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Funeral Services:

Lona Denise Houston, 72, of Olivet, passed away Sunday May 26, 2019, at Oaklawn Hospital in Marshall. She was born March 18, 1947, in Charlotte, the daughter of Harold “Bud” and Betty (Owen) King. Lona graduated from Olivet High School with the Class of 1965. On July 22, 1978, she married the love of her life, John R. Houston in Eaton Rapids. They were blessed with nearly 41 years together. Lona was a faithful servant of her Lord and Savior. She was a devoted member of the Bellevue Church of Christ for many years. Lona’s family was very important to her. She cherished her children and grandchildren. Lona was always looking forward to the next family gathering. She enjoyed sewing dresses very much and was a member of the sewing group, Dresses for Hope. She and John also enjoyed traveling together throughout the United States. 

Lona is survived by her husband, John; children, Aaron (Casey) Harris of Kerrville, Texas, Jamie (Jeff) Kita of Olivet, Jason (Heather) Harris of Charlotte; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; siblings, Ted (Sue) King of Bellevue, Ezzie (Jim Borton) King of Ovid, Jim King of Bellevue; aunt, Alice Owen of Ameilia, Ohio; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; granddaughter, Hannah Harris; sister, Linda (Doug) Klont; and several aunts and uncles. 

Funeral services will be held on Monday, June 3, 2019, at 10 a.m. at Burkhead-Green-Kilgo Funeral Home, with Jon Doty officiating. The family will receive friends on Sunday from 3 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will take place at Oakwood Cemetery in Eaton Rapids.

Those desiring, may make contributions in Lona’s honor to the family to be split between her favorite charities. 

To view Lona’s obituary online or to leave a condolence for the family, please visit burkhead-greenfuneralhome.com.

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Funeral Services:

Esther Jane (Robins) Wyble, of Charlotte, a kind, loving and devoted mother, grandmother and friend, died Sunday, May 26, 2019 at Eaton Community Palliative Care. Esther, 92, was born April 17, 1927, the daughter of James and Alpharetta (Smith) Robins. She graduated from Charlotte High School in 1945. In June of 1947 Esther married her sweetheart, Theodore, and together started their legacy until his passing in 2008. Esther is retired from 28 years as a fabricator. She had a heart of gold, which led her to devote her retirement to volunteering her time: to the county for 30 years, Hayes Green Beach Hospital, and the VFW. Esther crocheted afghans for veterans, her church and for her loved ones. She was known for her baking. Her famous peanut butter sheet cakes were very popular for everyone’s birthdays and special events. If you were lucky she would make you her mystery cake, where she would have you guess the off the wall ingredient that was added. Her other hobbies included reading, traveling, gardening (she had beautiful flower beds), and also spending time outdoors. Esther will be remembered for always thinking about others and devoting her time to others.    

Esther is survived by her children, Norman Wyble, Shirley Wyble, Sharon (Jack) Thompson; grandchildren, Norman (Heather) Wyble II, Autumn Murphy, Amber Matthews, Seth (Heather) Matthews; four great-grandchildren; and sister, Marvel Wyble. 

She was predeceased by husband, Theodore; son, Duane Wyble; eight siblings, and her parents. 

Funeral services were held Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at Pray Funeral Home in Charlotte, with Pastor Charles Jenson officiating.  

If desired, the family suggests memorial contributions to Eaton Community Palliative Care. 

Friends and family are encouraged to share memories of Esther on her tribute page at PrayFuneral.com.  

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Funeral Services:

David “Larry” Foster of Charlotte, an avid hunter and fisherman that could always find the best fishing hole, died May 25, 2019. Larry, 79, was born April 25, 1940 in Lansing to David and Agatha (Massey) Foster.  He worked at General Motors on the line, retiring several years ago. Larry loved being outdoors, all of his favorite activities revolved around that, including: hunting, fishing, gold prospecting, traveling to Colorado, Canada, Alaska and Hawaii, and even watching the outdoor channel on TV. He had a large collection of game trophies to enjoy while he was indoors. Sixteen years ago Larry had a change of heart and became a Christian, enjoying studying the Bible and praying with his wife, Barb, every day. Barb is comforted knowing she will see him again in Heaven.  Larry loved hugs and sharing his faith with others. Larry valued friendship, and if you were his friend he let you know he loved you.

Larry is survived by his wife of almost 27 years, Barbara (Shaver) Foster; children, David (Connie) Foster, Martin (Kathy) Foster, Joe Wheeldon, William (Beverly) Stone, Michael (Elisabeth) Stone, Diane (John) Wiley, and Toscha Klopp; 15 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.  

He was predeceased by daughter, Sonja Crabtree; his parents; and a brother and a sister.

Friends are encouraged to support Larry’s family at visitation and memorial services. Memorial services are Friday, June 14, 2019, at noon at Pray Funeral Home in Charlotte, with Pastor Randy Royston officiating.  Visitation is two hours prior to service, from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, June 14.  

If desired, the family suggests memorial contributions to New Hope Community Church. 

