Anniversaries
Bill and Jeanette Griffith celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Jan. 4, 2004, at an elegant afternoon dinner given by their children, followed by cake, a toast, and video memories, at Fox Island Nature Center in Fort Wayne, Ind. They have been members of the Fort Wayne Church for 48 years.
Bill Griffith and Jeanette Case were married Jan. 3, 1954, in Battle Creek, Mich., by Elder A.H. Johns. Bill was a member of the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955. He was employed by Dana Corp. for 34 years, retiring in 1995. Jeanette has been an active member of the church, particularly in community service. She was an assistant treasurer for Essec Credit Union for several years.
The Griffith family includes Cheryl and Mike Hoover of Berrien Springs, Mich.; Jennie and Brett McAllister of Fort Wayne; and five grandchildren.
Bill and Cathryn Kuszmaul celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Dec. 25, 2003, by a family reunion at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Willis in Smyrna, Tenn. They have been members of the Spencer (Ind.) Church for eight years.
Bill Kuszmaul and Cathryn Deitz were married Dec. 26, 1953, in Logansport, Ind., by Rev. William Stahl. Bill has been a building contractor for the past 25 years. Cathryn has been a homemaker and part-time worker for the Indiana Conference for several years.
The Kuszmaul family includes Melissa and Rodney Dick of Hillsboro, Ore.; Judith and Chuck Willis of Smyrna, Tenn.; and four grandchildren.
Aurelio and Remedios Oliverio celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Sept. 7, 2003, by a reception at the Northbrook (Ill.) Church. They have been members of the Northbrook Church for three years.
Aurelio Oliverio and Remedios Bangcoyan were married Aug. 23, 1953, in Kauswagan, Lanao, North P.I., by Mayor Joseph Sanguila. Aurelio has been a tailor and photographer. Remedios has been a housewife.
The Oliverio family includes Sylvia and Vincencio Misiona of Davao, Philippines; Susan and Robert Arrogante of Northbrook; Jennifer and Ramer Campugan of Dunnellon, Fla.; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Eugene and Eloise Wineland celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Sept. 6, 2003, by a dinner with family and friends at Teibel's Restaurant in Valparaiso, Ind. They have been members of the Northwest (Ind.) Church for 50 years.
Eugene Wineland and Eloise V. Dye were married Sept. 6, 1953, in Crown Point, Ind., by Pastor Wayne Byers. Eugene has owned and operated Gene's Excavating for 42 years, retiring in 2001. Eloise has been a homemaker and bookkeeper.
The Wineland family includes Larry and Beth Wineland of Georgetown, Tenn.; Daryl and Wendy Wineland of Dowagiac, Mich.; and seven grandchildren.
Weddings
Lisa C. Buell and Delwin D. Garcia were married Dec. 14, 2003, in Holland, Mich. The ceremony was performed by Pastor David Garcia.
Lisa is the daughter of Harold and Anita Buell of Holland, and Delwin is the son of David and Giannina Garcia of Holland, and Blanca and Jim Telman of Grand Rapids, Mich.
The Garcias are making their home in Berrien Springs, Mich.
Obituaries
ABBOTT, Walter M., age 88; born Apr. 5, 1915, in Beloit, Wis.; died Dec. 10, 2003, in Beloit. He was a member of the Beloit Church.
Survivors include his wife, Betty J. (Hutchison); sons, Walter, Roger, Peter, and Robin; daughters, Sarah Bernstein, Karen Anderson, Beth Summers, Rebecca Souther, Catherine Numata, Polly Brooks, Peggy Empereur, and Priscilla Abbott; 24 grandchildren; and 27 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted by Mick Burrington, and interment was in East Lawn Cemetery, Beloit.
BLOCK, Diane J. (Lange), age 75; born Apr. 30, 1928, in Manistee, Mich.; died May 10, 2003, in Manistee. She was a member of the Manistee Church.
Survivors include her husband, John (Jack) B.; sons, Steve and Scott; daughter, Lori Magee; sister, Jackie Kadzban; 11 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Jeff Bergquist, and interment was in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Manistee.
BOGDON, Mabel C. (Munson), age 99; born Mar. 28, 1903, in Jamestown, N.Y.; died Nov. 5, 2002, in Terre Haute, Ind. She was a member of the Terre Haute Church.
