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Marion Ruth Cushing
Marion Ruth Cushing, a lifelong resident of Riley Township, died peacefully at her homestead on February 20, 2023. She was 86 years old.
Marion was born at home on September 4, 1936, the second of three children born to Glen and Ernestine (Mueller) Doty. On February 15, 1958 she married William Cushing and he preceded her in death. Marion was an active member of South Riley Bible Church and was the pianist and treasurer for over fifty years. She enjoyed her cats, flowers, birds, playing piano, quilting, and sewing. She loved to cook and relished family traditions, such as making donuts for every Halloween.
Marion was loving and giving. She opened her home and heart to fifteen foster children over the years. Marion was independent and self-sufficient. She mowed acres of lawn and cut her own wood well into her seventies. She always kept busy and cared deeply for others.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Cushing; her brothers, James and Robert Doty and her parents. She is survived by her son, Caleb Cushing; nephews, Terry Cushing, Steve Cushing and Jim Doty; her niece, Linda Richardson, as well as extended family members and friends, including her feline companions, Charlie and Paris. She was second mother to many, including Rob and Katie Bunday.
A Memorial Service will be held at South Riley Bible Church. Day pending.
For further information please visit McGeehan Funeral Home, Keck-Coleman Chapel.
Patricia Lou Zarka
Patricia Lou Zarka went to be with her Heavenly Father, Wednesday, February 22, 2023, at home, surrounded by family. She was 91 years old.
Pat was born on March 26, 1931 in Lansing, Michigan, the youngest of four children raised by Ivan and Ethel (Sailor) Boyd, and graduated from Eastern High School. She met Charles Zarka at a dance in Lansing, and the couple married on November 12, 1954. Together, they raised Pam, Jim and Kim in St. Johns and were longtime members of the Maple Rapids Congregational Christian Church.
Pat was bubbly, friendly to everyone, creative and artistic. She loved to crochet and knit and had her own yarn shop, The Owl’s Nest, in Westphalia. Pat adored animals, enjoyed painting, going to craft shows and wintering in Arizona. Most of all, Pat loved her family and cherished time spent with them.
She is survived by daughters, Pam (Marlin) Plementosh and Kim (Ed) Taylor; son, Jim Zarka; grandchildren, Karrie (Don) Schrader, Jason (Cora) Decker, Stacie (Eric) Smith, Andrea (Tim) Gerber, Charles (Krystal) Taylor-Zarka, Ken (Cherie) Taylor, Michelle (Brent) Ryan; grandchildren, Brandon (Anna), Clayton (Jessi), Heidi, Justin, Lillie, Katelynn, Ashlee, Lindsey, Sydney (Cody), MaKenna (Jonny), Jayden, Spencer, Kenton, Hailey, Kennedi, Kerigan, Kolin; great-great-grandchildren, Ethan, Braxton, Calahan and one due in April; sisters-in-law, Shirley Woodward and Mary (Jerry) Randell; niece, Julie Schaffer-Fuller; her beloved dog, Amari, as well as extended family members and dear friends, including her best friend, Diane, in Arizona. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of sixty-four years, Charles J. Zarka; her brothers Robert and Halley Conklin; her sister, Lorna Schultz and her parents.
Visitation will be held on Monday, February 27, 2023, from 4 – 8 PM at McGeehan Funeral Home, Keck-Coleman Chapel, 1500 Waterford Pkwy, St. Johns.
A Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 11 AM at the Maple Rapids Congregational Christian Church, 410 S. Maple Ave, Maple Rapids, Pastor Jerry Kissling officiating. Burial will be at Union Home Cemetery. A luncheon will follow at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to New Hope Pet Rescue, 815 N. Sheldon St, Charlotte MI 48813.
