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K. Strong Bateman
K. Strong Bateman, a life-long resident of Eaton Rapids, age 75, left his family and friends on December 7, 2005. He was born on September 13, 1930 to Cyril K. and Florence (Strong) Bateman. He attended Wilcox Country School, M.S.U. and had graduated from Eaton Rapids High School, class of 1949. Strong enjoyed fishing, gardening and his winters in Florida. He was a member of the F. & A.M. Lodge #63 of Eaton Rapids and had retired from Lindel Drop Forge in Lansing. Strong indeed was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend.
Surviving are his wife of 53 years, Eunice (Evans); 2 sons, David (Diane), Mark (Laurie); daughter, Kimberly (Dan) Smith; 8 grandchildren, Jennifer (Arthur) Schneider, Melissa, Andrew, Evan and Christopher Bateman, Ryan Perritt, Dan and Christina Smith and many cousins whom he loved to visit with. The Bateman family would like to thank the staff of Breslin Cancer Center, Ingham 5 North, and Sparrow Specialty Hospital.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, December 10, 2005, from the Skinner Funeral Home in Eaton Rapids. Burial followed at the Plains Cemetery in Eaton Rapids. For those desiring memorial contributions may be made to either the Michael J. Fox Parkinson’s Foundation or the Leukemia and Lymphomia Association in memory of K. Strong Bateman.
Martha E. Bauer
Martha E. (Peters) Bauer, 85, of Charlotte, passed away Friday, March 8, 2005 in Charlotte.
Memorial contributions may be made to First Congregational Church UCC or Hayes Green Beach Hospital. Arrangements were by Burkhead-Green Funeral Home, Charlotte.
Charles R. “Dick” Bayes
Charles Richard “Dick” Bayes, 68, of Six Lakes, formerly of Charlotte, died Friday, July 22, 2005 at his residence.
Dick was born July 9, 1937 in Raeford, N.C., the son of Harlan Charles and Eva Mae (Bethune) Bayes. He was a member of St. Francis DeSales Catholic Church in Lakeview, a former member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Charlotte, a board member of the Housing Services for Eaton County, a former member of the Charlotte Jaycees, and past president of the Charlotte Lions Club. After retiring as a service representative for Eastman Kodak in 1991, Dick pursued a career in sales, starting Software-n-More in Charlotte and Charles Bayes Co., distributing sporting goods, fishing equipment, etc.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Fredrick, in 1965, and a sister-in-law, Mona Bayes.
He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Barbara Jean (Moore) of Six Lakes; five children, Andy (Trina) Bayes of Olivet, Andrea (Rob) Jewett of Charlotte, Amber (Tim Thelen) Bayes of Westphalia, Brian Ferguson of Jackson, Kim Bayes of Potterville; eight grandchildren, Cameo and Jadelynn Bayes, Jordan Jewett, Lyle and Janelle Thelen, Emily, Ben and Eliza Thelen; two brothers, Allan (Sandy) Bayes of Spring Lake, Ronald B. Bayes of Eaton Rapids; and several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Mass of the Christian Burial was prayed July 27 at St. Peter Catholic Church in Eaton Rapids.
Arrangements were by Shelly-Odell Funeral Home, Eaton Rapids. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
Saralee “Sally” Beals
Saralee “Sally” Beals, age 67, of Eaton Rapids, passed away Friday, August 19, 2005 in Lansing. Sally was born March 4, 1938 in Mancelona, MI, the daughter of William and June Leatha (Thomas) Schmidt. She and her husband, Morrie, were the former owners and operators of Beals’ Party Store in Eaton Rapids.
Surviving her are 2 sons, James William Beals and Stephen Jon Beals, both of Eaton Rapids; 1 grandson, Stephen Jon Beals II; 1 brother, Tom (Joyce) Schmidt and 1 sister, Bette “BJ” (Lee) Bragg, both of Eaton Rapids; and several nieces and nephews, with a thank you to her “special angel”, Lori Brochu.
Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 25, 2005 at the Shelly-Odell Funeral Home, 518 S. Main, Eaton Rapids, with Rev. Tom Luttrell officiating. There will be time to visit with her family one hour before the service. Those desiring may make memorial contributions to Eaton Community Hospice in memory of Sally Beals.
Stuart Bearup
Stuart J. Bearup, 88, died Saturday, Dec. 24, 2005 at Eaton Community Hospice in Charlotte following a brief illness. Surrounded by his family including Jean, his loving wife of 60 years.
Stuart was born June 2, 1917 in Okemos, the eldest of two sons of George and Edith (Hudson) Bearup. His father was an Ingham County deputy sheriff and his mother an English teacher at Okemos High School. A graduate of Okemos High School and Michigan State University, Stuart answered his country’s call to serve in January 1941 by enlisting in the U.S. Army.
Following boot camp at Fort Brady in Sault Ste. Marie, he received advanced training at Camp Robinson (Arkansas), Fort Rucker (Alabama) and officers training at Fort Benning (Georgia) and Camp Blanding (Florida) before shipping overseas to the European Theater of operations in World War II. Stuart saw combat in the Brittany region of France while commanding an Infantry Cannon Company of the 66th Division. As a result of this action he was promoted to captain and received the Bronze Star. His division then moved cross-country to the German city of Bad Neuheim on the Rhine River.
