Local obituaries for Kalamazoo, Portage, & Climax MI.
Walter Robert Mutz
May 17, 2024
Walter Robert Mutz Jr. 94 of Portage, formerly of St. Joseph, passed away peacefully at Brookdale Assisted Living on May 17, 2024. He was born in St. Joseph on December 26, 1929, to Walter Sr. and Effie (Binger) Mutz.
Walt graduated as Valedictorian from St. Joseph High School in 1948. He dedicated his career to the Upjohn company for over 40...
John Balkema
May 16, 2024
Went into eternal life to meet his Savior on May 16, 2024. John was born to the late Rudolphus and Gertrude (Takens) Balkema on July 4, 1935 in Kalamazoo. He was the owner and operator of Balkema Inc., which he started with his brother Ralph. John was a charter member of Covenant United Reformed Church and lived life to the...
Robin Denice Roe
May 15, 2024
Robin Denice Roe, 76 of Scotts, passed away surrounded by her loved ones at Bronson Methodist Hospital on May 15, 2024. She was born on March 21, 1948, to Kenneth and Barbara (Norris) Whitney in Battle Creek.
Robin graduated from Springfield high School in 1966. She went on to work in the food service industry, she loved working in restaurants and...
Marsha Sue Curry
May 14, 2024
Marsha Sue (Fronk) Curry, of Kalamazoo, was a universally adored mother, grandmother, GG (great-grandmother) and friend. Marsha entered her heavenly home on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at the age of 88. She was born November 15, 1935, in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of Milo Alonzo and Beulah Marcella (Bournes) Fronk. Marsha grew up in Vicksburg, MI and after graduating from...
Charles LaVern Johnson
May 13, 2024
Age 61, passed away on Monday, May 13, 2024. Charlie was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan on November 2, 1962. He graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School and completed the Welding Certification Program at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. He was currently employed at Summit Polymers. Charlie was an avid outdoorsman and loved hunting and fishing. He also enjoyed refurbishing furniture and...
Gerald A. Engman
May 13, 2024
Passed away Monday morning, May 13, 2024, at his home. Jerry was born May 23, 1929, in Newberry, MI, the son of Nels and Mildred (Marlett) Engman. He was a veteran serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He worked many years at the Kalamazoo State Hospital where he retired as safety officer. Jerry enjoyed the outdoors, especially...
Delores "Dee" Jean Lumbard
May 12, 2024
Delores “Dee” Jean Lumbard, 94 of Plainwell, passed away peacefully in her home on May 12, 2024. She was born on December 26, 1929, in Kalamazoo to Frank and Bertha (Kemps) Hayward.
Dee married the love of her life, Clarence Lumbard, on January 3, 1948. They were blessed with 63 years of marriage until Clarence’s passing in 2011. They welcomed and...
Judy Lee Brewer
May 12, 2024
Judy Lee (Bollinger) Brewer, age 76, of Schoolcraft, was born on November 19, 1947, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Lee and Esther Bollinger, and went home to the Lord on May 12, 2024. She married Bill Brewer of North Adams, Michigan, on May 12, 1967. Judy graduated from Jackson Business College and held administrative assistant positions at various Kalamazoo businesses,...
Sharon Augusta Preuss
May 12, 2024
Sharon Augusta Preuss (née Jones), a woman whose life was a tapestry quilted with family, faith, and service, passed away peacefully on Mother’s Day 2024, leaving behind a legacy woven with love, resilience, and a deep commitment to those she held dear. Born on September 12, 1938, in East Detroit, Michigan, Sharon was the daughter of Paul and Augusta (Spies)...
Glenn Scott Burrows
May 12, 2024
Glenn S. Burrows, age 66, died Sunday, May 12th, at Kairos Dwelling, after a long illness. Glenn was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and was a graduate of Comstock High School. Glenn was athletic and talented in many sports, but his favorite was golf, at which he excelled. But what he truly excelled at was being a friend. He was a...