Sandra Kay Fongers
Sandra Kay (Otto) Fongers, age 86, died on February 20, 2023 at The Avalon of Commerce Township Assisted Living from Dementia with her daughter Leslie and granddaughter Audrea by her side and her grandson Jordan there too before her death and afterwards. She was born on December 19, 1936 in Lansing, Michigan. Sandra grew up in Haslett, Michigan with her parents Lyons and Louise (Moldenhauer) Otto and also lived close to her grandparents Franklin and Nina Moldenhauer where her grandfather was active with Haslett Schools. Her grandmother, a teacher, started the tennis program for girls at Haslett High School. Her grandmother, a very important figure in her daughters’ lives was a woman ahead of her time and encouraged females to get educated and supported Sandra’s mom and aunt to go to college. Sandra’s grandchildren were active in many activities in Haslett, but all three ended up being on the Tennis Team all four years in high school. The street in Haslett between the middle school and administration was named after her grandfather Franklin. Sandra was very close to her grandmother and even brought her name up towards the end saying she hadn’t seen her in a while.
Sandra met her husband Marvin in1954 in Haslett at the RCA TV repair store they worked at and were married March 18, 1955. They soon built a house on Swegles Street in St. Johns, Michigan. After adopting their son Mark and daughter Leslie, they decided they needed a bigger place so they built another house in St. Johns, Michigan, and lived out their lives there.
When Sandra’s daughter moved to Haslett in 1994, Sandra was very active with her grandchildren in their activities in Haslett, loved it especially with herself being an alumni. She would tell anybody who would listen about the history of Haslett. She was so proud when her granddaughter became Homecoming class representative for Haslett. With her granddaughter becoming a nurse and overseeing Sandra’s care, it was the best thing for both her and her granddaughter.
Children in Sandra’s life were always a high priority and even towards the end, children lit up her life. A video was taken of her five great-grandchildren singing Happy Birthday on her last birthday, and you can even see her, in the depths of dementia, still smiling and enjoying her great-grandchildren.
Sandra also worked most of her life with retiring in 2014 at the age of 78 after 49½ years at Research Tool Corporation in Ovid as their bookkeeper. She always loved working as she wanted to “spoil” her children and grandchildren. She had said it was the best job for her as she could make her own hours, could work at home when no one worked at home, and could work around her kids’ and grandkids’ schedules. When her son-in-law died of cancer in 1993, Sandra and Marvin helped their daughter in every way they could with three grandchildren under nine, trying to keep them looking forward even when life throws you obstacles.
Sandra knew loss and grieving with losing her little brother when he was two. She also knew the heartache of watching her son Mark deteriorate and dying. She had hoped that Mark would get better but that wasn’t to be. Sandra and Mark ended up in two different facilities for care in 2018 and 2019 and, unfortunately, did not see much of each other because of Covid from 2020 on but were able to enjoy their last few years together with her daughter Leslie helping to take care of both Sandra and Mark at home. Those times were special with dinners out, trips together, and cruises as a continuation of growing up and enjoying so much of life’s activities from a family cruise trip to Alaska, trips to Disney World, but the most memorable one in 2018, a Lions’ game New Year’s Eve in a suite (they won!) in 2017 stand out as being the most memorable trips. Throughout the years, she believed in building memories versus buying “stuff.”
Now her daughter Leslie and grandchildren Audrea, Jordan and Jared are left with the memories to cherish and all will make sure her great-grandchildren know her story, a huge story of unconditional love. They can also laugh at her gift of being a speed reader with her room full of romance novels. She had so many that instead of Marvin trying to get rid of all the books, he ended up building over five bookcases for the paperback books to be stored in. Now, thankfully, the family has so many memories to cherish.
Sandra is survived by her daughter Leslie Fox of St. Johns; grandchildren Jordan (Tina) Fox, Audrea (Jay) Zak and Jared Fox; five great-grandchildren, Kenley, twins Aiden and Owen and twins Brecken and Adilyn, and neighbors Dennis and Pat Koenigsknecht, along with nieces and nephews from the Grand Rapids area and cousins from the Rochester area.
She was predeceased by her parents and grandparents, husband in 2014 after 59 years of marriage, her baby brother Louis Otto in 1941, son Mark Fongers in 2021 and son-in-law Kenneth Fox in 1993.
Sandra will be so incredibly missed, but her spirit will carry on with the love she taught all that knew her and her laughing. She made it very easy for anyone to talk to her and would give her no-nonsense common sense advice.
Her family thanks everyone who has been the support system for all of them, especially the last few years. The ones that truly know you and the struggles you go through are the ones we need to keep and cherish in our lives. They need to now figure this world without her. The one thing that dementia can help you slowly to be on your own without all her guidance anymore and function without the matriarch of your family. Sandra is now living in peace and reunited with many family members before her, and her family rests in comfort knowing that.