After V-E day he was reassigned as an aide de camp to Brigadier General Benjamin Lauer, who headquartered near Arles, France. While there he met First Lieutenant Jean Crooks, an Army Combat nurse from Durango, Colo., who was stationed with the 165th General Hospital. After a four-month courtship, Stuart and Jean were married on Oct. 16, 1945, first by the mayor of Marseilles and then by an Army chaplain at the general’s Chateau Legier headquarters in Font Veille. A weeklong honeymoon at the Hotel Carleton in Cannes followed. The two remained married for 60 years.
Stuart was a member of the U.S. Army Reserve for more than 20 years, retiring at the attained rank of lieutenant colonel. During this period, he served as a summer instructor at various military installations around the country including Fort Benning, Fort Benjamin Harrison (Indiana), Fort McCoy (Wisconsin) and at the Army War College (Kansas).
Beginning in 1947, Stuart and Jean made their home in Charlotte and were blessed with three children: Patricia (1947), George (1949) and Richard (1952). Stuart was the owner of Charlotte Insurance Agency Inc. from 1948 until his retirement in 1986. His community and civic service was significant. He was a member of the Charlotte Rotary Club from 1948 until his death, serving as president and later as a district governor of Rotary District 636 (southwest Michigan). He also served as the personal representative of various presidents of Rotary International to several other states. His service as a Rotarian was marked by many distinctions, including his local club’s Clyde Fulton Community Pride Award; the District Service Award; and the Service Above Self and Distinguished Service Awards – the two highest accolades conferred by Rotary International.
Stuart was a member of the Hayes Green Beach Hospital Board for more than 25 years and a member of the Friends of Maple Hill Cemetery Board for more than 30 years. He was a leader in the establishment of a new community library, a past member of the Charlotte City Council, and a member of the city of Charlotte’s Economic Development Corporation and Board of Review. Stuart was one of the first general chairman of Charlotte Frontier Days. He was also a long-time lay leader at the Lawrence Avenue United Methodist Church and past commander of the Greenwalt-Flaherty American Legion Post.
Stuart and Jean were constant companions and immensely enjoyed traveling together to visit their grandchildren, winters in Florida and Arizona, and took many international trips that included: Austria, the Caribbean, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Greece, Holland Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Panama, Portugal, Scotland, Spain and Switzerland.
He is survived by his wife, Jean; daughter, Patricia (Gary) Webber of St. Cloud, Minn., and grandsons, Stuart and Grant; son, George (Patricia Jean) of Traverse City and granddaughter Brooke and grandson Jay; and Richard (Judy) of Charlotte and granddaughters Kathryn and Jessica (Abraham) and grandson Ted (Jodi). He is also survived by his nephew Stuart (Carol) Bearup of Twin Falls, Idaho.
He was preceded in death by his brother Ross.
Memorial services were held at Lawrence Avenue Methodist Church, Charlotte, with Rev. Karen Wheat officiating. Interment was at Maple Hill Cemetery in Charlotte.
Memorial contributions may be made to one or more of the following: Eaton Community Hospice, Friends of Maple Hill Cemetery, Hayes Green Beach Hospital, or the Lawrence Avenue United Methodist Church. Arrangements were by Pray Funeral Home of Charlotte.
Joan A. Beck
Joan A. “Jo” Beck, 82, of East Lansing, died Sunday, Sept. 25, 2005.
Mrs. Beck was born May 11, 1923 in Lansing, the daughter of Arthur and Helen (West) Van Epps.
She is survived by sons, Vance (Kathy) McCrumb of Milan, Mich., and Mark I. McCrumb III of Charlotte; daughter, Linda Snitgen of Charlotte; half-brother, Norbert McKay; special close cousin, Betty Rennaker; special nieces and nephews and good friends, Dora Romig, Rosemary Huhn and Dale Behnke.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Mike Van Epps, and a sister, Zella Rademacher.
There will be no services.
Memorial contributions may be made to Eaton Community Hospice.
Arrangements were by Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte.
Katie L. Bell
Katie Louise Bell, 83, of Olivet, died Wednesday, May 25, 2005.
Mrs. Bell was born Feb. 2, 1922 in Georgia, the daughter of Whit Ransom and Lillie (Boswell) Osborne. Katie had worked as a nurse’s aide and she loved flowers and walking.
She is survived by daughters, Joyce (Terry) Parish of Chesaning, Katie (Larry) Curtiss of Olivet; son, Walt Bell of Battle Creek; seven grandchildren and several great grandchildren; sisters, Lola Pitts, Jennie Scoggins and Lucille Partin; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Lee Bell, in 1989; and grandson David Brimmer in 1977.
Graveside services were held May 27 at Bosworth Cemetery in Olivet, with Pastor Marten Saunders officiating.
Arrangements were by Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte.
Brian M. Bennett
Brian M. Bennett, formerly of Eaton Rapids, passed away August 4, 2005 in Carson City. He was born May 18, 1940, the son of Carl and Sally Bennett and brother of Barb Lampson.
He is survived by his wife Merry, daughters, Becky (Bill) Hoag, Wendy (Jeff) Moncada, Lisa (Frank) Pack and seven grandchildren. There will be no memorial service.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Lux and Schnepp Funeral Home, Carson City.
