Obituaries
Edward Robert “Bob” Grams
Edward Robert “Bob” Grams, of St. Johns, died Wednesday, January 25, 2017 at the age of 76. He was born November 1, 1940 in Toledo, OH the son of Edward O. and Beatrice (Post) Grams. Bob was a member of Pilgrim United Methodist Church and a dairy farmer. He was the owner of Valleyside Dairy Farms Inc. and Valleyside Custom Chopping. Bob enjoyed spending time with his family and could often be found crop checking, tending to his vegetable garden or enjoying sunset cruises on his pontoon. He was a member of the Professional Dairy Farmers Association of Michigan, Clinton County Farm Bureau, Independent Dairy Advisory Board, and Clinton County Master Gardeners. On May 20, 1967 he married Karen Bickford and she survives him.
Also surviving is one daughter, Terri (Eric) Harger of St.Johns; three sons, Marc (Casie), Lorin (Katie) all of St. Johns, and Matthew (Emily) of Harrisville, MI: thirteen grandchildren, Clayton, Bryce and Graham Harger, Tatum, Julia, Koy, Koen, Harper, Liam, Sawyer, Alexandria, Bickford and Charlotte Grams; one brother, Duane (Marlene) Grams of Edmore. He was preceded in death by his parents and a granddaughter, Payton Grams.
Funeral services will be held 3:00 PM Sunday, January 29, 2017 at Pilgrim United Methodist Church 2964 W. Parks Rd. St. Johns with Pastor Andy Croel and Rev. Merlin Pratt officiating. Interment will follow at South Bingham Cemetery. The family will receive relatives and friends 6:00 to 8:00 PM Friday, January 27 and 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00 PM Saturday, January 28 at Keck-Coleman Funeral Home, St. Johns. Memorials may be made to Pilgrim United Methodist Church or Michigan Parkinson Foundation 30400 Telegraph Rd. Suite 150 Bingham Farms, MI 48025.
Martha Idela DeLong
Martha Idela DeLong, age 103, of St. Johns, MI, passed away Tuesday, January 24, 2017 at Welcome Home Assisted Living, Elsie, MI.
Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes – Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI, on Thursday, January 26, 2017 at 11:00 A.M. with Pastor Tyler Barlage officiating. Burial will take place at Eureka Cemetery, Eureka, MI. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 9:00 until the time of service at the funeral home.
Martha was born in Elba Township, MI on August 7, 1913, the daughter of Archie and Bertha (Heinze) Crippin and was a graduate of Elsie High School. She married Duane DeLong on October 20, 1954 and he passed away on October 31, 1998. Martha resided most of her life in St. Johns, MI. She was a member of Community Christian Church and a life member of Fenmore Crescent Club. She loved bowling, playing cards, dancing, gardening, traveling, and watching and feeding birds and squirrels. Martha formerly ran the Stockyard Restaurant and worked at MacKinnons in St. Johns.
She is survived by her children: Norita and Louis Anderson of St. Johns, MI, Allen and Shirley Bebow of St. Johns, MI, step-daughter Virginia and Nazir Cheema of South Carolina, 10 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, 8 great great grandchildren, brother-in-law Kenny DeLong of Owosso, MI, nephew Donald and Bonnie DeLong of Potterville, MI, and 2 nieces; Karen DeLong of Owosso, MI and Kitty Howard of Holly, MI. Martha is also survived by several nieces, nephews and special friends Ralph and JoAnn Ball of Potterville, MI. Martha was preceded in death by her parents, husband, son Alvin “Sam” Bebow, a great-grandson Brent Brown, infant twin brother and sister Bobby and Betty, infant brother Arthur, sister Evelyn Crippin and two brothers Albert and David Crippin.
Memorials may be made to Community Christian Church, 400 E. State Street, St. Johns, MI 48879. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes – Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI.
Audrey M. Little
Audrey M. Little, age 85, of St. Johns, MI, passed away Tuesday, January 24, 2017 at Hazel I. Findlay Country Manor, St. Johns, MI.
Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes – Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI, on Friday, January 27, 2017 at 2:00 P.M., with Pastor Mona Kindel officiating. Burial will take place at Mt. Rest Cemetery, St. Johns, MI. Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 26, 2017 from 6-8 P.M. at the funeral home.
Audrey was born in Pontiac, MI on May 12, 1931, the daughter of Zenos and Letah (Knight) Hyler. She married Donald E. Little on November 24, 1956; Donald passed away on December 22, 1999. Audrey was formerly a greeter at Walmart in St. Johns and had worked at Sealed Power and Federal Mogul Manufacturing. She was a dedicated mother and grandma. Audrey especially enjoyed spending time with her family.
She is survived by her daughter Shelly Bird-McKay and Kale McKay of Elsie, MI and grandson Jarrod Bird of Elsie, MI. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother Donald (Doris) Hyler, sister Phyllis (Norman) Woodbury, and son in law Gene Bird.
Memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Association or the American Heart Association. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes – Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI.
Cayden Joseph Patrick
Cayden Joseph Patrick, age 18 of Laingsburg, went to be with his Heavenly Father peacefully, surrounded by his family on Saturday, January 21. 2017 after a 5 1/2 year courageous battle with cancer. Cayden was born on February 19, 1998 in Lansing to Buck and Rebecca (Gazda) Patrick. He had graduated from Laingsburg Public Schools in 2016. Cayden enjoyed hunting, golfing, basketball and photography but his biggest passion was his love for Jesus which was evident through his kind heart and considering others more important than himself.
