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James Novess
James Novess, 57, of Lansing died Nov. 23, 2000 at his residence.
Mr. Novess was born in Ann Arbor, and was an Army veteran, having served during the Vietnam War.
He is survived by one foster sister, Reta Bonney of Middlebury, Ind.
Military graveside services were Dec. 4 at Fort Custer National Cemetery, Augusta, with Rev. Steven Lewis and the Fort Custer Honor Guard officiating.
Arrangements were made by the Burkhead-Green Funeral Home, Charlotte.
Jean S. Oberlin
Jean S. Oberlin, 76, of Charlotte, died July 31, 2000 at the Eaton County Medical Care Facility after an extended illness.
Mrs. Oberlin was born in Charlotte, the daughter of Grover and Mabel (Summers) Riddle. She had lived in Charlotte all her life, except for 26 years that she lived in Florida. She was a 1942 graduated of Charlotte High School and had been employed by Sears, Roebuck & Co. in Charlotte and Sarasota, Fla., from where she retired in 1988.
She is survived by two daughters, Karole (Roy) Bartlett; of Charlotte and Barbara (Jim) Rieben of Swanton, Ohio; two stepsons, Richard (Tootie) Oberlin of Texas and Stephen (June) Oberlin of Marshall; two stepdaughters, Sandra DuPre of Barryton, and Sally (Brian) Gissenhaver of Bath; 21 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; one brother, George Riddle of Charlotte; and a brother-in-law, Leslie Wells of Charlotte.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Oberlin in 1998; and one sister, Eunice Wells in 1999.
Graveside services and interment were Aug. 4 at the Maple Hill Cemetery, Charlotte, with Charles Jenson officiating. Arrangements were made by the Burkhead-Green Funeral Home, Charlotte.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hayes Green Beach Hospital, the Eaton County Medical Care Facility or the charity of one’s choice.
Arthur Olmstead
Arthur Olmstead, 84, of Cedar, died July 8, 2000.
Mr. Olmstead was born Sept. 28, 1915 in the Burton Heights section of Grand Rapids. During the Depression years, his family lived in Ludington. Following high school graduation, he played the piano professionally, touring the United States and Europe. In 1937, he enrolled at the Michigan State College of Engineering and continued playing the piano and writing orchestrations for local big bands. He was employed as a draftsman at Oldsmobile Product Engineering in 1940, eventually being named chief draftsman on the wartime 20MM Gun Project. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942 and was appointed engineering officer of the 343rd squadron of the 55th Fighter Group, Tacoma, Wash. The Group was the first P-38 fighter for bomber escort over Germany starting in October 1943. At the end of the war, the 55th Fighter Group performed occupation duties at Kaufburen, Germany. IN May 1945, he married Honor Joan Lisney of Barking, England. He was discharged as a major in the Air Force Reserves in 1946. After the war, he was an engineer in the group that designed and brought to production the 1947 Oldsmobile Rocket V-8 engine. After the 1957 death of his first wife, he married Margaret Packard Carr in 1962 and lived in Charlotte until he retired in 1974 from Oldsmobile after 34 years of service. He then designed and built their home on Little Traverse Lake in Leelanua County. He was a member of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, Northport, and the Light of Life Episcopal Church, Suttons Bay. He was a member of the Grand Traverse/Leelanua Community Mental Health Board from 1981-88, serving as chairman in 1985; the Foundation for Mental Health from 1994 to present, a founding member of the Association of Retarded Citizens and the Michigan Association of Children with Emotional Disorders, the Michigan Society of Autistic Children, Leelanua Prospectors Club, American Federation of Musicians, Society of Automotive Engineers, Little Traverse Lake Association and the 55th Fighter Group Association.
He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Margaret of Cedar; one daughter, Sara (John) Gedda of Rochester Hills; two sons, Craig (Karen) of Charlotte and Roger of Suttons Bay; two sons by marriage, Don (Polly) Carr of Alexandria, Va. And Charles (Mary Jo) Carr of Schaumburg, Ill.; a sister, Marguerite Cronkright of Port Richey, Fla.; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Cremation has taken place.
Memorial services were July 12 at the Leland Community United Methodist Church, with Rev. Louise Kountze officiating. Interment was in the Maple Hill Cemetery, Charlotte. Arrangements were made by the Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte.
Memorial contributions may be made to Light of Life Church, c/o Grace Episcopal Church, 341 Washington, Traverse City, MI 49684, or the Foundation for Mental Health, 701 S. Elmwood, Suite 19, Traverse City, MI 49685.
John O’Brien
John Charles O’Brien, 93, of Dimondale died May 4, 2000.
Mr. O’Brien was born Dec. 8, 1906 in Mt. Pleasant, the son of Alonzo and Katherine (Swift) O’Brien. He had been a farmer and member of the Eaton County Farm Bureau.
He is survived by one son, Ronald (Amelia) O’Brien of Dimondale; four grandchildren, Kelly (Jim) Fiser, Rene Deller, and Vickie (Jerry) VanLiew, all of Dimondale, and Randy O’Brien of Potterville; seven great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; three brothers, Ervin (Alice) of Lansing, Daniel (Dorothy) of Westphalia and Buzzle of Mt. Pleasant; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Marie in 1976; second wife, Luella in 1992; one stepson, Elmer and his wife, Althea, Steele.
Services were held May 8 at the Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte, with the Rev. John Toth officiating. Interment was in the Dimondale Cemetery, Dimondale.
Memorial contributions may be made to Dimondale Presbyterian Church.
