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Bethel Robinson
Bethel Robinson, 87, of Charlotte, died Saturday, Jan. 16, 1999 at the Eaton County Medical Care Facility.
Mrs. Robinson was born in Charlotte the daughter of Fred and Nellie (Midling) Diamond and was a lifelong Eaton County resident. She was a 1931 graduate of Charlotte High School and had resided for a time in the Dimondale area. She was employed in the cafeteria for the Charlotte Public Schools from where she retired. Prior to that she had been employed by the G. C. Murphy Co. in Charlotte. She was married July 29, 1933 to Floyd Robinson.
She is survived by a daughter, Joyce (Don) Sykes of Southport, NC; two sons, Ronald (Riola) Robinson of Dimondale and Robert (Virginia) Robinson of Desert Hot Springs, Calif.; 14 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; several great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Thelma Cogswell of Charlotte.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd, on Feb. 15, 1972; a sister, Flossie Diamond and three brothers, Murray, Harley and Earl Diamond.
Services were held Jan. 19 at Maple Hill Cemetery in Charlotte with the Rev. Brian Robinson officiating. Arrangements were made by Burkhead-Green Funeral Home, Charlotte.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Gideon Bible Society.
Roy Rocco
Roy Howard Rocco, 86, of Ellis Corners, Fredonia Township, died Nov. 11, 1999 at his residence following a long illness.
Mr. Rocco was born Oct. 19, 1913 in Tekonsha, the son of Edward and Lydia (Philo) Rocco. He grew up in the Tekonsha area and moved to Ellis Corners in 1924. He attended and graduated from Ellis Corners Country School, and had been a farmer all his life. He had also been employed by Eaton Corporation in Marshall and then in Battle Creek for 23 years, making valves and turbine blades. He also helped in the manufacturing of trusses at George Rich’s in Battle Creek. On the farm, he raised all types of crops, as well as beef, dairy cattle, pigs, sheep, and horses. For the past 45 years, he made sure there was a horse for everyone who wanted one. On Nov. 24, 1939 he married Martha Mae Hammer at his Aunt Ida Schroeder’s home in Sandusky, Ohio. He was part of the Fredonia Township government, serving as a trustee. He served on the Ellis Corners School Board, where all six of his children and some of his grandchildren attended. The county school was deeded back to the farm after closing in 1986. He was a member of the Calhoun County Farm Bureau, Fredonia Grange, Coral Horse Association and Draft Horse Association. He was an avid supporter of 4-H projects and horse at the Calhoun County Fair. His most memorable purchase was $1,150 for a dozen eggs. He was a long-time deer hunter, hunting in the Carp Lake area, as well as in the Upper Peninsula. He enjoyed fishing and was an avid Euchre card player. He and Martha were inducted into the Michigan Farmers’ Hall of Fame in 1996. He also enjoyed participating in the rural and horse activities at the Prairieville Farm Days, Calhoun County Fair and was the oldest person to participate in the Sesquicentennial County Fair Wagon Train in 1998. Belgian draft horses were his hobby after retiring. Taking friends, neighbors, family members and his beagle, Queenie, on horse-drawn wagon rides was a favorite event at the farm. He had played the banjo and loved to dance waltzes, polkas and square dances. He met his wife, Marsha, at a dance at the Pine Creek dance hall. They enjoyed dancing at Pine Creek, Beadle Lake, Leonidas, White Rabbit and B.R. Henry dance halls. He appreciated that he had traveled all over Michigan, the United States, Finland, Germany, Australia, Costa Rica and Mexico. According to him, the best food in the world was an apple. He drank cider year round and loved the old-time varieties of apples, making sure his orchard had many trees so that he could make his own cider.
He is survived by his wife, Martha; two daughters, Sharon Pratley of Battle Creek and Jill Rocco of Dowling; four sons, LeRoy of Ceresco, Ron of Battle Creek, Jack of Coldwater, and Jim of Burlington; 17 grandchildren, Alinda Arnett, Mark Pratley, Kerry Keefer, Lori McPeck, Misty Rocco, Suzanna Dillon, Dean Rocco, Jennifer Rocco, Johanna Rocco, Rod Rocco, Kevin Rocco, Beth Winkler and Tina McNeil; ten great-grandchildren; sister, Maybelle Metzler of Albion.
He was preceded in death by one sister, Irene Holmes, and one brother, Earl Rocco.
Services were Nov. 14 at Ellis Corners United Methodist Church. Arrangements were made by the Craig K. Kempf Funeral Home, Marshall.
Memorial contributions may be made to Good Samaritan Hospice Care, or the Ellis Corners Methodist Church.
Rev. Howard William Rogers
Rev. Howard William Rogers, age 93, of Eaton Rapids died June 28, 1999 at a Lansing hospital. He was born June 6, 1906 in Rives Junction, Michigan, the son of Earl and Ona (Harmon) Rogers. Howard was a graduate of the Eaton Rapids High School. He was an ordained pastor and evangelist with the Wesleyan Church. He accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior as a young man in 1925. He married Ethel Grace Holbrook on November 16, 1925 in Eaton Rapids. She preceded him in death on November 19, 1986. They had ministered together for 61 years and 2 days, both being ordained together in 1930. They prepared themselves to serve God and His Church at Owosso College. Rev. Rogers’ church assignments took him to pastorates in 5 states, and several churches in Michigan including: Chief, Pierport, Honor, Jackson, Detroit, Flint, Port Huron, Kingston, Midland and Hastings, Pasadena, CA, Phoenix, AZ, Cannon City, CO, and Nappanee, IN.
