Obituaries

Doherty, R. Paul

Rev. R. Paul Doherty died July 26, 2010 at the age of 72. Rev. Doherty served at the following appointments: Detroit Conf. Dryden/Leonard 1966; Baltimore Conf. St. Paul's/Smithsburg 1970; transferred from Baltimore Conf., Constantine Dec. 1, 1979; Dowagiac 1987; Retired 2004; Twin Lake (DSA) Nov. 1, 2004-2010. A Memorial Service for Paul Doherty will be held on Sunday, August 1, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. at First UMC in Grand Rapids, 227 E. Fulton St., Grand Rapids (616.451.2879). Visitation...

Johnson, Harry

Rev. Dr. Harry Johnson, retired member of the WMC, died June 6, 2010, his 68th birthday. Harry served at the following appointments in the West Michigan Conference: Brethren/Copemish 1964; Ashton 1965; Barryton/Chippewa Lake 1966; Ravenna 1968; Empire 1976; In school 1979; Battle Creek: Sonoma/Newton 1981; DeWitt: Redeemer 1985; Greenville 1988; retired 2007 Please pray for God's healing touch with his wife, Judy, and his three daughters: Kristi, Jil and Kim and their families. Condol...

Lowes, D. Hubert

The Rev. D. Hubert Lowes died Tuesday, May 25, 2010. He was 79 years of age. He is survived by his spouse, Carol Lowes. Rev. Lowes served at the following appointments: Missouri East Conf., Monticello 1960; Transferred to Missouri West Conf., Ridgeway 1964; transferred to Missouri East Conf., Kahoka 1968; transferred to Missouri West Conf., Springfield: St. Paul 1975; transferred from Missouri West Conf., Augusta Feb. 1978; Scottville Jan. 1, 1984; Retired 1993 Visitation will take...

Phillips, Lloyd Austin

The Rev. Lloyd Austin Phillips, 82, of Niles, died Saturday morning, May 1, 2010, of natural causes, at his daughters home in Buchanan. Rev. Phillips served at the following appointments: United Methodist churches in East Otto, N.Y. From 1950-53; Grand Rapids from 1953-61; Bronson, Mich. from 1961-69; Stevensville from 1969-79, Lansing from 1979-84; and retired from Wesley United Methodist Church in Niles, having served from 1984-1991. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, May...

Wagner, Patricia

Pat Wagner, wife of retired clergy Rev. Lynn Wagner, died Saturday morning, April 3, 2010. Visitation will be held April 10, 2010 from 12:30 p.m. until the start of service at Lawrence Avenue UMC, 210 E. Lawrence Avenue, Charlotte, MI. Memorial Services will be held at Lawrence Ave UMC in Charlotte on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 3:00 PM. Condolences may be sent care of the church or posted on the website of Pray Funeral Home: www.prayfuneral.com. Memorial contributions may be made...

McClintic, Martha J.

MCCLINTIC, MARTHA J. - 88, of Pulaski Township, passed away March 18, 2010 in Jackson, Michigan. She was born July 23, 1921 in Lansing, Michigan to Robert and Elizabeth (Fleming) Bowden. She was a graduate of Lansing Business College and worked a short time as a secretary. On August 9, 1941, Martha married Lambert G. McClintic who preceded her in death February 1, 2004. She and her husband resided in Tompkins Township for 50 years and she attended Pope and Griffith United Methodist Churches...

Pierce, Muriel

Muriel Pierce, wife of Rev. Ward Pierce (Menden/West Menden UMCs), died Tuesday, March 16, 2010. Visitation will take place at Eickhoff's funeral home Monday, March 22, 2010 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Two services will be held. The first service, at Mendon UMC 320 W. Main Street, Mendon, MI 49072-0308, will be held Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. The second service, at Lake Odessa Lakewood United Methodist Church, 10265 E Brown Road, Lake Odessa, MI...

Kraklan, Laura

Laura Kraklan, of Hillsdale, Michigan, died March 15, 2010. Laura Kraklan was the spouse of retired clergy, Jack Kraklan, of Reading UMC. Details of her obituary will be posted on the website of the Van Horn Eagle Funeral Home: www.eaglefuneralhomes.com or on the Hillsdale Daily News webpage (www.hillsdale.net) in the next couple of days. There will be a memory book available on the funeral home webpage for anyone wishing to leave a message for the family. A funeral will be held...

Buker, John

The Rev. John Buker died Friday, March 12, 2010. He is survived by his spouse, Rev. Elaine Buker of Pensacola, Florida. John served at the following appointments in the West Michigan Conference: [Stephenson, WV 1978;] transferred from West Virginia Conf., Big Rapids: Third/Paris/Rodney 1979; in school Pine Rest Hospital Sept. 1, 1981; Carlisle 1983; Burr Oak 1986; Leave of Absence Oct. 1, 1988; Interim Pastor, First Christian Church, Battle Creek 1991; Potterville/West Benton 1992;...

