.
Glenn Carl Whitford
Glenn Carl Whitford, age 91, farmer and life-long St. Johns resident, passed away September 27, 2023 at Sparrow Hospital, Lansing.
Glenn was born November 3, 1931 to the late Carl and Eleanor (Rademacher) Whitford. He graduated from Rodney B Wilson High School in 1949 and served in the US Air Force during the Korean War, mostly stationed in remote bases in Japan.
Glenn and Lois enjoyed taking many driving trips around the country with their fifth wheel camper especially to the air show in Osh Kosh, WI, snowmobiling and vacationing at their cottage at Houghton Lake and spending time during winters in Florida.
He is survived by his wife of 71 years Lois Whitford and children: Rick (Marilyn) Whitford of St Johns, MI, Liane (Lial) Knight of Marshall, WI, Mary (Al Dewey) Prowant of St Johns, MI, Paula (Bill) Curtis of Richland, MI, and Michelle (Berry) Roll of St Johns, MI; who will miss his quiet, unwavering love and support and good-natured sense of humor and easy laugh; also survived by grandchildren: Alison Swain, Kelly Lange, Jamie West, Britney Roll, Gavin Knight, Christin Ankney, Ryan Curtis, Alvin Dewey, Jeremiah Dewey, Becky Gott, Emily Dewey, Shannon Swanson, and Olivia Dewey; 27 great grandchildren and 18 great-great grandchildren; and special kitty Cali. He is also survived by sister-in-law Dorothy Scharnweber, brother-in-law Merritt Scharnweber, and brother-in- law Richard Smith, and many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, infant daughter, brothers: Gerald and Jack Whitford, sister Janet Smith, and sister-in-law Joan Rennells.
Special thanks to wonderful caregivers Erin Csapos, Karla Bradley, Lyla Zell, Tina Sawdy, Stacey Johnstone and Candace Cramer.
A service for the family will be held at a later date. The family requests memorial gifts in Glenn’s name are made to the Capital Area Humane Society. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes – Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, Michigan.
Ruth Marie Smith
Ruth Marie Smith, age 92, of Ashley, Michigan passed away peacefully Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at her home.
A cremation has taken place and a graveside service will be held at Union Home Cemetery, St. Johns, Michigan at a later date.
Ruth was born in St. Johns, Michigan on September 25, 1930, the daughter of Leon Charles and Crystal Pauline (Teachworth) Moore. On September 8, 1960, Ruth married Walter Benjamin “Walt” Smith. They were blessed with sixty-two years of marriage prior to his death on January 16, 2023.
Ruth dedicated her life to caring for her husband and children. She enjoyed going to garage sales, gardening, antiquing and collecting old dolls. She enjoyed playing games on the computer and watching her favorite television shows.
Ruth is survived by her children: Shirley Potacka of St. Louis, MI; Bruce Smith of Ashley, MI; and Brian (Melissa) Smith of DeKalb, IL; four grandchildren: Lisa Bergeron, Wendy (John) Trujillo, Jake (Gina) Smith, and Jillian (Cameron) Luker; three great-grandchildren: Kazia Bergeron, Michael Bergeron, and Everett Smith; sisters-in-law: Wilma Moore, Wenda Duflo, Marilee Mills, and Elizabeth (Bruce) Pope; brother-in-law Malcolm (Agnes) Smith, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Walt, son-in-law John Potacka, her siblings: Richard Moore, Chauncey Moore, Leon Moore, Jr., Margaret (Keith) Slepr, and Diana (Richard) Barrett.
The family is being served by This will be underlined. – Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, Michigan.
Jessica Elizabeth Skaryd
Jessica Elizabeth Skaryd, age 25 and a resident of Perrinton, Michigan, passed away on September 19, 2023 after battling diabetes for many years. Born on December 6, 1997, the daughter of Jason Skaryd, Sr. and Regina (Kirkpatrick) Skaryd, she was a 2016 graduate of Fulton High School.
Jessica loved fishing with family at the family cabin on Houghton Lake, and playing cards and board games with friends and family. She enjoyed taking pictures, writing stories. She loved watching Harry Potter and Outer Banks, and was always ready with quick movie quotes and references. She loved animals of all kinds, especially cats and dogs.
Jessica was strong-willed, charismatic, and was always giggling about something. Her passion will be dearly missed.
Family mattered most to Jessica, and she is survived her parents, Jason and Regina Skaryd; her brother, Jason Skaryd Jr.; grandparents, Jim and Joyce Skaryd and Richard and Karen Kirkpatrick, as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins with whom she enjoyed spending time, and her cats, Luna and Stretch. She was preceded in death by her great-grandparents, Rose Keck and Donald Keck.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the ZCBJ Hall, 401 E Main St, Bannister on November 4th, 2023 starting at 11 AM.
Bruce David Cronkhite
Bruce David Cronkhite of St. Johns died on September 23, 2023. He was 73 years old. Bruce David Cronkhite was born on November 7, 1949 in Owosso, Michigan, the second of four children born to Richard and Constance (Novak) Cronkhite. Following graduation from Rodney B. Wilson High School in 1967, he was drafted into service with the United States Army. On February 17, 1973, upon his return from Vietnam, Bruce married his high school friend, Amy Magsig, and together they raised their cherished daughter, Jessica (aka “J”), in their St. Johns home.
Bruce was a fiercely loyal husband and a devoted caregiver to his wife, Amy, for over two decades, exemplifying the quote, “Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do.” His love extended beyond his immediate family. Bruce was a man who put the needs of others before his own, always ready to lend a helping hand. He enjoyed playing cards and cribbage, was an animal lover and a baseball fan.