Rev. Rogers was committed to God and His cause. God’s will had been a delight to do! He felt that God had been most gracious to Ethel and him and he was thankful for every precious day in God’s service. Their only daughter, Beverly Ruth Rogers Rose, preceded him in death having lived in Cannon City, CO.
Funeral services will be Friday, July 2nd at 1 p.m. from the Eaton Rapids Wesleyan Church with the Rev. Dennis Perkins officiating. Burial will follow in the Rosehill Cemetery in Eaton Rapids. Visitation will begin on Wednesday evening from 7-9 p.m. and Thursday 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Skinner Funeral Home in Eaton Rapids. For those desiring, a memorial contribution may be made to the Eaton Rapids Wesleyan Church in memory of Rev. Howard W. Rogers.
William Rogers
William Rogers, 50, of Charlotte, died Wednesday, Sept. 22, 1999.
Mr. Rogers was born Dec. 28, 1948 in Charlotte, the son of Russell and Angeline (Blenkle) Rogers. He enjoyed hunting, and retired from Ameritech as a telephone technician in March 1999. Surviving are his wife, Sharon (Schone); son, Eric (Tara) Rogers of Charlotte; daughter, Lisa Rogers and her fiancée John Meesseman of Ferndale; sister, Gerry (Hap) Halsey of Charlotte; brothers, Kenneth (Judy) Rogers of Vermontville, Russ (Jackie) Rogers of Howell; and mother-in-law and father-in-law, Bea and John Schone of Cadillac.
Funeral services were held Sept. 25 at Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte, with Father Tom Nenneau officiating.
If desired, memorial contributions may be made to Charlotte Athletic Boosters.
Arrangements by Pray Funeral Home, Inc.
Ferdell Root
Ferdell Root, 83, of Mulliken died March 11, 1999, at his home following a long illness.
Mr. Root was born Dec. 15, 1915 in Roxand Township, the son of Fred and Lula (DePew) Root. A life-long resident of Roxand Township, he was a farmer and veteran of World War II, serving with the Army Air Force.
He is survived by his wife, Gladys; two step-daughters, Susan Shook of Newport Beach, Calif., and Sandra (James) Wagomon of Flowery Branch, Ga.; three brothers, Glen (Virginia) and Merlin (Betty), both of Charlotte, and Wilbur of Lansing; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services were March 13 at the Barker-Leik Funeral Home, Mulliken, with Pastor Don Woolum officiating. Interment was in the Meadowbrook Cemetery.
Bryce Rudesill
Bryce G. Rudesill, 72, of Potterville, formerly of Charlotte died Oct. 23, 1999 at his residence.
Mr. Rudesill had been a Charlotte resident for 41 years and was the retired owner of the former Rudesill’s Men’s Wear retail store in Charlotte. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps and a life member of Maple City Post #2406 VFW. He was also a member of the Charlotte Country Club, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Charlotte, the American Kennel Club, where he served as a judge, and both the Ingham County and Battle Creek kennel clubs.
He is survived by his wife; four children; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Cremation has taken place.
Memorial services were Oct. 27 at the St. John’s Episcopal Church with the Rev. Dr. Carol Spangenberg officiating. Arrangements were made by the Burkhead-Green Funeral Home, Charlotte.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Eaton Community Hospice or St. John’s Episcopal Church.
Dale Ruffner
Dale Ruffner, 62, of Bellevue, died Monday, July 12, 1999 at Battle Creek Health System.
Mr. Ruffner was born Sept. 9, 1936 in Battle Creek, the son of Miles and Wavanell (German) Ruffner. He graduated from Hastings High School in 1955 and was employed 20 years at Post Division of Kraft-General Foods, retiring in 1992. He married Judith Braatz on June 23, 1962, in Charlotte; she survives. He was a member of the Post 25-year club and was active in Bellevue Athletic Boosters. He coached girls’ softball in Bellevue for 26 years; he was varsity coach for 16 years; and was named conference coach-of-the-year in 1995. He enjoyed spending time with his granddaughters.
Surviving are his wife, Judith; daughters, Randi and Robin Ruffner of Bellevue; and two granddaughters, Kristin and Jordan Ruffner.
Services were held July 15 at Shaw Funeral Home, with Pastor Jan Braatz officiating. Interment was at Riverside Cemetery, Bellevue.
If desired, memorial contributions may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Association.
Bert Rugg
Bert Rugg, 69, of Nashville, died Monday, Oct. 25, 1999 at Pennock Hospital in Hastings.
Mr. Rugg was born Feb. 11, 1930 in Eaton County to John and Margaret (Williamson) McCloud Rugg. He attended Bellevue High School; was employed for several years as a groundskeeper at Riverside Cemetery in Bellevue, retiring in 1984; and enjoyed hunting and fishing.
Surviving are brothers, Jay and Sherman Rugg of Bellevue; sister, Betsy Fair; half-sisters, Annie Willis and Eva Alackley; half-brothers, James and Alex McCloud; and several nieces and nephews.
Graveside services were held Oct. 29 at Riverside Cemetery, Bellevue, with Rev. Bill Brown officiating.
Arrangements by Shaw Funeral Home, Lehman Chapel, Bellevue.
