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Brenden H. Bell
Brenden Hahn Bell, infant son of Ray and Cassie Bell of Middleville, died Dec. 7, 2000.
He is survived by his parents; his grandparents, Nelson and Pam Appelman of Nashville and Dan and Joanne Bell of Hastings; his great-grandparents, Ray and Esther Grant of Charlotte; aunts and uncles, Dan (Phoebe) Bell of Hasting, Thomas (Stacey) Bell and Ashleigh Hale of Grand Rapids, and Tony Appelman of Nashville.
Graveside services were Dec. 11 at the Gresham Cemetery, Charlotte, with Pastor Robert Mayo officiating.
Arrangements were made by the Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte.
Melba J. Bennett
Melba J. Bennett, age 73 of Eaton Rapids, is at peace following a long illness that took her life on Tuesday, October 24, 2000. She was born May 25, 1927 in Gratiot County, the daughter of John and Leona (Edwards) Gibson. Melba was an Eaton Rapids High School graduate, class of 1945. She was a retired Billing Clerk for the Eaton Rapids Community Hospital, and a member of the V.F.W. Auxiliary in Eaton Rapids. Preceding her in death were her parents, father, George Best; husband, Edward Bennett; and daughter, Lynne Jacobs.
Surviving are 4 children, George (Kathy) Sorters of Logan, Utah, Martin Engen of Lansing, Denise Sommer of Charlotte and Cindy Waugh of Dimondale; 14 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were Friday, October 27th from the Skinner Funeral Home in Eaton Rapids. Burial followed in the Rosehill Cemetery in Eaton Rapids.
Ray Betts
Ray Betts, 72, of Charlotte died March 18, 2000.
Mr. Betts was born April 17, 1927 in Lansing, the son of Ray and Celia (Ottgen) Betts. He retired in 1988 as a truck driver for ANR Freight. He was a life member of Maple City VFW Post #2406 and enjoyed woodworking.
He is survived by his wife, Betty; one daughter, Janet (Dennis) Flinchbaugh of Covington, Ga.; two sons, Ray (Luanne) of Lansing, Ronald (friend Sandy) of Charlotte and Rodney (Janine) Betts of Portland; ten grandchildren; one great-grandson; three brothers, Glen (Dorla) of Nashville, Elmer (Betty) of Charlotte, and Clarence (Virginia) of St. Louis, Mo.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Cathy Jo in 1970; and one brother, Floyd.
Graveside services are Monday, April 3 at 2 p.m. at the Maple Hill Cemetery, Charlotte. Arrangements were made by the Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte.
Memorial contributions may be made to Michigan Heart Association.
Phillip E. Bickel
Phillip E. Bickel, 54, of Bellevue died unexpectedly on Sept. 23, 2000 at Battle Creek Health Systems.
Mr. Bickel was born April 27, 1946 in Battle Creek, the son of Merrill and Ida (Lindsley) Bickel and had been a resident of the Bellevue and Charlotte area for 24 years, coming from Battle Creek. He was a 1964 graduate of Battle Creek Central High School, served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, and was currently employed as a truck driver for DLF Container in Battle Creek. He was a member of the Charlotte Congregation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and enjoyed fishing and hunting. He married Susan Canfield May 21, 1966.
He is survived by his wife, Susan; one daughter, Dena (James) Gritter of Cummings, Ga.; one son, Steven (Raquel) Brickel of Norcross, Ga.; his mother, Ida of Battle Creek; and one brother, Paul (Claudia) of Port Orange, Fla.
He was preceded in death by his father, Merrill Bickel.
Cremation has taken place.
Memorial services were Sept. 30 at Kingdom Hall of the Charlotte Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Memorial contributions may be made to the World-wide Bible Educational Program of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Arrangements were made by the Burkhead-Green Funeral Home, Charlotte.
Gertrude Bigler
Gertrude “Gerry” Bigler, 75, of Olivet, formerly of Lansing, died Jan. 7, 2000 at Hayes Green Beach Hospital, Charlotte.
