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William 'Bill' Mitchell Henry Willis
ST. JOSEPH - William "Bill" Mitchell Henry Willis, 73, died May 12, 2009, at Martin Memorial Medical Center in Stuart, Fla.
He was born Aug. 3, 1936, in St. Joseph, to Mitchell and Ethel Willis. He graduated from St. Joseph High School and did pioneer work in electronics at Heath Co., holding several patents. He taught at Benton Harbor Community College. In 1983 he moved to Tequesta, Fla., continuing his career with Hayes Republic in Riviera Beach. Most recently, he was the owner of Martin County Movers and Treasure Coast Storage in Palm City.
He is survived by his companion of 27 years, Sharon Beal; his sister, Mary Ellen Kerlikowske and her husband, Edward, of Berrien Springs; nephews and their families; two sons, John and James Willis and James' wife, Linda; grandchildren, Heather Lopez and Nathan Willis; great-grandchildren, Lilia and Dominic; Sharon's two children, Jeffrey Beal and Suzanne Oettle; and Sharon's grandchildren, Kellien and Lindsey Oettle.
Memorial contributions may be made to Riverside Theater in Vero Beach, Fla., and animal welfare organizations. A memorial gathering for the family will be held in Michigan.
Herman J. Duncan
BENTON HARBOR - Herman J. Duncan, 102, of Benton Harbor, passed away after a brief illness on Thursday, May 14, 2009, at his home.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 19, at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, with Pastor Daniel Miller officiating. Visitation with the family will be one hour prior to the service from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will take place in Crystal Springs Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Humane Society of S.W. Michigan or The Seeing Eye Inc.
Herman was born on Dec. 19, 1906, to Otto and Amanda (Herb) Duncan. He was married to the love of his life, Gladys, on June 10, 1939. Herman was a machinist with Terex Corporation. He was an avid NASCAR fan. Herman was known as a "tinkerer" who loved to repair anything that was broken. His greatest joy in life was spending hours in his workshop modifying things to make them better.
Herman is survived by his niece, Becky (David) Doan, and sister-in-law, Linda Duncan, both of Benton Harbor.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Gladys (Hefner) Duncan in 1987; his brothers - Milan, Gordon, Harvey and Loren; a sister, Florence; and his parents, Otto and Amanda.
Marjean Sebasty O'Bryant
NILES - Marjean Sebasty O'Bryant, 77, of Niles, died at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, 2009, at St. Joseph Medical Center, South Bend, Ind.
She was born on Dec. 8, 1931, in East Chicago, Ind., to Donald and Irene Malone and was later adopted by Ralph and Goldie (Rumbaugh) Sebasty. She married Donald O'Bryant 59 years ago, on July 15, 1950, at the First Methodist Church in Buchanan.
Surviving is her husband, Donald O'Bryant of Niles; daughters - Debbie (Joe) Lonie of Portland, Tenn., Patti (Jim) West, of Auburn, Wash., Rose (Hank) Christopher of Colorado Springs, Colo., Mary (Bob) Wawrzynczak of Gun Lake, Mich., Carol (Reinhard) Brandt of St. Joseph, and Paula (Karl) Kroening of St. Joseph; son, John (Juli) O'Bryant of Buchanan; brothers, Jim Malone of Lady Lake, Fla., and Ron Daumer of Florida; 17 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Carol Redding.
She was a member of the St. Mary's Church and the past president of the Altar and Rosary Society at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Buchanan. She loved quilting, crocheting and cooking for her family.
The funeral mass will be Tuesday, May 19, at 11 a.m., at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Niles. Father David Otto will officiate. Visitation will be Monday, May 18, at the Swem Funeral Home, Buchanan, from 4 to 7 p.m., with a rosary service at 7 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary's Catholic School, 219 S. State St., Niles, MI 49120.
Violet Beatrice Hyde
KEELER - Violet Beatrice Hyde, 98, of Paragould, Ark., formerly of Keeler and Hartford, passed away Thursday, May 14, 2009, at Green Acres Nursing Home, Paragould, Ark.
Violet was born Oct. 19, 1910, in Heber Springs, Ark., the daughter of Abe and Florence (Williams) Files, both of whom precede her in passing.
Violet was a loyal employee of Burnette Foods in Keeler, where she worked for many years. She was a member of the Dowagiac Church of Christ. But she was most known for the love that she gave to her family everyday, especially her grandchildren.
Violet is survived by a son, Files (Janice) Hyde of Paragould, Ark.; three grandchildren - Tammy Thompson, Tony Hyde and Terry Hyde; seven great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Besides her parents, Violet was preceded in passing by her husband, Farris Hyde on Aug. 7, 1990; and two sisters, Blanche Verser and Myrtle Spanhurst.
The family will welcome friends from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, May 18, at the Calvin Funeral Home, Hartford, where the service to honor her memory will commence at 1 p.m. Bill Gibson of the Dowagiac Church of Christ will officiate. Burial will follow in Keeler Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society.
Leonard J. Kublick
COLOMA - Leonard J. Kublick, 74, of Coloma, passed away peacefully at his home on Wednesday, May 13, 2009.
Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Duffield & Pastrick Family Funeral Home in Coloma, with visitation beginning at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Coloma Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the family to help defray expenses. Those wishing to sign the online guest book may do so at www.duffieldpastrick.com.
