Birthdays

Francis Gardner celebrated his 100th birthday on Mar. 25, 2007, by a gathering of family, friends from Ind., and church friends from the Spartanburg (S.C.) Church at Colburn Hall in Spartanburg. He was a member of the Cicero (Ind.) Church from 1970–1998, and has been a member of the Spartanburg Church since 1998.

Francis was married to the late Myrtle Ann Amen.

Francis was a State of Indiana employee, working for the Indiana State Board of Accounts from 1955 until his retirement in March 1977. He also served in the military during World War II, serving in South Wales and Germany. If you visit the Spartanburg Church, on almost any Sabbath you will find Francis enjoying his Sabbath school class and visiting with friends after church in the foyer.

Francis has three children: Valerie and Joe Smith of Spartanburg; Charles and Marge Gardner of North Port, Fla.; Kathy Tamayo of San Antonio, Texas; and one grandson.

Weddings

Tracy A. Tate and Marvin J. Lewis were married Mar. 5, 2007, in Indianapolis, Ind. The ceremony was performed by Pastor Charles M. Willis II.

Tracy is the daughter of Walt and the late Betty Winder of Indianapolis, and Marvin is the son of the late Wallace and Doreatha Lewis.

The Lewises are making their home in Indianapolis.

Amber D. Shepherd and Richard D. Merrill were married Dec. 17, 2006, in Anderson, Ind. The ceremony was performed by Pastor Clinton Meharry.

Amber is the daughter of Sue and Frank Rosenbaum of Fortville, Ind., and Richard is the son of Richard and Peggy Merrill of Noblesville, Ind., and Rosemary and the late Tubby Chamberlain of Anderson.

The Merrills are making their home in Anderson.

Obituaries

ANDERSON, Susie B., age 73; born Dec. 14, 1933, in Henderson, N.C.; died Mar. 14, 2007, in St. Joseph, Mich. She was a member of the Fairplain Church, Benton Harbor, Mich.

Survivors include her sons, Howard Anderson, and Wayman and Marcus McGill; daughters, Carol Richardson and Evette McGill; sister, Mary Etta Terry; and two grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Dan Rachor, and interment was in Mitchell Baptist Church Cemetery, Louisburg, N.C.

BLIESATH, Robert L., age 90; born Jan. 26, 1917, in Napoleon, Mich.; died Feb. 25, 2007, in Napoleon. He was a member of the Jackson (Mich.) Church.

Survivors include his wife, M. Arlene (Moore); daughters, Maris K. Hodges, Roberta A. Litchfield, Sheila K. Bliesath, Carol A. Bostedor, and Marti S. Weiss; 11 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Memorial services were conducted by Pastor Gene Hall, with private inurnment.

BRUMFIELD, Olivet (Atwood), age 83; born Nov. 27, 1923, in Brush, Colo.; died Jan. 27, 2007, in Evergreen, Colo. She was a member of the Madison (Wis.) and Rockford (Ill.) Churches.

Survivors include her husband, Bill; son, John; daughter, RaeNell Mittleider; and two grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Kenneth Mittleider, and interment was in Riverside Cemetery, Ft. Morgan, Colo.

FEIDER, Charles M., age 59; born July 17, 1947, in Madison, Ind.; died Mar. 10, 2007, in Seymour, Ind. He was a member of the North Vernon (Ind.) Church.

Survivors include his son, Eric M.; daughter, Ellen N. Bentley; mother, Laura (Rector); brother, Richard; and four grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Elder Aubrey Bessenger, and interment was in Dupont (Ind.) Cemetery.

HOPKINS, Mabel M. (Christensen) Hosford, age 98; born Feb. 15, 1909, in McBride, Mich.; died Feb. 27, 2007, in Grand Rapids, Mich. She was a member of the Sparta (Mich.) Church.

Survivors include her sons, Ralph Jr. and Theron B. Hosford; stepson, Norval Hopkins; stepdaughter, Shannon Ansley; sisters, Irene Williams and Hilda Giles; 18 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; and 34 great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Elder Paul Pellandini and Pastor Ron Mills, and interment was in Chapel Hill Memorial Garden Cemetery, Grand Rapids.

HULSE, Mary L. (Hammersley), age 90; born Dec. 26, 1916, in Vermillion, Ind.; died Mar. 30, 2007, in Columbus, Ind. She was a member of the North Vernon (Ind.) Church.

Survivors include her sons, Sam and Mark Hulse; stepson, David Hulse; five grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; and three great-great grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Manuel Ojeda and Elder John Thornton, and interment was in Vernon (Ind.) Cemetery.

KITSON, Georgia D. (Smith), age 90; born Aug. 21, 1916, in Dighton, Mich.; died Mar. 14, 2007, in Edmore, Mich. She was a member of the First Flint Church, Flint, Mich.

Survivors include her sons, Lewis, Clair, Lyle, Leonard, Larry, and L.D.; sisters, Geraldine Lundbom, Loralli Samuelson, and Verna Snowden; 21 grandchildren; 54 great-grandchildren; and several great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Leonard Kitson, and interment was in Flint Memorial Park Cemetery.

LEE, Barry G., age 40; born Nov. 7, 1966, in Waukesha, Wis.; died Mar. 5, 2007, in Indianapolis, Ind. He was a member of the Anderson (Ind.) Church.

Survivors include his father, Robert; mother, Bonnie (Patton); brothers, Owen and Brent; stepbrothers, Michael and Larry Head; sister, Regina Lee; and stepsister, Mary Jane Head.

Memorial services were conducted by Elders Peter Neri, Joe Spillman, and Paul Yeoman, and William Menshausen, and inurnment was in Vinson Memorial Cemetery, Summitville, Ind.

MARTIN, Ruth A. (Foster), age 71; born July 24, 1935, in Harris, Mo.; died Mar. 14, 2007, in Moline, Ill. She was a member of the Moline Church.

Survivors include her brother, Kenneth Foster.

Funeral services were conducted by Anthony Hunter, and interment was in Greenview Memorial Gardens Cemetery, East Moline.

MCCLARY, Mary E. (DeArmond), age 89; born May 11, 1917, in Knoxville, Ind.; died Apr. 3, 2007, in Sheridan, Ind. She was a member of the Anderson (Ind.) Church.

Survivors include her daughters, Betty L. Spiker and Nancy J. Head; brother, Thomas DeArmond; seven grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; and nine great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Paul Yeoman, and interment was in Anderson Memorial Park Cemetery.

MICKELSON, Opal M. (Hand), age 96; born June 23, 1910, in Delong, Ind.; died Mar. 18, 2007, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. She was a member of the Edmore (Mich.) Church.

Survivors include her five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastor David Gotshall, and interment was in Vinewood Cemetery, Edmore.

PETERS, Judith L., age 59; born Dec. 17, 1946, in Vallejo, Calif.; died Oct. 18, 2006, in South Bend, Ind. She was a member of the Niles (Mich.) Westside Church.

Survivors include her father, Walter Peters; mother, Dorothy (Buttisbach); and brothers, David and Harold Peters.

Funeral services were conducted by Pastor John Abbott, and inurnment was in Chattanooga, Tenn., cemetery.