Milton Bechler
Milton Bechler of Brooklyn passed away Sept. 22, 2002, at the age of 80. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marjorie; two sons, one daughter and three brothers. Survivors include his two sons, Larry of Somerset and Timothy (Marese) of Hastings; one daughter, Faith (Jim) Bell of W. Va.; 21 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; four great-great grandchildren; one brother, Edwin Bechler of Lincoln Park; one sister, Edna Bechler of Brighton.
He was a member of the Brooklyn Presbyterian Church and Wilber Bartlett American Legion Post #315 in Brooklyn.
Visitation will be Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Jenter & Braun Funeral Home, Brooklyn Chapel. The body will also lie in state on Thursday, September 26, at 10 a.m. until the time of the funeral service at 11 a.m. at the Brooklyn Presbyterian Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Heartland Hospice.
Walter A. Johnson
Walter A. Johnson, of Clarklake, passed away September 18, 2002 at the age of 83. He was preceded in death by his brother, Lewellyn Johnson. Walter is survived by his wife of 61 years, Fayma. He is also survived by his daughter, Laurie, and her husband, Vance; grandchildren, Benjamin and Bonnie Edgar; many nieces and nephews and a sister-in-law, Beth Johnson.
Mr. Johnson was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served in the Pacific during World War II as Chief Cook on the U.S.S. Grimes. He was a member of the Brooklyn American Legion, Wilber-Bartlett Post #315 and the VFW Post #9453, Cement City. Mr. Johnson was in the wholesale meat business 20 years. He retired from Polly's Markets April 1981.
A funeral service was held Saturday, September 21, 2002 at the Jenter & Braun Funeral Home, Brooklyn Chapel, the Rev. Carl Benes officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the charity of donor's choice. Thanks for the kindness and care at Countryside Care Center.
Scott Schlegel
Scott Christopher Schlegel, age 43, of Georgia passed away on September 17, 2002. Scott was born on August 12, 1959 in Dearborn, MI to James T. Schlegel and Geraldine (Bonkowski) Craft. Scott was self-employed in the lawn maintenance industry and was a member of the Elks in Atlanta, GA. He is survived by his mother, Gerri (Calvin) Craft of Napoleon; father, James. Sr. (Gloria) Schlegel of Ruskin, FL; two brothers, James II (Gina) Schlegel of St. Mary's GA; Kirk (Shelly) Schlegel of Brooklyn; sister, Kristin (Steven) Midena-Rose of Brooklyn, and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were at the Jenter & Braun Funeral Home, Brooklyn Chapel on Monday with the Rev. Carl Benes officiating. Memorials may be made to the charity of donor's choice.
Frances F. England
Frances F. England, 91, of Brooklyn passed away Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2002 in Lawrenceville, Ga.
She was born on Sept. 22, 1910 in Iberville, Quebec, Canada.
Frances and her husband Saul moved to Brooklyn in 1974 from Lincoln Park. Her husband preceded her in death in 1983.
Frances is survived by four children: Fern (Dick) Kugelman of Plymouth, Helen (Tom) Darren of Novi, Roger (Jo Ann) of Minneapolis, and George; seven grandchildren: Timothy England, Brian England, Lori Saul, Sherri Gough, Jeffery Kugelman, Julie Gunderson and Michael Darren; nine great-grandchildren: Michael, Allen, Brendan, Constanze, Christopher, Blake, Erica, Madelyn and Turner; one sister, Delores Lamarre of St. Hubert, Quebec, Canada; several nieces and nephews, neighbors and friends.
A memorial Mass will be held at a later date.
Virginia Mary Williams
Virginia Mary Williams, 81, passed away Sept. 14, 2002 at Doctors Hospital in Jackson, Mich.
Born in Detroit on Jan. 26, 1921, she was the daughter of Franklin and Cora Belle (Porter) Selley. She was employed at the Aladdin Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. and was the founder of the Las Vegas Humane Society.
Survivors include one son, Steve Fejes of Brooklyn; three grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one daughter: Virginia Imboden, in 1980, one granddaughter, Kandis Culler, in 1990. Cremation has taken place and there are no services.
Arrangements were entrusted to the Jenter & Braun Funeral Home, Brooklyn Chapel.
Joseph E. Letson
Joseph E. Letson, age 65, of Manitou Beach, died Saturday, September 14, 2002 at his home.
Leslie Jackson
Leslie Jackson, age 87, passed away August 22, 2002 at Heartland Marlin Manor. He was born August 20, 1915 in Addison, Mich., to Melford and Mary Elsie (Lockwood) Jackson. He was employed with the village of Addison. Mr. Jackson served with the U.S. Marines in WW II and was a member of the Brooklyn American Legion.