Leonard was born on Feb. 2, 1935, in Eau Claire, Mich., to William and Tillie (Hibner) Kublick. He married the former Patricia Krolzick on Feb. 22, 1964, and the couple had recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. Pat preceded Leonard in death one month ago on April 12, 2009. Mr. Kublick formerly owned and operated a salvage yard in the Coloma area. He then worked at United Die Cast for seven years and later at Quality Paving for several years prior to retirement.
Leonard is survived by his son, Don Seba of Allen, Texas; daughter, Cindy Seba of Fort Worth, Texas; brother, Jerry (Shirley) Kublick of Bonita Springs, Fla.; sister, LaVerne Kwasneski of South Bend, Ind.; three granddaughters, Dana, Nicole, and Jeannie; two great-grandchildren, Angelica and Skyler; several nieces and nephews; and long-time friend of the Kublick’s, Cathy Groh of Kansas City, Mo.
In addition to his wife Pat, Mr. Kublick was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Leonard Paul Kublick; his daughter, Rhonda Bozarth in 2001; and six brothers and four sisters.
Ty Cheney
WATERVLIET - Ty's life began Dec. 11, 1960, in Benton Harbor. He spent his childhood growing up in Watervliet. As an adult Ty worked as a carpenter. He enjoyed fishing and coaching little league teams. Ty will be remembered as a great son, brother and uncle.
His loving family includes his mother, Shirley Jean (Hinchey) Cheney; three siblings, Franklin (Linda) Spencer of Montana, William Cheney of Arizona, and Kimberly Ann Mendoza of Riverside; many nieces and nephews; and dear friends, Tom and Linda Gargano, Brett and Bart Floyd.
Ty died Monday, May 11, 2009, at home. His father William Ray Cheney, a sister Kathleen Ross, and two grandmothers, Vaney Price and Frances Maynard preceded him in death.
Friends may visit with Ty's family Friday, May 15, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Hutchins Funeral Home in Watervliet. A service celebrating his life will be celebrated following visitation at 7 p.m. on Friday. Cremation has already taken place.
Harold W. Rickerman
GALIEN - Harold William Rickerman, 87, of Galien died at 8:30 a.m. Monday, May 11, 2009, at Miller's Merry Manor, New Carlisle, Ind., of natural causes.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 14, at Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan, with Pastor Russell Logston of Olive Branch United Methodist Church, Galien officiating. Friends may call from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, May 14, at Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan. Memorials may be made to 8th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron WWII, 10973 W. 104th Place, Westminster, Colo. 80021-3768.
Mr. Rickerman was born Aug. 11, 1921, in Chicago, and was a life long area resident of Galien. He was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran, serving with 8th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron WWII. He was a truck driver with the Berrien County Road Commission.
He is survived by his wife, Jean Alice (Sheeley) Rickerman of Galien. They were married on July 31, 1948, in Glendora, Mich. Also surviving is a son, Tom (Ann) Rickerman of Baroda; daughter, Margo (Bob) DePue of Galien; grandchildren, Todd, Brent and Audrey; and a great-grandchild, Lance.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Hattie Rickerman; and a brother, Elwood Rickerman.
Rev. Mercie V. Johnson
BENTON HARBOR - Rev. Mercie V. Johnson was born Oct. 14, 1924, in Holly Grove, Ark. She was the oldest of 10 children born to George and Hannah Howard.
Mercie was the first African American to graduate from high school in Hayti, Mo., and the first person in the family to obtain a college degree. She graduated from Western Baptist Seminary in Kansas City, Mo., in 1944. She taught elementary school in Gobler, Mo., for several years before getting married in 1946.
She accepted the Lord at an early age and was avid in her work as a Missionary from the late 1950s through the 1970s. She was known to gather all the neighborhood children in the "flats" and hold Sunday school in our backyard. She opened her heart and doors to numerous elderly persons throughout the '70s
Mercie became a licensed minister in 1972 and was ordained as a minister in July, 1973. In 1981 she formed The Star of Bethlehem Spiritual Temple. Her doors were always open to those in need and also provided a "food pantry" to feed the hungry.
She is survived by her children, sons - McErlich (Iris) Jones of Kalamazoo, Elbert Jones of Benton Harbor, Emmett Jones of Standish, Mich., Robert Kennedy Johnson of Ionia, Mich.; one stepson, Clyde (Connie) Darrington of Toledo, Ohio; daughters, Nancy Jones of Hayward, Calif., Esser Dean Edwards of Benton Harbor; three stepdaughters, Naomi Mccall of Kansas City, Mo., Rosetta Sanders of Battle Creek, Mich., and Elosia Payton of Benton Harbor; 33 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, nine great-great-grandchildren; five brothers - George Howard, Johnny Howard, Delano Howard of Chicago, Benjamin Howard of Alton Il and Cecil Howard of San Diego, Calif.; two sisters - Irene Walton of Chicago and Georgia Lorene of Kennett, Mo.; lifelong friends, Elnora Johnson, Virginia Fuller, the Rev. Fred Stokes; and a host of relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, two husbands, one brother, Charles Howard; one sister, Savannah Chambers; one daughter, Ruth McFall; and one grandson, Clinton Scott.
Services will be Saturday, visitation from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Family Funeral Home and funeral services at 1 p.m. at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church. Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