Cayden is survived by his parents, Buck and Rebecca, brother, Benjamin and sister Macee grandparents Frank and Rita Gazda of Ovid, Dave and Barb Vincent of Laingsburg and Walter and Theresa Patrick of Elsie; great- grandpa, Donald Mulder of Ovid and great-grandma Vivian Schumacher of Clair, MI; many aunts, uncles and cousins, and his newest cousin, his name sake, Brynleigh Cayden Fahey, age 3 weeks of Ovid.
The family will receive friends and relatives at Keck-Coleman Funeral Home in St. Johns on Tuesday and Wednesday, the 24th and 25th of January, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Funeral services will be held at Northpointe Community Church, 505 E. Webb Rd, DeWitt, MI on Thursday, January 26, 2017 at 11:00 am. Burial will follow at Middlebury Cemetery, Ovid, MI. Memorial contributions may be given to Cayden’s loving family.
Fern Nichols
The light in Mom’s kitchen is now turned off and the mixer now idle as God has called her aloft. Fern was born in Snover, Michigan, the daughter of Beatrice and Alexander Heussner on August 25, 1921 and passed away in East Lansing, Michigan on January 20, 2017 at the age of 95. Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Great, Great Grandmother, Sister, and Aunt. She married Frederick Nichols on November 23, 1937. She was a devoted wife and loving mother, a world class homemaker, cook and master gardener. She worked for the Haslett School System in Haslett, Michigan for 15 ½ years as a cook, where she enjoyed cooking for all the children. Her priorities were her husband, family, friends and church, teaching all the gift of giving and sharing.
She is survived by five children, Nancy George, Dianne (Antone) Wenos, Carole (Raymond) Miller, Timothy (Judy) Nichols, Thomas (Peggy) Nichols; daughter in-law, Elisabeth Nichols; sister, Lorraine Kraft; sister-in-law, Esther Heussner, 22 grandchildren, 67 great grandchildren, 28 great great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her father and mother-in-law Vern and Fern Nichols, her husband Fred of 69 years (2007), a daughter, Deanna (1950), a son, Paul (1982), a son, Lorne (2013), a grandson, Brian (1988), a son-in-law, James George, a daughter-in-law, Phyllis Isham and her husband Clyde Isham, a brother, Lloyd Heussner, a brother-in-law, Donald Kraft, a sister-in-law, Cleo Chard and brother-in-law, Harold Chard, a sister-in-law Olive Bergeau and brother-in-law Evalt “Bergie” Bergeau.
On Saturday, January 28, 2017 a Memorial Service will be celebrated at the Pilgrim United Methodist Church located at 2964 W. Park Rd., St. Johns, Michigan 48879. There will be a visitation from 11:00 am until 12:45 pm with the service beginning at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers those who desire may make a donation to the Pilgrim United Methodist Church of St. Johns, American Cancer Society of Michigan, Sparrow Hospice Services of Lansing, or to a charity of your choice would be deeply appreciated. The family was assisted with these arrangements by Keck-Coleman Funeral Home, St. Johns.
Douglas Darrell Huguelet
Douglas Darrell Huguelet, age 59, passed over on January 13, 2017 surrounded by his family at home after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Doug was born October 13, 1957 in Gratiot County to Darrell Douglas Sump and Joan (Johnson) Huguelet. Doug retired from Lyden Oil Company, where he was an over the road truck driver for 30 years. He attended St. Johns High School.
Surviving him are his parents, Joan Huguelet of Webster, Florida and Lyle (Shirley) Huguelet of Dewitt, brother, Bill (Sharon) Huguelet of Dewitt and sister Wendy (Keith) Potts of Dewitt as well as one son Jeremy Huguelet of Gladwin. Also surviving him is his wife and best friend Kim, four step children Scott Knickerbocker (Valerie) of St. Johns, Jamie Parks (Chad Torka) of Linwood, Heidi Parks (Shawn Miller) of St. Johns and Geoffrey Parks of Ovid as well as two grandchildren, Mariah and Hunter and four step grandchildren Joseph and Averie Knickerbocker and Logan Plowman and Emma Miller. Doug was predeceased by his birth father.
Doug was an avid fisherman and a hunter of deer and morel mushrooms. He loved gardening and prided himself on growing the tallest sunflowers. He especially loved taking the whole family to the annual Labor Day Mackinac Bridge walk. Doug also loved watching the Pistons and the Tigers with his “Ole’ pal Dozer.”
A memorial service is being planned. Donations may be made to Hospice Angels Foundation or Hospice Compassus of Lansing, Michigan. Arrangements made with Cremation Society of Mid Michigan. All sympathy store items must be sent directly to the family home.
Marriage licenses filed the week of January 16, 2017
Brett Allen Rosekrans, 22 of DeWittand Jonni Brionica Resseguie, 22 of DeWitt
Nathan Douglas Whittaker, 26 of Grand Ledge and Connie Sue Sellers, 24 of Grand Ledge
Divorce decrees filed the week of January 9, 2017
Ford, Jane C and Brian B
Beaudoin, Juanita May and Richard Dale
Massuch, Belinda Fay and Paul David
Race, William Arthur and Stephanie Marie
Thacker, Ricard Lee and Annie Lee
Barrett, Rachel and Joshua
Whitford, Christopher M and Bethany M
Divorce decrees filed the week of January 17, 2017
Houska, Jeffrey Alan and Jessica Renee
Close, Stephen Douglas and Kimberly Jo
Brantley, Deanna Lila and Harvey Lee Jr.
Bloom, Sarah Beth and Brian Dale