He is survived by two daughters, Marcia Wilson of Napoleon and Karen (Dave) Kallman of Palatine, IL; three step-daughters, Bonnie Stubbs and Carol Kubik, both of Marquette, and Suzanne Simmons-Otness of Greenbank, WA; one sister, Mary Watson of Concord; many grandchildren and great grandchildren. His brother, Clare W. Jackson of Addison preceded him in death.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 14, 2002 beginning at 11 a.m. at the Jenter & Braun Funeral Home, Brooklyn Chapel with the Rev. Kevin Cherry officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of Jackson or Wings of Mercy, Inc., 513 E. 8th Street, Holland, MI 49243.
James C. Zaszczurynski
James C. Zaszczurynski, 35, of Sun City Center, Fla., died August 30, 2002. He was owner of a snack vending machine company.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Stephen and sister, Catherine. Survivors are his parents, Henry C. and Barbara Zaszczurynski; sister-in-law, Janet; two nephews, Jacob and Jeffrey; and niece, Jessica.
A Scripture Service was held on Sunday, September 8, at the Jenter & Braun Funeral Home, Brooklyn Chapel. A funeral service was on Monday with prayers at the funeral home followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at St. Rita's Catholic Church with Father Lehr Barkenquest officiating. Interment was in Highland Cemetery, Brooklyn.
Ruth Ann Bedell
Ruth Ann Bedell, 56, of Tallmadge, OH, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, September 6, 2002 at the Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
Ruth was born October 23, 1945 in Addison, Mich., the daughter of Merrill and Ruth (Hoffman) Hudnutt. She was married to Stuart Bedell for 18 years and lived in Tallmadge, OH. She was a member of the Addison United Church, Addison, MI. She was currently working as executive secretary for Strukol Co. of America in Stow. She was a member of the Tire Town Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals, serving as president in 1996, and was named secretary of the year in 1998.
Ruth was preceded in death by her father, Merrill Hudnutt and brother, John Hudnutt. Surviving are her husband, Stuart Bedell; mother, Ruth Hudnutt of Addison, Mich.; brother, Sam (Paula) Hudnutt of Onondaga, Mich.; and sister, Nancy Conover of Charlotte, NC.
A memorial service will be held at the Addison United Church on Thursday, September 12 at 2 p.m. with Pastor Keith W. Porter officiating. Visitation will be at the church from 1 to 2 p.m. on Thursday.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests you make donations to the Addison United Church or to a charity of your choice.
Patricia A. Miller
Patricia A. Miller, age 54 of Wantage, NJ, passed away March 4 of heart failure. Prior to moving back to New Jersey, she and her husband, Earl A. Miller, lived in Brooklyn, MI for nine years.
She was a float teller for Michigan National Bank, later to become Premier Bank. She also had worked for Jacobsons, ManPower and The Exponent.
Patricia was a former member of the USTA. She and her husband raised, bred, trained and owned Standardbred race horses.
She was preceded in death by her father, Lewis B. Cosh on May 8, 1996 and her husband, Earl A. Miller, on October 12, 1998.
She is survived by her mother, Nora B. Cosh; four sisters, Sharon (Jack) Haggerty; Paula (Dwayne) Russell; Karen Cosh and Janice Cosh; four nephews, Keith and Marc Russell, Jonathan Haggerty, all of Wantage, and Michael Haggerty of Oklahoma; plus relatives and friends in and around Brooklyn; Mrs. Lillie Miller of Brooklyn is her mother-in-law. Other Michigan relatives are Libby ( Jim) Wolfe and Herb Miller, from Brooklyn, Linda Bula from Big Rapids, Diane (Mike) Adams from Adrian and Connie (Scott) Jackson from Bellevue; plus several nieces and nephews and friends.
The viewing was Thursday, March 7 and the funeral held on Friday, March 8 at the Ferguson Funeral Home, 27 Third St., Sussex, NJ 07461. Per her request a bagpiper played Amazing Grace at the grave site. Interment was at Clove Cemetery, Wantage, NJ. In lieu of flowers please make a contribution to the American Heart Association, 2550 Route 1, North Brunswick, NJ 08902.
Wilbur J. Harris
Wilbur J. Harris, age 93 of Cement City, passed away Sunday, March 7, 2002. He was born Aug. 3, 1909 in Salem, Ohio, the son of Jesse and Elizabeth (Maurer) Harris.
He married Emma Van Landuyt on Oct. 10, 1933 in Deerfield, Ill., and she precedes him in death. Wilbur is also preceded in death by one daughter, Elaine Rutledge. Survivors included one grandson, Doug (Kathy) Rutledge of Hobe Sound, Fla.; two great grandchildren, Alex and Victoria Rutledge; and long-time friend, Cheryl McGrath of Cement City.
Wilbur was a dairy farmer for all of his life and worked on Godfredson Farms in Grass Lake. He was a member of the Lions Club of Clarklake, the Brown Swiss Association and the Dairymen's Association.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 1 to 3 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Jenter & Braun Funeral Home, Brooklyn Chapel. Memorial service will be held on Thursday, March 13, 2003 at the funeral home at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Fred Crandall officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given in Wilbur's name to the American Cancer Society.
