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Jeronima “Jerrie” C. Cortez
Jeronima “Jerrie” C. Cortez, My Wife, our Mother, our Best Friend and our Angel, at the age 72, of Eaton Rapids, died Sunday, July 31, 2005 at a Lansing hospital. She was born September 30, 1932 in LaFeria, TX, the daughter of Pedro and Rita (Ortiz) Cruz. Mrs. Cortez was a member of St. Peter Catholic Church in Eaton Rapids. She was preceded in death by a brother, Fransisco Cruz.
“Jerrie” is survived by her very devoted and loving husband of 53 years, Leopoldo; 4 children, Gloria (Tony) Valadez of Eaton Rapids, Miguel Cortez of Narrow Lake, Mary Lou (Tim) Sloan of Charlotte and Maria Cortez of Eaton Rapids; 7 grandchildren, Cynthia, Gloria and David Chavez, Krista and Natasha Cortez, Anthony and Michael Valadez; three great grandchildren; 5 sisters and 2 brothers; several nieces and nephews.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be held Wednesday, August 3, 2005 at 11:00 a.m. from St. Peter Catholic Church in Eaton Rapids with Rev. Fr. Ben Constantine as celebrant. Burial will follow in the Rosehill Cemetery in Eaton Rapids. Family will receive friends at the Skinner Funeral Home in Eaton Rapids on Tuesday from 7:00-9:00 p.m. with a Rosary at 7:00 p.m.
Martha A. Cortright
Martha A. “Marty” Cortright, 78, of Olivet died Wednesday, March 23, 2005 at her residence.
Marty was born Dec. 10, 1926 in Joppa, the daughter of Leon and Fern (Mitchell) Pierce and had been an Olivet resident for 54 years. With her husband, Mayn, she owned and operated the Cortright Gulf Station in Olivet from 1958 to 1972 and later was employed by Olivet College from 1973 to 1992, from where she retired.
Surviving are six children, Clarence (Becky) Hebenstreit of Grand Ledge, Peggy (Roger) Canterbury of Olivet, Samuel Hebenstreit of Orlando, Fla., Phillip (Danne) Hebenstreit of Olivet, Sally (Ralph) Moscoso of Orlando, Fla., and Michael (Iris) Hebenstreit of Olivet; 16 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren; and her sister, Mary Griffin of Olivet.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Mayn “Muscles” Cortright, on Dec. 28, 2002.
Funeral services were held March 26 at Burkhead-Green Funeral Home in Charlotte, with Pastor Winford Collins officiating. Interment was at Bosworth Cemetery in Olivet.
Memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation.
Beverly E. Coulon
Beverly E. Coulon of Eaton Rapids, age 64, went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Saturday, December 31, 2005. She was born July 29, 1941 in Kalamazoo, the daughter of Harland and Barbara (Weber) Kelley. Mrs. Coulon was a graduate of Leslie High School, class of 1959. She retired from Russell Business Forms in Lansing as an Administrative Assistant in 1991. A member of the First Baptist Church in Eaton Rapids and the V.F.W. Auxiliary Post #5065 of Sheridan.
Surviving are her husband of 15 years, Richard; 6 children, Barbara (Dave) Schneider of Eaton Rapids, Joe (Sheri) Mills of Eaton Rapids, Christian (Karen) Mills of Concord, Kim Sherman of Charlotte, Michael Mills of Middlesboro, KY., and Ted Mills of Eaton Rapids; 3 stepchildren, Craig (Robin) Coulon of Sturgeon Bay, WI., Ann (Len) Bean of East Lansing and Richard (Sheri) Coulon II of Atlanta, GA.; 24 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren; 3 sisters, Dixie Drewett of Muskegon, Judy (Dan) Tink of Eaton Rapids and Merry Lou Scalzo of Freemont, CA.; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, January 5th at 11:00 a.m. from the First Baptist church in Eaton Rapids at 9220 Kinneville Rd. with burial following in the Rosehill Cemetery in Eaton Rapids. Family will receive friends at the Skinner Funeral Home on Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. For those desiring memorial contributions may be made to the new Sparrow Children’s Pediatric Unit in memory of Beverly E. Coulon.
Ronnie D. Craft
Ronnie D. Craft of Eaton Rapids, age 59, died Monday, Oct. 31, 2005 in Eaton Rapids. Ronnie was born August 14, 1946 in Tucson, AZ. He was a member and secretary of Faith Assembly of God Church in Leslie. Ronnie was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving in Vietnam and later was a self-employed carpenter working along side his father for many years. Preceded in death by his sister, Elaine Craft.
He is survived by his parents, Clyde and Roxie S. Craft of Eaton Rapids; 4 sisters, Paulette (Bob) Swartout, Janie (Terry) Eaton, Judy Craft and Dolores Craft, all of Eaton Rapids, 2 nephews, Mark Eaton, Bill (Tonya) Swartout; niece, Kimberly (Troy Westerhof) Swartout; 2 grandnephews, Austin Eaton, Brayden Swartout and 1 grandniece, Madison Swartout.
Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, 2005 at the Shelly-Odell Funeral Home, 518 S. Main, Eaton Rapids with Pastor Sam Steadman officiating. Interment followed at Oakwood Cemetery, Eaton Rapids. Those desiring may make contributions to Faith Assembly of God Church in memory of Ronnie Craft.