Elizabeth M. O’Leary
Elizabeth Mae Wensley O’Leary, 94, of Peoria, Ariz., formerly of Charlotte, died Nov. 11, 2000.
Mrs. O’Leary was born June 16, 1906 in Pittsburgh, PA, the daughter of Mathew and Mary Antis. She was employed by Westinghouse Corporation. She married Roy Wensley, an engineer at Westinghouse, in 1931 and they lived in Philadelphia until 1947, then moved to Charlotte. After her husband’s death in 1953, Elizabeth took up residence at Gun Lake, From 1953 to 1967, she was employed by Doctors Finney and Phelps in Hastings. In 1967, she married Douglas O’Leary of Marshall. They split their time between Gun Lake and Marshall until moving to Sun City, AZ in 1972. After Mr. O’Leary’s death in 1991, Mrs. O’Leary moved to the Forum at Desert Harbor in Peoria, AZ. She was a life member of Easter Star, as well as the United Church of Sun City in Sun City, and the First Presbyterian Church, Hastings.
She is survived by one daughter, Anne Lindeman of Peoria, Ariz.; one son, Jim Wensley of Playa Del Rey, Calif.; three stepchildren; 20 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren.
Memorial services were Nov. 20 at The Forum, with Rev. Luther Abraham officiating.
Ruth Olmstead
Ruth Luella Olmstead, 87, of Charlotte died June 22, 2000 at Ingham Regional Medical Center.
Mrs. Olmstead was born in Walton Township, the daughter of Wyman and Lena (Trowbridge) Turner. She worked at Bos Bakery in Charlotte for 25 years. The main focus of her life was her family and her church. She was a 60-year member of Crossroads Church of the United Brethren in Charlotte for 60 years.
She is survived by her husband of 70 years, Alton; three daughters, Mary (Steve) (Crandall) Hundt and Suzanne (Bill) Brenton, both of Charlotte, and Evelyn Chapman of East Leroy; one son, Kenneth (Marie) of Burbank, Calif.; 13 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; two sisters, Lucille Shepard of Assyria Center and Ina Blanchard of Indiana.
Services were June 26 at the Crossroads Church of the United Brethren, Charlotte, with the Rev. Mike Arnold officiating. Internment was in the Bosworth Cemetery, Eaton County. Arrangements were made by the Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Crossroads Church.
Roby Osborn
Roby Edward Osborn, 61, of Potterville, passed away May 22, 2000 at his home.
Mr. Osborn was born Aug. 28, 1938.
Surviving are his wife, Sally Osborn; son, Steven Osborn; step-children, Jodie and Fred Frese; granddaughters, Stevie and Maddie.
He was preceded in death by his son, Roby John Osborn; mother, Marion Osborn; and father, Roby Osborn.
No memorial services will be held. Further information available at www.legacy.com.
Arrangements by Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte.
Annemarie Othmer
Annemarie Othmer, 91, of Woodland, died Jan. 19, 2000.
Mrs. Othmer was born Nov. 16, 1908 in Halle, Germany, the daughter of Gottholt and Frieda (Abel) Spiegel. She moved to Chicago, Ill., in 1932 and married Rudy Othmer. They moved to Vermontville and later to Woodland, where they farmed for over 40 years.
She is survived by one daughter, Rose Marie Othmer of Richmond, Ind.; three sons, Peter (Betty) of Fullerton, Calif., Hans (Bobbie Ann) of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Bob (Kathy) of Vermontville; four grandchildren, Dawn (Andy) Robotham, Rudy (Christin) Othmer, John Othmer and Brigette Othmer; and one sister, Hildegard Boulter of Germany.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 60 years, Rudy.
Visitation is today, Sunday, Jan. 23 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Koops Funeral Chapel, Lake Odessa.
Services are Monday, Jan. 24 at 10 a.m. at the funeral home.
Internment is in the Woodland Memorial Park.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Woodland Lions Club for the Rudy Othmer Scholarship Fund.
Virginia L. Otto
Virginia L. Otto, 81, of Haslett, died Oct. 13, 2000.
Mrs. Otto was born Aug. 12, 1919 in Bear Lake.
Surviving are three daughters, Tamsyn Martha (Michael) Mihalus of East Lansing, Terese Marie (Thomas) Stuckman of Meridian, Miss., and Tanya Mary (Jim) Wall of Spokane, Wash.; and four grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl in 1983, and son, Ewan in 1962.
Funeral services were held Oct. 15 at Gorsline-Runciman Co., East Chapel, East Lansing. Internment was at Rose Cemetery, Bath.
Memorial contributions may be made to Sparrow Home, Hospice, 1215 E. Michigan Ave., P.O. Box 30480, Lansing, MI 48909.
Arrangements by Gorsline-Runciman Co., East Chapel, East Lansing.
Frances Owen
Frances Alta Owen, 84, of Ionia, died March 31, 2000 at Sparrow Hospital, Lansing.
Mrs. Owen was born March 23, 1916 in Woodland, the daughter of the Rev. Glenn and DeEtte (Hunt) Rairigh. She was a nurse at Pennock Hospital several years ago and had also worked at Williams Department Store in Lake Odessa for years.
She is survived by one sister, Peggy (Donald) Currell of Sunfield; one brother, Glenwood (Flossie) Rairigh of Sunfield; and four nephews.
She was preceded in death by both her parents, her husband, Lincoln in 1986, and one daughter, Wilmetta Owen in 1957.
No public services were held. Interment was at Woodland Memorial Park, Woodland. Arrangements were made by the Rosier Funeral Home, Mapes-Fisher Chapel, Sunfield.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Eaton Community Hospice.