Visitation will be at McGeehan Funeral Home, Keck-Coleman Chapel on Friday, February 24, 2023 from 2 PM to 4 PM with the services following at 4PM. Dinner will follow. Graveside service will take
Alberta Alice Diehl
Alberta Alice Diehl, age 97, formerly of Maple Rapids, MI, received the desire of her heart and was welcomed into the arms of her Savior Sunday, February 19, 2023, at Thornapple Manor, Nashville, MI.
Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes – Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI, at 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, February 25, 2023, with Pastor Scott Seelhoff officiating. Burial will take place at Payne Cemetery, Fulton Township, MI. Visitation will be held at 12:00 P.M. prior to the service.
Alberta was born in Fulton Township, Michigan on August 12, 1925, the daughter of Lloyd Erford and Ruth Melva (Young) Cook. She graduated from Fulton High School with the class of 1943. She lived most of her life in the Maple Rapids area. On March 25, 1945, Alberta married Gerald Lavere Rehm in Maple Rapids, MI; he preceded her in death on May 5, 1970. On February 16, 1974, she married Joseph Daniel Diehl in Maple Rapids, MI; he preceded her in death on September 8, 1992.
Alberta’s faith was the foundation of her life. She passionately encouraged her family and everyone she knew to come to know Jesus as their Savior. She always spoke of God’s faithfulness through loss and His ways of providing when she needed it most. She fervently prayed for her family daily.
Alberta and Gerald raised their four children on the family farm. She enjoyed gardening. She loved to play cards and was in a card club for many years. Alberta was a caring person; she faithfully checked up on her friends in the park in Florida.
She is survived by her daughter Nelda Rehm, three step children: David (Georgia) Diehl, Cheryl Birdsley, and Susan Stiles; two daughters-in-law: Kathleen Maples, and Sheryl Rehm; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, first husband Gerald Rehm, second husband Joseph Diehl, three sons: Duane Rehm, David Rehm, and Gary Rehm; great-grandson Dakota Rudy, and siblings: Lloyd Cook, Gaylord Cook, and Donna Ray Langdon.
Memorials may be made to Thornapple Manor – 2700 Nashville Rd. Hastings, MI 49058 or The Gideon’s International – P.O. Box 140800, Nashville, TN 37214-0800. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes – Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, Michigan.
Marilyn Joan Easlick
Marilyn Joan Easlick, age 92 died Friday February 17, 2023, at Hazel Findlay Country Manor in St Johns, Michigan with her family by her side.
Jo, as she was commonly known, was born on November 17, 1930 the second of five siblings to Leon and Julia (Ogden) Slater in Owosso Michigan. After graduating from high school, she married Vincent Hudson on October 8, 1949 in Bennington Michigan. They enjoyed 16 years of marriage until his death in 1965. She later married Max Easlick and they happily united their families together. During her career she worked at Great Lakes Hybrid as the head of the office department for many years.
Jo will be fondly remembered as a supportive and loving woman. Having to raise her three kids on her own after her husband Vincent died, she gained the respect of many. She was always up for an adventure, as she took her kids and grandkids on many trips around the state of Michigan. She was a lighthouse enthusiast, often traveling to see different lighthouses across the state. She had a passion for oil painting and arts. Marilyn also loved playing one of her favorite games bridge.
Left to cherish her memories are her children Benjamin (Brenda) Hudson, Sugar Hudson, Jeff Dingey, Joyce (Jack) Wassa, Barb Miller, Richard (Raelene) Easlick; grandchildren Laurie, Corbin, Ross, Jacob, Josh, Joey, Mark, Kristi, Nichole, Jodie, and Mandy; and many more loving family members. She is predeceased in death by her husbands Vincent Hudson and Max Easlick; children Tim Hudson and Kari Dingey; and Son-In-Law Dick Miller.
Visitation will be held on Monday February 20, 2023 from 2-4 PM and 6-8 PM at McGeehan Funeral Home, Keck-Coleman Chapel, 1500 Waterford Pkwy, St. Johns. A Funeral Service will be held at the funeral home on Tuesday February 21, 2023 at 11AM, with visitation taking place from 10am until the time of the service.