Obituaries
Dorothy T. Bradley
Dorothy T. (Motz) Bradley, 92 passed away unexpectedly at her Mesa, AZ winter residence on December 2, 2017, on the anniversary of her mother’s death. She was born on September 29, 1925, the daughter of Arthur and Cora (Cook) Simon. Dorothy was a 1943 graduate of Fowler High School and in 1946 graduated from St. Lawrence School of Nursing as a registered nurse. She retired from Clinton Memorial Hospital (Sparrow).
Favorite past times included doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles, playing cards and most of all spending time with family and friends. Dorothy was a member of St. Lawrence Alumni Association, Most Holy Trinity Church in Fowler, Holy Cross Church in Mesa, a former Red Cross volunteer and a founding member of Clinton County Hospice. She was blessed with two wonderful husbands. She married Lawrence Motz on April 14, 1948 and after his death married Marion Bradley on June, 20, 1986.
Dorothy is survived by her daughter, Nadine (Daniel) Piggott of Fowler and son Richard Motz of Tucson, AZ; stepchildren, Linda (Bill) Lardie of Amarillo, TX, Richard Bradley and Jeff (Jean) Bradley both of Roscommon, MI, Harry Bradley and Mary (Mike) Jackson both of Perry, MI, Tom (Mary) Bradley of Rockford, MI and Bill (Brenda) Bradley of Evart, MI; 3 grandchildren; 22 step grandchildren; 6 great grandchildren; 23 step great grandchildren; 1 great great grandson; 2 step great great grandsons; sister Frances Thelen, brother in law, Kenneth McCue; sisters in law Genn Simon, Regina (Harold) Simon, Delores Schueller, Joan Simon, Elizabeth Buell and several nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death were her parents, both of her husbands, Brothers, Clarence, Edward, Ronald, Leon, Bernard and Phillip Simon; brothers in law Joseph Thelen, Bernard Schueller, Ken Buell, Edward Motz and Harold Tolles; sisters in law, Josephine Simon, Kathryn McCue, Genevieve Motz and Helen Tolles.
Cremation took place in Mesa; and a Memorial Mass will be celebrated at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church on Monday, April 30, 2018 at 10:30 A.M. with Rev. Fr. Dennis Howard as celebrant. Burial will be at Holy Trinity Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made in Dorothy’s honor to the charity of your choice. Local arrangements by Keck-Coleman Funeral Home.
Louis Frederick (Fred) Mayers and Claribel Rose (Wilkie) Mayers
Louis Frederick (Fred) Mayers, age 100, of Lakeland, Florida, passed away on Friday, April 13, 2018. Fred was born in Dewitt, Michigan on October 25, 1917, the son of Louis and Ethel (Lamberson) Mayers. He married Claribel Rose Wilkie on August 9, 1940. Claribel preceded Fred in death on August 30, 2013. She was the daughter of William (Bill) and Rose Wilkie. She was born on March 28, 1918. They were married for 73 years.
They lived in St. Johns and on Rainbow Lake in Perrinton before moving to Florida where they resided in Lakeland until their deaths. Fred was a farmer in St. Johns before retiring, and Claribel was an elementary teacher for 25 years in the St. Johns area.
They are survived by their three children: David (Carolyn) Mayers of Fairfield, New Jersey, Phyllis (Steve) Thornburg of South Bend, Indiana, and Darlene (Howard) Bowers of Luther, Michigan. They have five grandchildren: Michael (Anne) Mayers of Illinois, Scott (Tirzah) Thornburg of Indiana, Brian (Christine) Thornburg of Illinois, Holly (Paul) Markel of Michigan, and J.J. Mayers of Michigan. They have 9 great-grandchildren: Laura, Jake, Sarah, Katie, Aubrey, and Alayna Thornburg, Issac and Benjamin Mayers, and Daniel Markel.