Mrs. Bigler was born in Buffalo, N.Y., the daughter of Robert and Ruth (Thompson) Butler and had been an Olivet resident for 10 ½ years, coming from Lansing.
She is survived by two daughters, Ruth (Roger) Townsend of Maple Rapids and Nancy Gardenhouse of Waterford; one son, Jack (Mary) Thayer of Olivet; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by one sister, Lenora Beeman.
Services were Jan. 11 at the Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Lansing, with the Rev. Clark Hock officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hayes Green Beach Hospital.
Arrangements by Burkhead-Green Funeral Home, Charlotte.
Herbert Black
Herbert Ralph Black, 90, of Charlotte, died of cancer July 14, 2000 at his home.
Mr. Black was born Dec. 7, 1909, the son of James Laird and Marion (Anderson) Black. He grew up on a farm near Big Stone City, S.D., and attended Northern State Teachers College (now Northern State University), Aberdeen, S.D. graduating in 1932. During college, he played in the symphony orchestra, was active in dramatics and lettered all four years in both basketball and football, in addition to working to pay his way through school.
He and his brother, Harold, moved to Dowagiac in 1933 and worked with their brother, James, who had opened a Gambles store, He was a member of the Dowagiac B.P.O.E. and a past exalted ruler of the organization. In 1941, he moved to Charlotte to open a Gambles store, which he owned and operated until 1984. In addition to that, he was on the Board of Directors of Eaton Federal Savings Back for 40 years, serving for several years as chairman. He had a strong commitment to community service and served as Mayor of Charlotte for four terms, was an Eaton County Commissioner and was a member of the Maple Hill Cemetery Board. An active member of the Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Charlotte Rotary Club, he served as president of both organizations. He was also a past president and honorary member of the Charlotte Country Club, where he was a member for over 50 years.
Several awards were presented to him in recognition of his contributions as a community leader, including the Clyde A. Fulton Community Pride Award, Eaton County Honored Citizen Award and Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellowship. He was an avid reader, golfer and outdoorsman, Music was also an important part of his entire life, as he had been a professional classical and popular musician in his 20s. In 1939, he married Josephine Lyola Connolly, who died in 1969. He married Dorothy Newton Haskins in 1971.
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; four daughters, Marcia McMahon of Bethesda, Md., Margaret Spaly of Ann Arbor, Barbara (Roger) Mooberry of Longview, Wash. And Susan Black of Evanston, Ill.; one son, Herbert Jr. (Christine) of Ann Arbor; 11 grandchildren, Herbert III, Stephen and Kevin Black, Eleanor, Catherine and Tony McMahon, Eric and Brian Spaly, and, Isaac, Matthew and Jacob Mooberry; three stepsons, Ronald (Susan) Haskins of Rockville, Md., Gage (Belinda) Haskins of Delaplane, Va., Mark Haskins of Lambertville, and eight step-grandchildren, Heather Bourdon, Seth, Megan and Lucas Haskins, John Eric Haskins, Dustin, Ivy and Ariel Haskins and two grandchildren, Cooper Bourdon and Chase Haskins; and brother, Harold of Polson, Mont.
Services were July 18 at the Lawrence Avenue United Methodist Church, Charlotte. Interment was in the Maple Hill Cemetery, Charlotte.
Memorial contributions may be mad to the American Cancer Society or Lawrence Ave. United Methodist Church.
Kenneth Blodgett
Kenneth LeRoy Blodgett, 89, of Charlotte died Jan. 26, 2000.
Mr. Blodgett was born Jan. 10, 1911 in Benton Township, the son of Floid and Grace (Ervay) Blodgett. He was an inspector for Wilcox-Gay Corporation and retired as a custodian for the Eaton County Courthouse. He was a member of the South Cochran Church of God and American Association of Retired Persons.
