyer of Paris, France; daughter-in-law, Emily Hrycko of South Bend, Ind.; three granddaughters -- Noelle (Scott) Aliferis of Vienna, Va., Elizabeth (John) Keegan of Vienna, Va., and Robin (Koby) Langley of Raeford, N.C.; and two great-grandsons, Taylor and Christian Aliferis.
Also surviving are two nieces -- Wladyslawa Bielec and Juzla Kielbasa, in Poland; a niece, Jeannine Tucky and nephew, Jean-Michel Tucki in France; a cousin, Richard (Rose) Regula of Chicago.
She was preceded in death by a baby daughter, in 1935; and her husband, Peter, in 2000; also a brother, Leon Kielbasa in Poland; and sisters, Madeleine Gural, Anna Rame and Maria Tucky, in France.
Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 7, at Holy Maternity of Mary Catholic Church, Dowagiac. Interment will follow in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Paw Paw. Friends of the family may visit from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday at McLauchlin-Clark Funeral Home, Dowagiac, where a rosary service will be held at 6 p.m. Memorials may be directed to St. Mary's Church or St. Mary's School, Paw Paw; Holy Maternity of Mary Church, Dowagiac; St. Mary's School, Niles; the Cass County Medical Care Facility, Cassopolis; or the Cass County Council on Aging in Cassopolis.
Shirley Ann Wilburn
BENTON HARBOR -- Shirley Ann Wilburn, 61, of Benton Harbor, went to be with the Lord Saturday, June 14, 2003, at Lakeland Hospital, St. Joseph.
Celebration of life service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 19, at the Greater Liberty Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ, Benton Harbor, where visitation will take place one hour prior. Burial will be in Crystal Springs Cemetery, Benton Harbor. Arrangements made by Fairplain Chapel, Florin Funeral Service, Benton Harbor.
Ms. Wilburn was born Nov. 6, 1941, in Charleston, Mo., to the union of William and Lula Wilburn. She had lived in this community her entire life. Ms. Wilburn retired as a LPN at Berrien General Hospital. She then worked at Whirlpool, St. Joseph, as a laborer for 15 years. Ms. Wilburn was a member of the Greater Liberty Temple in Benton Harbor, Eveready Social Club, Benton Harbor, and Nap town Riders Club of Benton Harbor Chapel.
She leaves to cherish her memories, three sons -- Harvey (Phyllis) Wilburn of Benton Harbor, Antwane (Willie Mae) Wilburn of Grand Rapids and Cory Rollings of Benton Harbor; three daughters -- Sharlene Wilburn of Cincinnati, Evelyn Sue Pepper-Wilburn of Benton Harbor and Carmen Tamiko Scott of Kalamazoo; five brothers -- Otis Wilburn of Benton Harbor, Bill (Candy) Wilburn of South Bend, Ind., Wayne Parker of Benton Harbor, John (Cheryl) Napier of Benton Harbor and Matt Wilburn; two sisters -- Carolyn Sevenborn of San Francisco and Sonya Ray of Benton Harbor; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends; special nephew, Donis Shonnie Wilburn of South Bend.
Ms. Wilburn was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, C.D. Wilburn; sister, Evelyn Wilburn; and nephew, Otis Wilburn Jr.
Philip A. Brown
ST. JOSEPH -- Philip A. Brown, 72, of St. Joseph, died Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2003, at 1:20 a.m., at Lakeland Hospital.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at 9 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 9, at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 292 Bellview, Benton Harbor, with the Rev. Dr. Bob Braman officiating. Burial will be in Crystal Springs Cemetery, Benton Harbor.
Friends may call on the family from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph. Memorial donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association or the First Congregational United Church of Christ.