Robert D. Zeeb
Bob Zeeb was a farmer, a man outstanding in his field. This is the only line he wanted in his obituary. But, seeing as he passed on his stubborn gene, we are going to ignore his suggestion. Bob Zeeb was a farmer, but he was so much more than that.
Bob, 1932 – 2018, met the love of his life, Virginia (Ginny) Hardtke at 4-H camp. They were paired up for a scavenger hunt. When the list called for “a hair from a horse’s tail” the competitors dashed to the field, chasing the horses in circles. Ginny just shook her head, walked straight over to the fence and plucked a horse hair that had caught on the rail—right then Bob knew she was the girl for him. And although he was grateful that his future father-in-law, Herb, allowed him to date his daughter (despite being four years his junior) it did make him doubt Herb’s judgement.
Bob’s talents were many. He had the uncanny ability to divine water; a feat witnessed by many over the years. Go ahead, ask around. His witching sticks are probably the only possession his kids will squabble over. His quest to find water and rid his fields of it was borderline obsessive. Nobody knows how he acquired this skill, possibly as an Eagle Scout or maybe during his service in Korea. It’s a mystery. He also had excellent boating skills. He once managed to get six water-skiers up behind his boat on Houghton Lake—a proud spin around the lake ensued. He took pleasure in scaring first time passengers by driving full throttle directly toward the boat lift before cutting the motor at the last second—and drifting in perfectly.
Bob was a bit of a style icon. He could always be spotted around town sporting overalls, a Bath Bees jacket and a John Deere hat. Or sometimes, a John Deere jacket with a Bath Bees hat. He liked to mix it up. He was a Bath Bee through and through: graduate, school board President and athletic booster. He fondly remembered the long, hot summer of 1979 when he and other booster parents built the BHS football field and played the first game under the lights. Complete with a keg on the 50-yard line.
From pickle loaf sandwiches to salted ketchup and butter on a spoon—Bob was a real foodie. He never allowed cucumbers to grace his table. Ever. Or salad forks, he had a thing against tiny forks. His beverage of choice was the chocolate malt and he never forgave Shedds for discontinuing his favorite Old Style Sauce. He even has an entree named after him: The Grandpa Bob Sandwich. White bread, peanut butter (crunchy or smooth, he wasn’t fussy after all) and brown sugar. Delicious.
As DeWitt Township Supervisor, he soothed concerned citizens that had complaints of overdevelopment, underdevelopment, noise, neighbors, roads, and so forth and so on. He frequently gave the sage advice that “if they enjoyed their view, they should buy it before someone else does.” He followed his own advice and surrounded himself with a thousand acres.
Bob traveled extensively with friends, family and his beloved Kellogg group, to destinations both near and far including Europe, Asia, and South America. He enjoyed all of the various countries he visited but thought he might enjoy them more with if there were “less foreigners.” He was joking of course, sort of.
His children Pat, Chris, Mike and Karen are grateful for his attendance at every single one of their athletic events, teaching them to drive at a tender age, giving them the opportunity to “build character”, and the investment advice to buy dirt because “they aren’t making any more of it.”
Everyone who knew Bob, thought he was a hard worker. But truth be told, Bob Zeeb never worked a day in his life. He believed in the adage that if you could find a way to make a living doing what you loved, you’d be on vacation 365 days a year. And that was Bob; doing exactly what he wanted to do, every day. His way. A man who’d rather farm than fish. He was on vacation virtually every day of his adult life. The other days he fished.
There will not be a visitation or a funeral as Bob found them depressing. He would allow for a celebration at the farm sometime between planting and harvest because, well, farming. Please join us on 23 June from 1:00-4:00 at 3200 Herbison Road, Bath. Bring a photo, a memory or story to share of Bob, but no flowers. Wear your boots; we’ll be in the barn.
Contributions can be made in Bob’s honor to Bath Athletic Boosters C/O Alicia Paape P.O. Box 203 Bath, MI 48808.