Friends and family are encouraged to share memories of David “Larry” on his tribute page at PrayFuneral.com.  

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Funeral Services:

Larry L. Sterle, 73, died Tuesday, May 21, 2019 at the home he shared with his son outside Charlotte. Larry was born November 27, 1945, and raised in Mason, where he was a graduate of Mason High School. He served in the U.S. Army, and was a career letter carrier with the U.S. Post Office. 

He was married for over 46 years to Jacqueline “Jackie” Sterle, and was the loving father of Waylon, 50, and Shannon, 47.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Sterle and Thelma (Rich) Sterle; sister, Joan (Sterle) Ammerman; mother-in-law, Dorothea Demery; and beloved wife, Jackie Sue (Toman) Sterle. 

He is survived by his son, Waylon Lee Sterle; daughter, Shannon Marie (Sterle) Patton and spouse, Joseph Patton; brother-in-law, Archy Ammerman; brother-in-law, Mark Turcotte and spouse, Susan Neill; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Larry was a serious reader of American and World history, of which he acquired a professorial knowledge. He was a passionate fan of Michigan sports, and enjoyed watching old movies, especially spaghetti-westerns and historical epics. In his retirement, he indulged in several driving trips, visiting locations from Civil War battlefields to Devil’s Tower National Monument. He enjoyed the company of his family, holiday meals, playing marathon sessions of Euchre, and was known to complete the Sunday New York Times crossword as if he was jotting down a grocery list. He was an intelligent, curious, kind and loving husband, father and friend.

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Funeral Services:

Michael E. “Smitty” Smith, 67, of Charlotte, passed away Friday, May 24, 2019, at his home. He was born January 2, 1952, in Ferndale, Mich., the son of LeRoy and Dolores (Hageman) Smith. Smitty graduated from Waterville High School in 1970. He went on to serve his country in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. Smitty was extremely proud of his country and was always concerned about the welfare of the men and women serving around the world in active duty. Smitty owned and operated Honey-Doers Home Remodeling for many years. He was a talented woodworker and enjoyed creating bookcases, toys, and furniture. 

He is survived by his wife, Gayle L. Smith; children, Kristine (Chris) Marzic of Battle Creek, Nichole Snyder of North Carolina; grandson, Brent Marzic; siblings, Phyllis (Walt) Gerard of Essex, Ontario, and Charles Smith of Brownsville, Mich.

Smitty was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Marvin Smith. 

In keeping with his wish’s, cremation has taken place and interment will be held at Fort Custer National Cemetery.

Those desiring, may make contributions in Smitty’s honor to the Disabled American Veterans-DAV, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301.

To view his obituary online or to leave a condolence for the family, please visit burkhead-greenfuneralhome.com.

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Funeral Services:

Barbara Jane Dahlem, 80, of Eaton Rapids, passed away Monday, November 19, 2018. She was born May 17, 1938, in Battle Creek, the daughter of David and Nora (Baker) Sumption. Barb graduated from Olivet High School on May 31, 1956. On June 1, 1956, she married the love of her life, Charles L. Dahlem. Barb was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She loved spending time together with her family. In her spare time Barb enjoyed bowling and tending to her roses. 

She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Charles; children, Nolita (Darrell) Cameron of Columbia, Tenn., Carol (Marion) Schlyer of Bellevue, Darlene Hendrickson of Eaton Rapids, Neal (Alice) Dahlem of Olivet; 12 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; and sister, Viola Armstead.

Barb was preceded in death by her parents; four brothers; and three sisters.

In keeping with Barb’s wishes, cremation has taken place and a memorial visitation will be held on Sunday, June 2, 2019, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Olivet First Assembly of God, located at 4767 Butterfield Highway in Olivet. 

Those desiring, may make contributions in Barb’s honor to the Alzheimer’s Association.

To view Barb’s obituary online or to leave a condolence for the family, please visit burkhear-greenfuneralhome.com.

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Funeral Services:

Jean Marie Weikel, 81, a kind and giving mother, grandmother, wife and sister, died peacefully on Saturday, May 18, 2019 in Lansing. Jean was born December 17, 1937 in Grand Ledge, the daughter of Louis Cecil and Mable Helen (Sharp) Rosendahl. She graduated from Portland High School in 1955 before beginning her family.  Jean worked over 30 years for General Motors, where she met the love of her life, Dale Weikel. The two married on October 5, 1972, enjoying 42 years of marriage until his death in 2015. Following retirement, Jean enjoyed bowling, crossword puzzles, and especially crocheting. She created countless crochet pieces, which will be forever treasured by her family. Many will remember Jean’s selfless nature, always putting others first. Above all, she cherished time spent with her grandchildren.

Jean is survived by her daughters, Donna (Gregory) Dufault, Laurie (Alan) Switzer, Deborah (Charles) King, Tina (Mark) Wilton, Barbara (David) Lakes, Melissa (Daniel) Hall and Jennifer (Daniel) Ockert; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and her sister, Donna (Ron) Atkinson.  

She was predeceased by her husband of 42 years, Dale Gordon Weikel; son, Jerome Smith; granddaughter, Morgan Dufault; sisters, Barbara and Genevieve; and her parents.

