Anniversaries

Victor and Bertha Bigford celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on July 4, 2004, at a sit-down dinner planned by their children, at Black River Lodge in Ironwood, Mich. The dinner for family members and friends included music by each of their children, two grandchildren, Margrace Ladd, and Bob Silverman. Love letters written by both Victor and Bertha, before they were married, were also shared at the dinner. They have been members of the Bessemer (Mich.) Church for six years.

Victor Bigford and Bertha Brown were married Feb. 20, 1954, in Terre Haute, Ind., by Carl W. Pruitt. Victor was a dentist until 1995. Bertha has been a homemaker.

The Bigford family includes Terrie and Lyle FitzGerald of Green Bay, Wis.; Bradley and Cheri Bigford of Benton Harbor, Mich.; Robyn and Joe Ozelis of Seaford, Va.; Bruce and Crystal Bigford of Benton Harbor, Mich.; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Obituaries

BAILEY, R. Lyle, age 81; born May 12, 1924, in Lafayette, Ind.; died Sept. 26, 2005, in St. Joseph, Mich. He was a member of the Berrien Springs (Mich.) Village Church.

Survivors include his wife, Marilynn (Allkins); son, Richard; daughter, Robin Pirrallo; stepdaughter, Judith Edwards; and three grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Bruce Hayward, and interment was in Park View Cemetery, Alexandria, Ind.

CEITHAMMER, Ruth I. (Snell), age 86; born Mar. 2, 1919, in Watertown, Wis.; died Sept. 15, 2005, in Columbus, Wis. She was a member of the Wisconsin Academy Church, Columbus.

Survivors include her sons, Robert, James, Dennis, and Duane; brothers, John and Gerald Snell; sister, Mae Gloede; stepsister, Crystal Koehler; 13 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Steve Aust, and interment was in Fall River (Wis.) Cemetery.

EVERS, Ruth E. (Bachelor), age 74; born Mar. 15, 1931, in Montrose, Mich.; died Mar. 18, 2005, in Petoskey, Mich. She was a member of the Petoskey Church.

Survivors include her husband, Alfred "Jim"; son, Paul; daughters, Jean Maves, Dawn Oelfke-Evers, and Deborah Kittredge; step-mother, Irene Bachelor; brothers, Herbert, Dale, and Allen Bachelor; sisters, Donna Longcore, Thelma Festerling, Marilyn Burrows, and Jean Mundt; and five grandchildren.

Memorial services were conducted by Pastor Rex Kibler, with private inurnment.

FOUGHT, Lena G. (Dell Anno), age 77; born May 24, 1927, in Reading, Pa.; died Mar. 18, 2005, in Taylor, Mich. She was a member of the Oakwood Church, Taylor.

Survivors include her son, Paul J.; stepsisters, Kathi Ingleby, Shirley Gallandt, and Donna Buhr; and one grandchild.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Bill Lindemann, and interment was in Michigan Memorial Park Cemetery, Flat Rock, Mich.

HARVEY, Marshal "MJ" J. Jr., age 60; born Jan. 2, 1945, in Plainwell, Mich.; died Aug. 22, 2005, in Plainwell. He was a member of the Delton (Mich.) Church.

Survivors include his sons, Marshal S., David, and Michael; daughters, Marshalla Chadwick and Melinda Sowa; father, Marshal J.; mother, Madeline (DeKoster); brother, Mark J.; and 13 grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Scott Manly, and interment was in Cressey Cemetery, Plainwell.

HOWELL, Elwin D., age 73; born Dec. 31, 1931, in Yorkville, Mich.; died Aug. 12, 2005, in Niles, Mich. He was a member of the Pioneer Memorial Church, Berrien Springs, Mich.

Survivors include his wife, Eleanor (Bush); sons, Mark, Jeffrey, and Frank; brother, Paul; and five grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastors Skip MacCarty and Esther Knott, and interment was in Rose Hill Cemetery, Berrien Springs.

JOHNSON, Junius B., age 86; born Mar. 3, 1919, in Louisville, Ky.; died June 12, 2005, in Escondido, Calif. He was a member of the St. Johns (Mich.) Church.

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy (Newbold); sons, Douglas W. and Tedrick R.; daughter, Nancy Paige; and six grandchildren.