Bruce also had a knack for problem-solving, a skill that served him well in his lifelong career as an electrician. His hardworking nature and ability to fix anything led him to a fulfilling career at Motor Wheel and Federal Mogul, along with owning and operating Cronkhite Electric with his father. Bruce was a loving grandfather, who adored spending time with his grandchildren. He also cherished his time visiting with family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Amy, and father, Richard, and is survived by his daughter, Jessica (Mike) Demianenko; grandchildren, Zach, Nick and Alyssa; mother, Connie Cronkhite; brothers, James Cronkhite and Dean (Sarah) Cronkhite; sister, Cathy (Gary) Caskey; as well as extended family members and dear friends, including special friends, Diane Burns and Judy Boak.
Private graveside services will be held at Mount Rest Cemetery, St. Johns. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his name to a Charity of Choice.
For further information visit McGeehan Funeral Home, Keck-Coleman Chapel.
Daniel R. Ritter
Daniel R. Ritter, age 75 and a lifelong resident of St. Johns, Michigan died peacefully on September 23, 2023 in the care of his family, Sparrow Hospice and the Ashley Care Center after battling Alzheimer’s dementia for many years.
Dan was born in St. Johns on December 24, 1947, the son of Roland and Esther (Moore) Ritter. He was a 1966 graduate of Rodney B. Wilson High School.
Dan was a man of numerous passions and interests, characterized by his love for music, travel, and his dedication to his family. He served his country with courage and honor, spending time stationed in the Philippines and later at the Pentagon during the Vietnam War.
Daniel married his high school sweetheart, Linda Sue Phinney, on December 28, 1968 at St. Johns Church of the Nazarene, marking the beginning of a lifelong partnership filled with love and mutual respect. His dedication to hard work was evident in his successful career as an electrician with General Motors, where he worked for thirty-nine years before retiring in 2005. Even in his leisure Daniel’s diligence shone brightly. He was an avid jogger and took great pride in maintaining his pristine lawn. He also loved to play golf, often with his colleagues and his sons. His love for skiing was shared with his family, leading to 24 consecutive annual family skiing trips to Copper Mountain in Colorado.
Music was deeply woven into the fabric of Daniel’s life. He would often be found in his “rock room” where he would make CDs of his favorite songs from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. All these songs were carefully cataloged onto CDs and in books that contained their lyrics. He was also a coin collector and enjoyed researching great travel deals. Above all, Daniel was a wonderful husband and father, loved spending time with his grandkids, and worked tirelessly to provide for his family and give them a great life.
In addition to Linda, his beloved wife of over fifty-four years, he is survived by his sons, Jay Ritter (Sue Carpenter), Eric (Karisa) Ritter, Trent (Emilie) Ritter; grandchildren, Lukas, Zander, Violet, Cecily and Rex; brother, Les (Rose) Ritter; sister, Suanne (Jeff) Spicer; brothers and sisters-in-law, Ron (Holly) Phinney, Kathy (Dave) Rozga, Linda Ritter and Bonnie Phinney, and many nieces, nephews, extended family members and dear friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his infant sister, Susan, brother, Brian Ritter, stepfather, Cliff Carey, father and mother-in-law, Arnold and Violet Phinney, step-father-in-law, Elmer Stewart, and brother-in-law, Larry Phinney.
A Funeral Service will be held at McGeehan Funeral Home, Keck-Coleman Chapel, 1500 Waterford Parkway, St. Johns, on Friday, September 29 at 2 PM with Rev. Lonnie Kellogg officiating. Burial and military honors will follow in South Bingham Cemetery. Friends may visit at the funeral home on Thursday, September 28 from 2-8 PM and on Friday from 1 PM until the time of service. Memorials may be made in his name to the Alzheimer’s Association, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society-Michigan Chapter, or to Ashley Health Care Center who provided amazing care for him this past year. For further information please visit McGeehan Funeral Home, Keck-Coleman Chapel.
Robert Lynn Shinabery
Robert Lynn Shinabery, age 77, of Perrinton, MI, passed away Thursday, September 21, 2023 at his home.
Per Bob’s wish cremation will take place and a private family interment will take place at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta, MI at a later date.
Robert was born in St. Johns, MI on September 13, 1946, the son of Carson and Eva (Matthews) Shinabery. He graduated from Rodney B. Wilson High School in St. Johns, with the class of 1964. On September 3, 1966 he married Sue Ann Zigler at Greenbush Methodist Church, Greenbush Twp., MI.
Bob loved shooting his guns, hunting and fishing, anything to do with the outdoors. He and Sue enjoyed taking special hikes together at random parks. Bob served his country in the Michigan National Guard. He had an active duty deployment during the first Gulf War. After retirement from the Michigan National Guard he remained active around the house and took a part-time job with Car Quest in St. Johns.
He is survived by his wife Sue Shinabery of Perrinton, MI; 3 sons: Tom and Lynn Shinabery of Hampton, VA; Tim and Stephanie Shinabery of Ocoee, FL; Todd and Karen Shinabery of Twin Lake, MI; granddaughter Eva Isabelle Shinabery of Twin Lake, MI; brother Kent and Joyce Shinabery of St. Johns, MI; sister-in-law Christina Shinabery of Kalamazoo, MI; brother-in-law Mike Zigler of St. Johns, MI. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Max Shinabery, also his sister and brother-in-law, Marybeth and Dale Henning.
Memorials may be made to the wishes of the Shinabery Family. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes, Ithaca, MI.