Funeral services were held Thursday, May 23, 2019 at Pray Funeral Home in Charlotte, with Pastor Charles Jenson officiating.  

Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Michigan Chapter. 

Friends and family are encouraged to share memories of Jean on her tribute page at PrayFuneral.com.

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Funeral Services:

Philip Arlan Crowner, 82, an adventurous man who “did it his way,” died Saturday, May 18, 2019 in Lansing.  Phil was born May 8, 1937 in Lansing, the son of Charles A. and Marjorie Elouise (Shaffer) Crowner. At the age of 16, Phil started racing stock cars at Capital City Speedway, a passion that gave birth to a lifelong “need for speed.” Phil’s racing hobby saw him behind the wheel of several cars throughout the years, especially his beloved 1932 Ford Street Rod. He shared his talents as a mechanic in his shop on Lansing Road, even fixing the broken-down tour bus for the The Who. Phil and his brother, Dave were founding members of the local Headers Car Club, and could often be spotted at cars shows, auctions, and checking in on projects at Eaton Auto Body.  Phil also drove trucks for Leaseway, as well as cement trucks, and worked briefly for Oldsmobile.

Phil demonstrated stern love and guidance, not only to his nieces and nephews, but also mentoring countless troubled teens, thus positively impacting many lives.  He enjoyed camping trips up north with family and friends.  Many will remember Phil’s ability to “say it like it is,” and always being a man of his word.

Phil is survived by his sister, Jane (Davide) Crowner-Friedman of Dimondale; sister-in-law, Betty Crowner of Charlotte; nieces and nephews, Larry (Amy) Crowner of Olivet, Catherine Crowner of Charlotte, Mike (Mallory) Crowner of Charlotte, and Christian (Sarah) Smucker of Portage; and several extended family members.  

He was predeceased by his parents; and his brother, David Arthur Crowner.

Friends are encouraged to support Phil’s family at a Memorial Service on Thursday, May 30, 2019 at 2 p.m. at Pray Funeral Home in Charlotte. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service, from noon to 2 p.m.  

Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children at shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/shc or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital at stjude.org.   

Friends and family are encouraged to share memories of Philip on his tribute page at PrayFuneral.com.  

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Funeral Services:

Brian Scott Hill, 55, of Vermontville, went home to be with the Lord Thursday, May 16, 2019. Brian was born in Lansing on September 9, 1963, the son of the Carl and Mary (Hillis) Hill. Brian was raised in the Vermontville area and attended local schools, graduating from Maple Valley High School in 1981. Brian spent his working career in the manufacturing industry where he specialized in plastic injection molding.

Brian enjoyed being outdoors fishing, hiking and hanging out on the beach. Brain loved being in the gym, lifting weights and competitive boxing. During his time in the ring, Brain was the State of Michigan Golden Gloves state runner up. 

Brian is survived by his parents, Carl (Mary) Hill; his daughter, Christina (Alex) Torres; his son, Logan Hill; his lifelong friend and mother to his children, Wendy James; his sister, Brenda Phenix; brother, Robert (Sandie) Hill; his grandchildren, Belanna, Leilani, and Julian Torres; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held at The Daniels Funeral Home in Nashville at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 25, 2019. The family will receive visitors prior to the funeral service on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. at The Daniels Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Autism Speaks.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Daniels Funeral Home in Nashville.  For further details, please visit danielsfuneralhome.net.

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Funeral Services:

Sylvia E. Hamilton, 80, of Charlotte, passed away Monday, May 13, 2019, at Eaton County Health and Rehabilitation Services. She was born September 2, 1938, in St. James, Minn., the daughter of Clifford and Gunarda (Blackstad) Robinson. On April 12, 1958, she married David Hamilton in Minnesota. Together they raised their family on the family farm on Chester Road. Sylvia was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She always took a keen interest in her children and grandchildren. Sylvia was a 4-H leader for many years and volunteered at the children’s school whenever help was needed. She was a devoted long-time member of Peace Lutheran Church, where she served in many different capacities. Sylvia retired after many years of service from Farm Bureau Insurance in Lansing. 

Sylvia is survived by her children, Janet (Dennis) Croff, John Hamilton, Brenda (Larry) Hall, Paul Hamilton; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and brother, Robert (Lilah) Robinson of Wisconsin. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, David; and grandson, Tom Hamilton; and sister, Dorothy Harris. 

Funeral services will be held on Monday, May 20, 2019, at 11 a.m. at Peace Lutheran Church, with Pastor David Keller officiating. The family will receive friends on Sunday, May 19, 2019, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Burkhead-Green-Kilgo Funeral Home, and from 10 to 11 a.m. on Monday at Peace Lutheran Church. Interment will take place at West Carmel Cemetery. 

Those desiring, may make contributions in Sylvia’s honor to Peace Lutheran Church, 830 N. Cochran Ave., Charlotte, MI 48813.

To view Sylvia’s obituary online or to leave a condolence for the family please visit burkhead-greenfuneralhome.com.