He is survived by his wife of 47years, Esther (Secord); one stepson, David (Sharon) Secord; seven grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and tow sisters, Bernice Whealer of Bellevue and Alice Blodgett of Charlotte.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, James and Ernest, and one sister, Anna Smith.
Services were Jan. 29 at the South Church of God with the Rev. Hugh Burger, the Rev. Rich Mitterling, the Rev. Tim Secord and Nick Mizer officiating.
Memorial contributions may be mad to the South Cochran Church of God.
Interment was in the Riverside Cemetery at a later date.
Arrangements were made by the Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte.
Dorothy Bonathan
Dorothy (Piche) Bonathan, 82, of Charlotte, formerly of Olivet and Sault Ste. Marie, died July 8, 2000 at her residence following a short illness.
Mrs. Bonathan was born July 17,1917 in Sault Ste. Marie and had been a Charlotte and Olivet area resident for five years. She was a 1936 graduate of Loretta High School and former member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, both in Sault St. Marie. She was past president of the Altar Society at Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, Houghton Lake, and a former member of the Isaac Walton League. She enjoyed cooking, music, arts and crafts and traveling. She was a skilled seamstress and quilter. Her husband, Kenneth Bonathan, was a previous owner of the Sugar Island Ferry.
She is survived by tow daughters, Marilyn (Leo) Weeks of Olivet and Ruth (Glenn) Fergin of Walled Lake; two sons, Kenneth (JoAnn) of South Jordan, Utah, and Darren (Kathy) of Wayne; nine grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband in 1971 and one granddaughter, Colette in 1974.
Services were July 11 at the Burkhead-Green Funeral Chapel, Charlotte, with Rev. Fr. Denis Spitzley officiating and graveside services and interment were July 12 at the Riverside Cemetery, Sault St. Marie, with Rev. Fr. Ted Brodeur officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Eaton Community Hospice, 313 Lansing St., Charlotte, MI 48813.
Paul R. Borgman
Paul Ray Borgman, 51, of Olivet, died Friday, Oct. 20, 2000.
Mr. Borgman was born Aug. 31, 1949 in Charlotte, the son of Leon Borgman of the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans and Joyce (Gasser) Beiser of Melbourne, Fla.; they survive. Mr. Borgman was a 33-year employee of General Motors, Lansing, and a former member of Charlotte Eagles Aerie #3552.
Surviving are sons, Ronnie Borgman, Mark Redfield and Brad Harvey, all of Charlotte; daughter, Erika Harvey of Missouri; three grandchildren; brothers, Carl (Diane) Borgman of Mason and Roger Borgman of Olivet; sister, Cynthia Borgman of Battle Creek; and uncle, Emert Borgman of Bellevue.
Funeral services were held Oct. 25 at Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte, with Rev. Arthur Salisbury officiating. Interment was at Bosworth Cemetery, Walton Twp.
Arrangements by Pray Funeral Home, Inc.
Maurice L. Bosier
Maurice L. Bosier, age 86 of Eaton Rapids, died Sunday, July 16,2000. He was born July 1, 1914 in Hillsdale County, the son of Harry and Ethel (West) Bosier. Mr. Bosier was a retired Supervisor for Allied Products and Goodnoe Tool & Die both in Eaton Rapids. He was a member of the Eaton Rapids Conservation Club. Preceding him in death were his wife, Mary in 1992 and daughter, Bernadine in 1991.
Surviving are a sister, Beryl Harlan of Hillsdale; niece and 2 nephews; sister-in-law, Ann Sohmer of Lansing and special friend Mildred Tropp of Eaton Rapids.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, July 19th at 1 p.m. from the Skinner Funeral Home in Eaton Rapids. Burial will follow in the Sunset View Cemetery in Jonesville. Visitation will be Tuesday evening form 6-8p.m. For those desiring, a memorial contribution may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or to a charity of one’s choice in memory of Maurice L. Bosier.
