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Lester A. LaBar
Lester A. LaBar passed away on July 1, 2021 at the age of 78. Lester was born on September 17, 1942 in Riverdale MI., the son of Arthur and Hazel (Shinline) LaBar. Lester graduated from Rodney B. Wilson High School where he participated in football and band with the class of 1960. On September 1, 1962 he married Katherine M. Stersic in Detroit.
Lester had many careers throughout his lifetime but retired from Kendall Electric of Lansing after 13 years of service. In retirement he and Kathy moved to Florida where they enjoyed running Aquatic Houseboat Adventures in DeLand on the St. Johns River. He also enjoyed running his horse farm where he bred, raised, trained and showed American Quarter Horses. Les also enjoyed the outdoors, sports, fishing, hunting, Facebook and a good story. He was quite the character! If you had time to listen, he always had a story to tell. Whether it be about sports, horses, the weather, politics, friends, or family. Les loved spending time with family, and his dog Daisy. He especially loved talking about his grandchildren. He was their biggest fan! If he could not go to one of the grand kids’ events, he would watch it on his computer. He was a very proud Dad and Grandfather.
Lester is survived by daughter, Debra (Jeff) Davis; sons Brian (Amy) LaBar, and Rick (Angie) LaBar, all of St. Johns; Grandchildren, Hailey (Nate) Kurth, Bryce, Brennan, Brock, Callie LaBar and Taylor Davis. Les was preceded in death by his parents Art and Hazel, and his wife Katherine who passed in 2012.
There will be a memorial on Tuesday July 13, 2021 from 3-6 P.M. at Lowe United Methodist Church in the social hall located at 5485 W. Lowe Rd. in St. Johns, with Pastor Kathy Leydorf/Keck officiating. Lester will be laid to rest with immediate family attending in Eureka Cemetery following the memorial.
To send a message of sympathy to the family, sign Lester’s online guest book, or to share a favorite memory, please visit: www.MichiganCremation.com.
Virgle Leon Austin
Virgle Leon Austin, age 80, of St. Johns, MI, passed away Saturday, July 3, 2021, at his home.
Graveside services will be held at Stilson Cemetery on Thursday, July 8, 2021, at 1:00 P.M. with Mr. Leon Austin officiating.
Virgle was born in Riverdale, Arkansas on October 26, 1940, the son of Leon and Elsie Marie (Boyer) Austin. On June 5, 1959 he married Jean Ann Pardee; Jean passed away on February 1, 1994, after celebrating 34 years of marriage. He retired from Motor Wheel in 1994 after 30 years. He enjoyed fishing and boating.
He is survived by 2 daughters: Lora and Danny Valasek of St. Johns, MI; and Machelle Austin and Russell Merritt of Middleton, MI; 5 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren. He is also survived by 4 sisters: Phyllis Austin, Glenda and Terry Moorehouse, Kathy and Kevin Brown, and Susan and Gary Elliott; and 3 brothers: Bobby and Jolene Austin, Leon Austin, and Chris Beauchamp. He was predeceased by his parents, his wife Jean, one daughter Jeanette, and 2 grandchildren: Satonka and Joshua, his sister Patricia, and one brother Johnny.
Memorials may be made to the wishes of the family. The family is being served by – OSmith Family Funeral Homes Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI.
Garrett Gruner
Garrett Gruner, age 93, a longtime resident of St. Johns, Michigan, died peacefully on Monday, June 28, 2021 at Hazel Findlay Country Manor.
He was born on April 29, 1928 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of John and Opal (Garrett) Gruner. He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1950, married and moved to mid-Michigan the same year, living in Ypsilanti, Jackson, where his children were born, and later on in Lansing. He worked in electronic engineering, computer programming and computer design. He was a self-employed consultant from 1967–1993.
Garrett loved to read, research and discuss topics ranging from scientific discoveries to politics; he was active in causes he believed in and was an animated storyteller. Throughout his life he was a tech pioneer and was a computer programmer before many people knew what a computer was. He enjoyed fixing things and was tenacious in figuring out how to engineer solutions to complex challenges.
He loved jazz music and enjoyed the weekly radio countdown show of hit music. An avid audiophile, on any given day he would be busy tinkering with his McIntosh amplifiers, tape recorders and stereo system. He would do fun projects like creating the sound effects of an audience by recording multiple tracks of laughter, and then adding the delightful sounds to home movies.
Garrett grew up vacationing with his parents, siblings, uncles, aunts and cousins at their summer cabins located on an island in Northern Minnesota. As most of the adults were college professors, sharing evening slide shows and lectures was tradition in the family. Garrett developed a passion for shooting photos and movies; he loved being outdoors, visiting national parks and traveling by train. He enjoyed hiking and schooling his kids on how to drive a boat, water ski, skip rocks, split firewood, and cook on a camp stove. Whether star gazing from a row boat or searching for Petoskey stones along the shore of Lake Superior, Garrett was always teaching.