Memorial services were conducted by Dr. Evert Kuester (Escondido service) and Pastor Greg Webster (Willits, Calif. service), and inurnment was in Mission Hills Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Niles, Mich.

KANE, Barbara A. (Sheperis), age 71; born Jan. 4, 1934, in Rochester, Ind.; died Sept. 4, 2005, in Niles, Mich. She was a member of the Pioneer Memorial Church, Berrien Springs, Mich.

Survivors include her sons, Joseph, Patrick, and Scott; daughters, LeAnn Kane, Susan Welling, and Cathlene Kane; sister, Dorothy Bert; ten grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Skip MacCarty, and interment was in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

KUHLMAN, Rebekah J. (Steen), age 92; born June 24, 1913, in Holly, Mich.; died July 4, 2005, in Berrien Springs, Mich. She was a member of the Pioneer Memorial Church, Berrien Springs.

Survivors include her sons, Tom, Henry, and Larry; sister, Ramira Jobe; 14 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

Memorial services were conducted by Pastors Patrick Morrison and David Rand, with private inurnment.

LADD, David W., age 64; born May 22, 1941, in Adrian, Mich.; died Sept. 2, 2005, in St. Joseph, Mich. He was a member of the Pioneer Memorial Church, Berrien Springs, Mich.

Survivors include his wife, Margrace D. (Rupe); daughter, Brenda Ventriglio; sister, Mary Dockerty; and two grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Dwight K. Nelson, and interment was in Rose Hill Cemetery, Berrien Springs.

MORRIS-WHARFF, Judith L. (Morris), age 49; born Apr. 26, 1956, in Fountain Head, Tenn.; died Sept. 24, 2005, in Osceola, Iowa. She was a member of the Pioneer Memorial Church, Berrien Springs, Mich. Survivors include her husband, William Wharff; stepson, Matthew Wharff; stepdaughter, Sarah Eichhorn; father, Richard Morris; mother, Jeanette (Hall) Morris; and four step-grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Richard Lesher and Pastor Esther Knott, and interment was in Rose Hill Cemetery, Berrien Springs.

ROSENBOOM, Dorothy P. (Kunz), age 82; born June 28, 1923, in Sutter, Ill.; died July 24, 2005, in Grand Rapids, Mich. She was a member of the Carthage (Ill.) Church.

Survivors include her son, Tim; daughter, Nancy Knott; sisters, Helen Houghland and Bertie Mae Crouch; eight grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Dale Barnhurst, and interment was in Oakwood Cemetery, Hamilton, Ill.

TERRY, Glenn E., age 88; born Feb. 9, 1917, in Tell City, Ind.; died Sept. 23, 2005, in Tell City. He was a member of the Tell City Church.

Survivors include his wife, Vera M. (Caslow); son, Stephen E.; daughter, Medrith L. Adams; and six grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastors David Fish and Justin Childers, and interment was in Mount Zion Cemetery, Tell City.

THOMAS, Patrick S., age 65; born Mar. 16, 1940, in Trinidad; died Sept. 20, 2005, in St. Joseph, Mich. He was a member of the Pioneer Memorial Church, Berrien Springs, Mich.

Survivors include his wife, Lorna E. (Page); daughters, Leesa P. Thomas and Kerry-Ann Elliott; brothers, Gabriel, Irving, Francis, and Richard; sister, Catherine B. Thomas; and one grandchild.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Skip MacCarty, with private inurnment.

TRICKETT, Virgil A., age 78; born June 30, 1927, in Benton Harbor, Mich.; died Aug. 24, 2005, in Berrien Center, Mich. He was a member of the Pioneer Memorial Church, Berrien Springs, Mich.

Survivors include his son, Eric; daughters, Diane Jacoby and Sara Norman; and one step-grandchild.

Memorial services were conducted by Pastor Scott Labbe, with private inurnment.

WILSON, Mary E. (Zappia), age 59; born July 9, 1946, in Chicago, Ill.; died Sept. 17, 2005, in Elgin, Texas. She was a member of the Wilson (Mich.) Church.

Survivors include her husband, Oliver K.; sons, James V. and David L.; father, Sam R. Zappia; brother, Casmier Zappia; and one grandchild.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastors Isaac Heath and David Friesen, and interment was in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Elgin.