Mohnke Funeral Home » Obituaries

Bernard T. Hibbard, Jr.

Mohnke Funeral Home — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:18:36 +0000

Bernard T. Hibbard Jr. of Hersey passed away Wednesday, March 3, 2010.He was born in Pontiac, Michigan on June 11, 1923 the son of Bernard T. and Mary (Ryder) Hibbard Sr. Bernard retired after 38 years with Argonaut Division of General Motors in 1980 then moved with his wife to their home on the Muskegon River in Hersey. He was a veteran of the United States Army serving in the Philippines during World War II. Bernard married Anna Mae Moore in 1942. Anna preceded him in death in October 2001. Surviving are 1 son Ronald J. Hibbard of Hendersonville, Tennessee and 2 daughters, Karen (David) Hannah of Bellingham, Washington, Jane Swope of Hazel Park, Michigan, 7 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Also surviving are 2 brothers, James (Barbara)Hibbard of Florida and Hiller (Sybil) Hibbard of Minnesota.Bernard was preceded in death by his mother and father and wife Anna.Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 8, 2010 at the Mohnke Funeral Homewith Reverend Mike Riegler officiating. Visitation will be Sunday 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Michigan

Lyle Martin Jorgensen

Mohnke Funeral Home — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:15:17 +0000

Big Rapids-Lyle Martin Jorgensen, 83, passed away on Friday, March 5, 2010. He was born December 5, 1926 in Big Rapids, to Einer and Blanche (Borst) Jorgensen. Lyle lived in the Big Rapids area his entire life. He retired in 1988 from the Big Rapids Post Office.

Prior to working at the post office Lyle owned and operated the City Shoe Hospital formerly located on South Michigan Avenue. He is survived by one sister Esther Amon of Rockford: a sister-in-law, Bonnie Jorgensen of Barryton and several nieces, nephews and friends. Lyle was preceded in death by his parents and one brother James Paul Jorgensen and a brother-in-law, Richard Amon.Memorial contributions in Lyle’s name may be made to Mecosta County Animal Shelter.Arrangements are entrusted to Mohnke Funeral Home. A memorial service will be announced for a later date.

Bernard Dale Buikema

Mohnke Funeral Home — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:26:43 +0000

Bernard Dale Buikema, age 65, of Big Rapids passed away March 3, 2010 after a long hard battle with multiple arterial sclerosis resulting in five strokes.Surviving are wife Dorothy of 46 years, two sons, Brian (Kathy) of Hastings, Michigan,David (Michelle) of Wyoming, Michigan, four grandchildren, Logan, Savannah, Daniel,Tracy and two great grandchildren, Jorden and Cylee. One sister, Marianne Dangerfield of Kentwood, two brothers Robert of Grandville and Daniel of Hudsonville. Several good friends and clients. He was preceded in death by parents Bernard Sr. and Effie Buikema. One infant new born son on July 6, 1967. He was a life long resident of Grandville, Michigan until he moved to Big Rapids onMay 3, 1993. He owned and operated his own business, Bernie’s Accounting and Tax Service.Upon the request of his family, cremation has taken place, and private burial services will be held in the Grandville Cemetery at a later date. Arrangements are entrusted to the Mohnke Funeral Home in Big Rapids.

Larry Ramsey

Mohnke Funeral Home — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:10:01 +0000

Big Rapids-Larry S. Ramsey, age 55, of Big Rapids, passed away Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at Mecosta County Medical Center. He was born on September 5, 1954 in Redlands, California, the son of John and Katherine (Binge) Ramsey. Larry is survived by 4 daughters, Teresa (Michael) Mazzini, Erin (Leonard) Butyter, Stacy (Gordon) Ramsey, and Amanda (Anthony) Addington, 3 brothers, Dan, James, John, 3 sisters, JoAnn, Francis and Ginger and 7 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father John and sister Odessa. A memorial service will be held Friday, March 5th,11:00 a.m. at the Mohnke Funeral Home with Pastor Gerald Kelley officiating. Larry’s family will greet friends at the funeral home beginning at 10:00 a.m. prior to services.