Frederick A. Craig
Frederick Arland Craig, 72, of Charlotte, died Wednesday, April 6, 2005.
Mr. Craig was born Jan. 7, 1933 in Rimersbury, Pa., the son of Frederick T. and A. Estella (Swartz) Craig. Fred loved the outdoors and enjoyed bird watching. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War and retired from Owens Illinois as a machine operator.
He is survived by his daughter, Cynthia K. (Larry) Jones of Charlotte; grandchildren, Shane Risher and Craig Jones; four brothers, Thomas (Fay) Craig, Robert (Betty) Craig, Dale (Trudy) Craig and Doyle (Martha) Craig, and sister-in-law Carol Craig, all of Pennsylvania.
He was preceded in death by his parents, son Michael Craig in 1979, brother, Ronald Craig and sister Beverly Craig.
Family Affirmation Service will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, April 11 at Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte, with R. Raymond Rossell facilitating. Interment will be at Center Eaton Cemetery in Charlotte. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Pray Funeral Home.
Everett L. Cranson
Everett Lee Cranson, 85, of Vermontville Township, died Friday, July 15, 2005.
Mr. Cranson was born Feb. 10, 1920 in Highland Park, the son of Paul and Mary (Parsons) Cranson. He grew up mostly in the Detroit area and graduated from Ferndale High School in 1938. Mr. Cranson served four years in the Army Artillery during World War II, participating at Normandy Beach head (D-Day plus one) and the Battle of the Bulge, returning afterward to the Vermontville are where his parents had relocated. There he met the former Gloria Carey and they were married Dec. 19, 1947. He spent his married years as a dairy and crop farmer until his retirement in 1992. He was a faithful Christian and a member of Charlotte Church of Christ.
Mr. Cranson was preceded in death by his parents; two small siblings, Paul Jr. and Barbara; and a sister Kathleen (Cedric) Root.
He is survived by his wife, Gloria; daughter, Julie (Tom) Haynie; son, Cary; son, Dennis; daughter, Rosemary (Doug) Lautzenheiser; and 10 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and three step-great grandchildren.
Funeral services were held July 19 at Pray funeral Home, Charlotte.
Memorial contributions may be made to Charlotte Church of Christ or American Diabetes Association.
Brice G. Crawford
Brice G. Crawford, 81, of Bellevue, died Aug. 15, 2005 at Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo.
He was born Dec. 30, 1923 to Orvis “Todd” and Bernadine (Flower) Crawford in Bellevue, and graduated form Bellevue High School in 1941. Brice served in the Army during World War II in the Pacific Theatre. He worked as a machinist for Oliver for 20 eyars and in quality control at Hoover Universal in Charlotte for 25 years. He was a member of the Bellevue Conservation Club and enjoyed hunting, fishing and spending time with his family.
Brice married Mary Pendley on Oct. 25, 1947; she survives. He’s also survived by sons, Gregory (Linda) Crawford and Brian (Sue) Crawford, both of Bellevue; grandchildren, Denell (Greg) Brooks, Cassie Crawford and Rachel Crawford; and great grandchildren, Kyle and Justin Brook.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Stanley Crawford, in 1951; and a sister, Joan Ritter.
A memorial service was held Aug. 18 at Bellevue First Baptist Church, with Pastor Don Francis officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Bellevue Memorial Scholarship Fund. Arrangements were by Shaw Funeral Home, Lehman Chapel, Bellevue.
Mary L. Crawford
Mary L. Brenneman Crawford, 94, of Grand Ledge, died Saturday, March 19, 2005.
Mrs. Crawford was born Oct. 6, 1910 in Rittman, Ohio, the daughter of Willard and Cora (Hoff) Brenneman. She married Porter Crawford in 1936. Then they moved to the Panama Canal Zone where Porter worked for the Canal Zone Company and Mary worked for the U.S. Army. When Mary retired she moved to Titusville, Fla., where she attended Temple Baptist Church. For the past two years she lived with granddaughter Elizabeth Lea and her husband, Tim, in Grand Ledge. She especially enjoyed the news. Reading, golfing, following sports on TV, and visiting with friends and relatives. She was a member of the Order of Eastern Star and sang with the Sweet Adelines.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Porter; her sisters, Wanda and Grace; and brothers, Paul and Elsworth.
She is survived by two sons, James (Claire) of Dimondale, and Charles (Shannon) of North Carolina; six grandchildren, Elizabeth (Tim) Lea, Leigh (Michael) Howard, Cathy (Dean) Vredevoogd, Brent (Florence) Crawford, David (Audrey) Crawford and Jonathan (Mary) Crawford; great grandchildren, Brenneman, Claire and Andrea Lea, Ingrid and Jayne Vredevoogd, Branden Howard, Emma Crawford, Laura Ashley Crawford and Porter Crawford; sister, Margaret Williams; brothers, Bill (Carol) Brenneman and Richard (Martha) Brenneman; and many friends in Florida.
Private memorial services were held at Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte, with Pastor Jim Mort officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, 7533 W. St. Joseph, Lansing, MI 48917; or Haven House, POB 961, East Lansing, MI 48821.