Shearer, Tom

The West Michigan Conference has experienced a great loss in the unexpected death on March 12, 2010 of Tom Shearer, long time Conference Chancellor. The memorial service for Tom will be this Wednesday, March 17, at 2:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 227 E. Fulton, Grand Rapids, MI. Visiting hours will be on Tuesday from 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. at Metcalf and Jonkhoff Funeral Home 4291 Cascade Road Southeast, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-3628. In lieu of flowers,...

Spoor - Vera

Vera Lee Spoor Lansing passed away Monday, March 1, 2010 at age 81. Surviving are her husband, Dale D.; three children, Leigh Ann and special friend Randy Erickson, Dale R., James and wife Amy; eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 4, 2010 at Chapel in the Pines Funeral Home. Family will receive friends Wednesday from 5pm-8pm at the funeral home. For those desiring, memorial contributions may be made to the American...

Phillips, Jean S.

Jean S. Phillips, 82, of U.S. Highway 12 in Niles died at 10 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, 2010 at Lakeland Community Hospital in Niles following an extended illness. Mrs. Phillips was born June 9, 1927 in Washington, Pa. to Melvin L. and Katharine (Mounts) Scott. She graduated from Washington High School in Pennsylvania, attended Nyack College in New York and Southwestern Michigan College. She moved to Niles in 1984 from Lansing. She was a former high school secretary and librarian for both...

Skinner, Patricia

Retired Pastor, Patricia (Pat) Skinner, passed away Tuesday evening, February 16. Keep her husband Bill, daughter Julie and granddaughter Sarah in your prayers for comfort, peace and healing in the coming days and weeks. A Celebration Service will be held at Christ UMC in Lansing on Saturday, Feb. 20 with a gathering time starting at 11:00 a.m. and the service beginning at noon (517 W. Jolly Road).

Hagans - Ruth Allegra Porter Nielsen

Ruth Allegra Porter Nielsen Hagans, 90, of South Haven died Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010, at home. She was born June 22, 1919, in South Haven to Alonzo and Nellie (Werner) Porter. Allegra, one of five children, had lived in South Haven all her life. She was known as a soloist in her younger years and played piano for her children's trio, quartet and quintet during her single-parent years. She worked in medical records and retired from South Haven Community Hospital. Allegra was a member of the...

Elliott, Natalie Bay Glaser

Natalie Bay Glaser Elliott, age 90 of Fremont, died Saturday, January 2, 2009 at her home, completing a full life. Natalie was born on July 30, 1919 in Blissfield, Michigan to Kenneth B. and Natalie (Bay) Glaser. She married The Rev. George C. Elliott on August 31, 1942 in Blissfield, Michigan. George preceded her in death in 2007. Natalie graduated from Adrian College in 1941 and began her adult life teaching English in Edwardsburg, Michigan, where she met George. Following their...

Garrigus, Russell

Russell Garrigus died December 16th, 2009. Russ was a local pastor. He served at the following churches: Free Soil/Fountain 1972; Free Soil/Fountain/Manistee (Assoc. part-time) Nov. 1, 1988; Brethren: Epworth/Manistee (Assoc. part-time) 1993; Retired 2002; Brethren: Epworth (DSA) 2002. Funeral services will be held at the Manistee UMC (387 First St Manistee, MI 49660) on Sunday, December 20th at 3:00 p.m.

Evans, Catherine Elizabeth

Catherine E. Evans, age 89, died at her home at Silver Maples Retirement Community in Chelsea on December 6, 2009. She was born on June 26, 1920, in Shelbyville, Indiana, the daughter of Claude and Inez Cherry. She received a B. S. Degree from Indiana University in 1941 and a Masters Degree in education from Western Michigan University in 1968. On September 4, 1943, she married David Stanley Evans, Jr., who died in 1999. They had three children, Susan (Roy Muir), of Ann Arbor, David...

Sara Huston

Sara J. Huston, of Dimondale, MI died November 1, 2009. She was born December 29, 1948, in Mt. Pleasant, MI, and graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School in 1967. She obtained her bachelor's degree from Central Michigan University in 1971, and received her certification as a respiratory therapist from LCC in 1997.   She was active in the United Methodist Women, attending many mission service trips, and in directing children and youth choirs. Sara loved crafts, knitting—especially...

James Lee Breithaupt

The Rev. James Lee Breithaupt, 58, a Methodist Minister of Lake Ann and Sears, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, on Monday afternoon, October 19, 2009. Jim is survived  by his wife of twenty-five years; Kathleen Ann "Kathy" Breithaupt of Lake Ann and Sears;  children; Jayson (partner, Tim Hillock) Breithaupt, Jennifer (Paul) Sladek, Floyd (Mary) Breithaupt, Joshua  (partner-Layna Devincent) Kratky, Angela (Andrew) Davenport, Kally...

Laurence Dekema

Funeral Notice  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   Rev. Larry Dekema, retired local Pastor, died last Thursday, September 24.  His funeral was this morning, September 28, at the Otsego United Methodist Church.    Rev. Dekema served at the following appointments in the West Michigan Conference: Oshtemo 1971; Lakeview/Amble Jan. 15, 1972; Lakeview/Amble/Belvidere 1974; Lakeview/Belvidere 1976; Retired 1980   Please pray for his wife of 70 years,...