Danny Lee Teeters
LAWRENCE -- Danny Lee Teeters, 16, of Lawrence, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2002, at Spectrum Health Butterworth Campus, Grand Rapids.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 7, at Hartford Federated Church, with Pastor Glen Cowles of East Arlington Baptist Church, Arlington Township and the Rev. Charles Davis of First General Baptist Church, Sodus Township officiating. Visitation will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6 at Calvin Funeral Home, Hartford. Burial will be in Hill Cemetery, Lawrence. Memorials may be made to the family in care of Jerry and Sharon Teeters.
Danny was born April 30, 1986 in St. Joseph, the son of Danny and Theresa (Clouse) Teeters. He was a student in the Hartford Public Schools and a member of the Hartford Winter Guard, the Jazz Band and the Emerald Vanguard Marching Band. He had attended the Dowagiac General Baptist Church.
Surviving is his mother, Theresa (Scott) Beeman of Lawrence; his father, Danny Teeters of Hartford; three brothers -- Ryan, Jonathan and Brandon; two sisters, Amber and Alyssa; grandparents -- Sally Clouse, Jerry and Sharon Teeters and Sam and Janice Beeman; great-grandparents, Nellie Lewis and Patricia Caudill; aunts and uncles -- Sherman, Marie, Terry, Bill, Maryann, Verna, Brenda, Robert, Pamela and Kimberly; numerous cousins; great aunts and uncles, all who loved him and will miss him greatly.
Preceding him in death was his grandfather, Sherman Clouse Sr.; and a cousin, Christopher Ragozzi.
Harlan C. Wicks
SISTER LAKES -- Harlan's life began at home on his family's Centennial Farm in Silver Creek Township. Harry and Nora (Conklin) Wicks welcomed their only son's arrival on Aug. 26, 1912. Harlan attended school in Dowagiac, where he was a charter member of the Dowagiac Schools FHA program. In the spring and summer, he tended a large vegetable garden behind the family home. On weekends he would load up his horse drawn cart and peddle his homegrown vegetables and fruit to the people around the lakes that make up Sister Lakes. He earned enough money his senior year of high school to purchase himself a new Chevrolet.
After graduating from Dowagiac, Harlan went to Hillsdale College for a couple of years and then returned to the family farm. He managed to catch the attention of an attractive local girl, Marion Paul, and in May of 1939, they were married in Dowagiac. In 1950, Harlan opened Wicks' Apple House next to the family home on Indian Lake Road. He loved selling fresh fruits, vegetables and baked goods to his friends and neighbors. Apparently the neighbors loved buying from him too. Some of his customers would only buy from Harlan and he was known to give a deal now and again.
He served his community in numerous ways. He had been the sexton of the Dewey Lake Cemetery for several years and spent 29 years as a director of the Federal Land Bank. Harlan was a member of the Federated Church in Dowagiac and the Michigan Farm Bureau. He also belonged to the Michigan Horticultural Society, was a life member of the Dowagiac Elks, and a member of Toastmasters. In 1983 Harlan was inducted into the Farmers Hall of Fame. When he wasn't working at Wicks' Apple House or at a meeting, he loved to fly. He earned his private pilot's license in 1975 and was a proud partner in N8264L, his Cessna 172.
Harlan also made sure to spend lots of time with the family he loved. They include his wife, Marion of South Haven; his children, Paul and his wife Suzanne Wicks of Dowagiac, Judy and her husband Dan Ries of Allegan, and Greg and his wife Carole Wicks of Lawton; his grandchildren -- Kimberly and her husband Ron Montgomery of Sister Lakes, Michelle and her husband Brian McManus of Portage, Bradley Ries of Colorado, Adam Ries of Lansing, Nicole Wicks of Grand Rapids and Brent Wicks of South Carolina; and his great-grandchildren -- Kayla Montgomery, Katie and Christopher McManus.
Harlan died in South Haven on Feb. 3, 2003. Cremation has taken place and his family is planning a memorial gathering for friends and family to be held at Harlan's favorite place, Wicks' Apple House in June of this year.
The Groner Funeral Home, Dowagiac, is serving the Wicks' family.