Early in his career he did pioneering research and development in automotive safety and in-car audio for Ford Motor Company. He then changed directions opening one of the first Volkswagen car dealerships in Michigan. He was innovative and carefully designed and built a VW camper van outfitted with all the comfort amenities needed for travel. This was well before VW camper vans were available for purchase. He traveled to all the 48 states and throughout Canada with his family, and kept his kids occupied by installing phones in the camper, one in the front connected to another in the back so they could talk throughout the trip. Long before the invention of cell phones, it was an anomaly to be on the phone while passing other drivers on the highway.
Garrett moved to St. Johns in 1981, became a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and married Josephine “Jo” (Miller) Kramer on May 30, 1981. He enjoyed caring for his step-grandchildren, sharing news worthy discoveries with friends and celebrating holidays and important milestones with his extended family. He had a sweet tooth and loved Jo’s pineapple upside down cake. He often ventured with his wife to the casinos to play bingo; he spent time figuring out how the slot machines were engineered while Jo played.
He is survived by his sister Hazel (Donald) Hudson: daughters, Donna (Don) Brown and Loren Gruner; sons, Alan (Mari) and Fred (Denise Scott) Gruner and their mother Patricia Gruner; step-sons, Russell (Diane) and Jeffrey Kramer; grandchildren, Christopher (Shelly), Corey (Amber) and Collin (Theresa Yen) Brown, Parker and Isabella Eydelsteyn; step-grandchildren Chad Kramer, Tyler and Trevor Kramer and Brandon Hine; great-grandchild Scarlett Brown and step-great-grandchildren Alexis Hine, Hunter, Riellee, Aubrey Kramer, Christopher Scott Sheldon Jr. and many extended family members. He was preceded in death by his wife, Josephine; his parents John and Opal Gruner; his brother, Wayne Gruner; his step-daughter, Patricia Hine-Cox and his step-grandson, Spencer Hine.
A Memorial Service is being planned and will be held at a later date. For further information, contact McGeehan Funeral Home, Keck-Coleman Chapel.
Margaret A. Grubaugh
Margaret A. Grubaugh, age 100, of Elsie, MI, passed away Friday, July 2, 2021, at Hazel I. Findlay Country Manor, St. Johns, MI.
Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes Elsie, MI at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, July 6, 2021. Burial will take place at Riverside Cemetery, Elsie, MI. Visitation will be held on Monday, July 5, 2021 2-8 P.M. with family present from 2-4 and 6-8 P.M. at the funeral home.
Margaret was born in Dawes, West Virginia on March 7, 1921, the daughter of William and Leta (Watson) Oldaker. She married Alpha E. Grubaugh on August 26, 1950 in Flint, MI. He passed away on November 11, 1989.
She moved to MI in 1945. After her marriage she worked for Wooley’s Dime Store in Elsie and also Sill’s Market. She was a lifetime member of the VFW Auxiliary in Owosso and a member of the Church of the Nazarene in Owosso. Margaret was a United Methodist Certified Lay Speaker and an associate Pastor at the St. Johns Nazarene Church in St. Johns, MI.
She is survived by daughter Sandra and David Kemp of Elsie, MI; and her son Alpha J. and Diana Grubaugh of Elsie, MI. She is also survived by 4 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Alpha, 6 brothers and 3 sisters.
Memorials may be made to a Charity of the Donor’s Choice. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie, MI.
Genevieve Y. Forbes
Genevieve Y. Forbes, age 77, of St. Johns, MI, passed away on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, at Ovid Healthcare Center, Ovid, MI.
A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 at 11:00 A.M. at Smith Family Funeral Homes – Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, Michigan. Burial will take place at Bingham Township Cemetery, St. Johns, MI.
Genevieve was born in Evart, MI on September 6, 1943, the daughter of Louis and Leola (Ferguson) Forbes. She worked for Walmart in St. Johns, for a number of years and retired from Chrysler Corporation, she worked at the Lyons Assembly Plant.
She is survived by her son Wade Forbes of Muskegon, MI; her grandchildren: Blake Forbes, Allysa Keener, Leah Forbes, Mason Forbes, and Lexie Forbes and 3 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by 3 sisters: Penny Linton, Linda McLoud, and Amy Searles; one brother Louis Forbes; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, 2 sisters: Ellen Wilson and Susan Rittenburgh, and 3 brothers: Orvin, Robert, and Larry Forbes.
Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes – Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI.
Divorce decrees filed the weeks of June 21 and 28, 2021
Moore, Emily / Moore, Michael
Larner, Amanda / Larner, Jay
Smyth, Julie L. / Smith, Alcher L.
Singh, Cheryl L. / Mendoza, Raul
Hull, Shannon, M. / Hull, Rueben S.
Moore, Kitty / Babic, Nikola
Thompson, Tabitha J. / Thompson, Joshua A.