Survivors include her daughters, Evelyn M. Rost and Jean E. Fitch; sister, Gladys Hartley; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted by Pastors Manuel Ojeda and David Lincoln, Elder William Fitch, and Preston Fletcher, and interment was in Parkholm Cemetery, La Grange, Ill.
BURNETT, Ronald R., age 64; born June 3, 1939, in Petoskey, Mich.; died Nov. 24, 2003, in Petoskey. He was a member of the Petoskey Church.
Survivors include his sons, Ronald R. Jr. and Richard L.; daughter, Laurie A. Wolfer; brother, (Leo) Gordon Jr.; and six grandchildren.
Memorial services were conducted by Pastor Greg Timmins, with private inurnment.
DANFORTH, Clara A. (Blosser), age 72; born Feb. 12, 1931, in Page Cty., Va.; died Dec. 26, 2003, in Pontiac, Mich. She was a member of the Waterford/Riverside Church, Waterford, Mich.
Survivors include her sisters, Betty Lou Burner and Sally L. Cain.
Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Lyle Davis, and interment was in Oxford (Mich.) Cemetery.
EVANS, "Paulene" M.E. (Hudgins), age 86; born Feb. 2, 1917, in Decatur, Ill.; died Jan. 2, 2004, in Decatur. She was a member of the Decatur Church.
Survivors include her husband, George M.; daughter, Florence R. Shipowick; sister, Ruth Stockslager; and three grandchildren.
Memorial services were conducted by Pastor William Davis, and inurnment was in Graceland Fairlawn Cemetery, Decatur.
EWALD, Vernon C., age 76; born Mar. 22, 1927, in Detroit, Mich.; died Dec. 19, 2003, in Chelsea, Mich. He was a member of the Ann Arbor (Mich.) Church.
Survivors include his stepsons, Steven Thran and Michael Penn; stepdaughters, Bethany Rogers and Mary Ellen West; brothers, Dan and Roland; and sister, Gene Van Orman.
Memorial services were conducted by Rev. Joseph O'Neill, and interment was in Oak Grove Cemetery, Chelsea.
FISHER, Claudene (Passow), age 50; born June 30, 1953, in Wausau, Wis.; died Dec. 30, 2003, in Wausau. She was a member of the Wausau Church.
Survivors include her husband, Francis; sons, James and Justin; father, Gilbert Passow; mother, Goldie (Laabs) Passow; and two grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted by Pastors William S. Bossert, Robert Mills, and Larry Pitcher, and interment was in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Kronewetter, Wis.
JOHNSON, Ernest A., age 86; born Aug. 27, 1917, in Howard City, Mich.; died Nov. 11, 2003, in Algoma Twp., Mich. He was a member of the Sparta (Mich.) Church.
Survivors include his wife, Beulah H. (Benton); son, Gary; daughter, Sheila Antor; brother, Charles; sister, Ruth Kellogg; and three grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Ron Mills, and interment was in North Ensley Cemetery, Ensley Twp., Mich.
KAVANAUGH, Roy H., age 79; born Jan. 27, 1924, in Jamaica; died Oct. 28, 2003, in Howell, Mich. He was a member of the Livingston Church, Howell.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth (Henriques); and sons, Art and Brian.
Memorial services were conducted by Pastors Sheldon D.H. Seltzer and Chris Small, with private inurnment.
LITTLE, William B., age 77; born May 29, 1926, in Indianapolis, Ind.; died Dec. 8, 2003, in Jeffersonville, Ind. He was a member of the New Albany (Ind.) Church.
Survivors include his wife, Doris E. (Jones); son, William B. II; daughters, Cynthia Ann Wolff, Deborah J. Howard, and Mary Jane Lawson; brother, Robert M.; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Jerry Higgs, and interment was in Mt. Zion Cemetery, Henryville, Ind.
MABRY, Dorothy L. (Betts), age 64; born June 29, 1939, in Tupelo, Miss.; died Nov. 22, 2003, in Sparta, Mich. She was a member of the Sparta Church.
Survivors include her son, Derrick; daughters, Donna Brown, Gloria Hunnicutt, Kerry Carew, Ivy Betts, Tracy Mabry, Kimberly Duncan, Jodi Mabry, and Crystal Mabry; stepfather, Jessie G. Spencer Jr.; brother, Roger L. Spencer; sisters, Katherine Clanton, Patricia Spencer, Mary Davis, and Diana Archie; 19 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Ron Mills, and interment was in Garfield Memorial Park Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Mich.