Marijane Elmendorf
Marijane (Tupes) Elmendorf fell asleep in Jesus at her home on March 15, 2018, after a short illness. She was born April 7, 1925, in Muskegon, MI, to Earl and Abbie Ruth (McCampbell) Tupes.
In December, 1945 she married Robert L. Wohlers. After his death in 1976, she married Dwight S. Wallack (d. 1988); and in 2005 she married Edward N. Elmendorf, III, of Vassar, Michigan (d. 2012).
Survivors include her daughters, Mary K. (Wohlers) Becker of Grand Terrace, CA, and Barbara S. (Bobbie Sue) Wohlers of Alpharetta, GA; son-in-law, Larry Becker; grandson, Adam Becker; stepsons, Jere Wallack of Sun City West, AZ, Edward N. Elmendorf, III, (graduated AU) of Angwin, CA, and David Elmendorf of Chicago, IL; and nieces and nephews. Her parents, brother, Robert Tupes, and sister, Barbara (Tupes) Benson predeceased her.
Marijane was an active member of the St. Johns, MI, Seventh-day Adventist church and also was active in several community organizations. When her daughters were high-school age, she taught home economics, served in the library, and directed the choir at their private school. At age 50 Marijane received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Southern Missionary College in Collegedale, TN, having received a bachelor’s degree in secondary business education a few years earlier from University of Tennessee – Chattanooga. A faithful servant of God, she is remembered for her love of family and friends, and her friendly smile and kind ways to her fellow residents at Linda Valley Villa in Loma Linda, CA, where she lived for the last six years.
A memorial will be held on May 19, 2018, 3:00 p.m. at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in St. Johns, MI. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Your Story Hour (www.yourstoryhour.org) or Companion Hospice of Riverside, 4199 Flat Rock Dr., Ste. 200, Riverside, CA 92505.
Peggy Renee Haruska
Peggy Renee Haruska, age 56 of St. Johns, MI, passed away Friday, April 13, 2018 at her home surrounded by her family after a hard fought battle with cancer.
A private family Celebration of her life will be held.
Peggy was born in Carson City, MI on December 31, 1961 the daughter of Charles and Josephine (Holmes) Haruska. She resided most of her life in Corunna and St. Johns. Most of Peggy’s days were spent with her family, especially with DeDe, JoJo, and Ellie. Her granddaughters were the light of her life. Peggy loved to cook and have family gatherings. She also loved to shop and was gifted in finding the best bargain. Most of all, Peggy will be remembered for her kind and selfless heart.
Peggy is survived by her daughter Hattie Hettinger and Devin Robeck of Grand Rapids, MI; son Andrew Hettinger of St. Johns, MI; 3 granddaughters: Delaney Robeck, Josephine Hettinger and Eloise Hettinger; sister Ruth Ann and Dick Steffen of Brant, MI; brother Terry and Kathy Haruska of St. Louis, MI; sister-in-law Barbara Haruska of Ashley, MI; niece but more like a sister Lisa Kurncz of St. Johns, MI; and father of her children Michael Hettinger of Corunna, MI. She is also survived by many special nieces and nephews. Peggy was preceded in death by her parents, 4 sisters: Virginia, Marie, Janet and Judy and brother John.
Memorial Contributions may be made to the wishes of her family. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes – Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI.
Marriage licenses filed the week of April 9, 2018
Paul John Smith, 61 of DeWitt and Lynn Marie Hodge, 62 of DeWitt
Adam Jay Jutila, 27 of Fowler and Jessica Anne Smith, 28 of Fowler
Matthew Brian Thelen, 32 of St. Johns and Lisa Ann Whitford, 49 of St. Johns
Divorce decrees filed the week of April 9, 2018
Colon, Laurie Lynne and Fernondo
Malone, William Clay and Sharon Diane
Smith, Bonnie Doris and Kevan Wesley
Williams, Marie and Michael John
Cayo, Amelia Natosha-Ann and Fritz
Finch, Deanna Belle and Joshua Joe
Wilson, Kyle and Shella