Robert John Radina
May 11, 2024
Robert John Radina, age 89, passed away at home in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on May 11, 2024.
Robert, a man of intellectual curiosity, was born on August 29, 1934, in Richville, Michigan, to the late John Edwin and Grace Ann (Amend) Radina. He was a devoted father to his daughter, Andrea Lynn (David) Barron, and a proud grandfather to his three grandchildren,...
Boutros Y. Awad
May 11, 2024
Boutros Y. Awad, age 91, of Portage passed away May 11, 2024. He was born November 3, 1932 in El Qaa, Lebanon to the late Youssef and Nazira (Aad) Awad.
Boutros grew up in a small Catholic town in Lebanon, where the opportunity for education was limited. He received only a couple years of elementary education and vowed to do everything...
Sophia Gano
May 10, 2024
Sophia Gano, age 92, of Schoolcraft, passed away May 10, 2024. She was born October 12, 1931, in Salyersville, Kentucky to the late Willie Jack and Hazel Marie (Back) Risner.
Sophia graduated in 1949 from Salyersville High School. She worked for several years for General Motors in Sandusky, where she met the love of her life, James Gano, with whom she...
Ronald Harvey
May 8, 2024
Ronald Harvey, passed away May 8, 2024 leaving his beloved wife Louise J. (Bauer) Harvey, his family of four children, eight grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren. Ron was born January 31, 1930 in Kalamazoo, the oldest son of Loree and Lois Harvey. In 1948, he graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School, attended Kalamazoo College and graduated in 1952 from Northwestern...
James Schutter
May 8, 2024
James J. Schutter, age 90, passed away May 8, 2024. He was born in Kingston, Pennsylvania, to the late John and Florence (Cease) Schutter. He was one of 6 siblings. On December 1, 1956, he married Nancylee Richards, who preceded him in death in 1986. James also had two children Nancylee Sheill and Jim Schutter Jr. both born in Trenton,...
Beverly June Dantone
May 8, 2024
Beverly June Dantone, age 101, passed away May 8, 2024. She was born June 2, 1922 in Kalamazoo to the late Clyde and Olive (Hill) Vose.
Beverly spent over 40 years working for Comstock Public Schools. She was an avid Detroit Tigers fan and loved going to their games. She enjoyed jigsaw puzzles and knitting—often knitting baby hats for area hospitals....
Marjorie E. Brinkman
May 7, 2024
Marjorie Elizabeth Brinkman - to most of her friends “Mike”, a name she picked up in grade school and stayed with her throughout her life. Most people reading this will probably know her as Mike, so that is what I will call her. Mike lived to be a healthy 94 years old and spent most of her years in Portage,...
John K. Bosker
May 6, 2024
John K. Bosker, age 84 of Mattawan, died on May 6, 2024. He was born Johannes Klaas Bosker on July 9, 1939, in Appingedam, the Netherlands, the son of Jannes and Ruurtje (Kloppenburg) Bosker. He decided to pursue the American Dream, and arrived by ship to the United States on June 3, 1959. He settled in southwestern Michigan, worked various...
Patricia A. Adams
May 5, 2024
Passed away Sunday afternoon, May 5, 2024. Patricia was born February 11, 1953 the daughter of Donald Sr. and Alberta (Howard) Adams. Patricia who went by Pat, was a graduate of Kalamazoo Central High School class of 1971. She earned a degree in nursing from KVCC, and spent 5 years as a nurse’s aide, 3 as an LPN, and 43...
Julie Ann McKinnon
May 5, 2024
Julie Ann McKinnon, aged 68, passed away on May 5, 2024, at Rose Arbor in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Julie was born on November 28, 1955, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to the late Meredith Lloyd and Betty Lou (Reynells) McKinnon. She graduated from Portage Northern High School. She continued her education at Davenport College.
Julie was not just a Purchasing Agent but a dedicated one,...
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