NEEDHAM, Albert R., age 96; born June 7, 1907, in Flint, Mich.; died Dec. 21, 2003, in Flint. He was a member of the First Flint Church.
Survivors include his sister, Flora Roth.
Funeral services were conducted by Pastors Bruce Babienco and Barry DeWitt, and interment was in Bristol Cemetery, Flint.
OETMAN, Albertus J., age 85; born Feb. 12, 1918, in Hamilton, Mich.; died Dec. 18, 2003, in Holland, Mich. He was a member of the Holland Church.
Survivors include his sons, Albert and Stanley; daughters, Carol Moffit, Gladys Robinson, and Janice La Fave; brothers, Gordon and Wallace; sister, Geneva Lawson; 20 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted by Pastor David Grams, and interment was in Riverside Cemetery, Hamilton.
PARKER, Theron L., age 67; born May 3, 1936, in Lake City, Mich.; died Nov. 17, 2003, in Cadillac, Mich. He was a member of the Cadillac Church.
Survivors include his sons, Theron (Tim), Thomas, and Pernell; daughters, Mary Jaroche and Tracey Williams; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted by Pastors Joel Nephew and Craig Harris, and Elder Don Siewert, and interment was in Haring Twp. Cemetery, Wexford Cty., Mich.
PROSHWITZ, Goldie A. (Underwood), age 90; born May 6, 1913, in Glenwood, Mich.; died Dec. 13, 2003, in Dowagiac, Mich. She was a member of the Dowagiac Church.
Survivors include her sons, Jerry and Steve; daughter, Sally Bergman; brother, Leroy Underwood; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Graveside services were conducted by Pastor William Dudgeon, and interment was in Riverside Cemetery, Dowagiac.
ROGERS, Lindsay L. (Bortle), age 24; born Feb. 7, 1979, in Flint, Mich.; died Dec. 23, 2003, in Flint. She was a member of the First Flint Church.
Survivors include her husband, Matthew; father, David Bortle; mother, Linda (Rogers) Price; brother, Bryce Bortle; stepbrother, Daniel Thorpe; sister, Katina Opra; stepsister, Dana Humphries.
Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Ed Komorowski, and interment was in Crestwood Cemetery, Flint.
SHARON, Gershon E., age 67; born June 1, 1936, in Karanchi, Pakistan; died Dec. 13, 2003, in Petoskey, Mich. He was a member of the Petoskey Church.
Survivors include his wife, Irene D. (Rawat); son (Ashish) Samuel; daughter, Deepika A. Zednicek; brothers, Herman E. and Gibeon E.; sisters, Jamimah E. Basil, Leah E. Bolts, and Lydia E. Ohol; and one grandchild.
Memorial services were conducted by Pastors Greg Timmins and George Dronen, with private inurnment.
SMELTZER, Lila M. (Gray), age 85; born Sept. 21, 1918, in Benzonia, Mich.; died Nov. 15, 2003, in Frankfort, Mich. She was a member of the Frankfort Church.
Survivors include her sons, Thomas and Glen (Fred); sisters, Frances Tarwell, Elizabeth Blood, Gertrude Burley, and Ruby Rohn; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted by Pastors Jeff Bergquist and Arthur Covell, and interment was in Gilmore Twp. Cemetery, Frankfort.
SMITH, Marvel M. (Baker), age 76; born Jan. 16, 1927, in Saranac, Mich.; died Dec. 21, 2003, in Ionia, Mich. She was a member of the Ionia Church.
Survivors include her son, Robert; stepson, Jason Baker; daughters, Brenda Scheidt, Lorraine Youngren, and Linda Rowley; brothers, Claude, Cleo, and Dale Baker; 11 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted by Gerald Baker, and interment was in Saranac Cemetery.
THATCHER, Donald, age 88; born Feb. 3, 1915, in Marion, Minn.; died June 22, 2003, in Eugene, Ore. He was a member of the Shawano (Wis.) Church.
Survivors include his stepsons, David Chamberlin and Darrell Batchelder; and two step-grandchildren.
There will be a private inurnment in South Dakota in the spring.