Dorothy Isabel Culp

Mohnke Funeral Home — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:37:49 +0000

Big Rapids-Dorothy Isabel Culp, age 92, of Big Rapids passed away Monday, March 1, 2010 at Grand Oak Nursing Home in Baldwin. She was born May 23, 1917 in Aurora, Illinois, the daughter of John R. and Myrtle L. (Frauom) Woolf. Dorothy worked in the food service department at Ferris State University for 10 years prior to retiring. She had been a member of the Eastern Star. Dorothy moved to Ft. Myers, Florida following retirement and later returned to Big Rapids to be near family. Surviving are 2 sons Kenneth (Rosemary) Culp of Florida, Doug (friend Deb) of Grand Rapids, 4 daughters Sondra Kramer, Carol (John) Keyser of St. Joseph, Michigan, Pat (Tim) Newburn of Baldwin, Sharon (David) Woofter of Stanwood, 23 grandchildren, 40 great grandchildren, 2 brothers, Melvin Woolf of Ft. Myers, Florida, Howard Woolf of Muskegon, sister-in-law Marie Woolf of Grand Rapids and son-in-law Ron Beye of Howard City. Dorothy was preceded in death by a daughter Evelyn Beye and 3 brothers. Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 5 at Northland United Methodist Church in Stanwood with Reverend Dominic Tommy officiating. Visitation will be Thursday 2-4 and 6-8 at the Mohnke Funeral Homein Big Rapids. Burial will be at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Grand Rapids. Memorials may be made tothe Order of the Eastern Star.

Edwin E. “Bud” Meier

Mohnke Funeral Home — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:15:46 +0000

Retired architect Edwin E. “Bud” Meier, 87, of Clear Lake, Big Rapids died Tuesday February 23. He was born in Detroit on Oct 13, 1922, the son of Edwin Sr. and Venus (Erikson) Meier. During WW II he served with the Army Air Corps in Europe. He was a graduate of the University of Detroit (1950), a member of the American Institute of Architects, and a partner in Donaldson and Meier Architects of Detroit. He was the last in the line of architects who brought us the original aviary at the Detroit Zoo, the David Stott building, St. Joseph Hospital in Pontiac, and the Beaumont Tower at Michigan State University. Mr. Meier was preceded in death by his first wife Patricia (nee Doppel), his infant son David, and his sister Jayne (Carr). He is survived by his sons Edwin W (Beth), John, and James (Mary), his wife Sheila (nee Gallagher), who he married in 1981, his step-daughter Margaret McRae (Kevin); seven grandchildren: Morgan, Syndey, Hallie, and Owen of Ames, Iowa; Sophie of Springfield, Ohio; and Ryan and Kyle McRae of Doylestown, Pennsylvania; and his sister Marjorie (Peirce) of Warren, MI. Mr. Meier was a lifelong summer resident of Clear Lake, Big Rapids. He retired to there in 1989. A Mass of Christian Burial, with The Most Rev. Walter A. Hurley, Bishop of the Diocese of Grand Rapids as celebrant and Rev. Lam T. Le as concelebrant will be held at St. Mary Catholic Church in Big Rapids at 11:00 am, Saturday, February 27. Memorials may be sent to the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Peter M. Wege Guest House, 129 Jefferson St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 or the St. Vincent de Paul House in Big Rapids. Visitation will be Friday 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00 pm and Vigil Service at 7:30 p.m at the Mohnke Funeral Home, Big Rapids.

Captain Douglas Miller

Mohnke Funeral Home — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:28:30 +0000

Captain J. Douglas Miller, Supply Corps, U.S. Naval Reserve (ret.)

BIG RAPIDS — Joseph Douglas Miller, a retired Navy captain, completed his last mission at his Big Rapids home on President’s Day, Feb. 15, 2010. Heart failure followed a severe heart attack on Dec. 30. His remains will be buried in Rural Hill Cemetery in Northville, alongside his wife of 60 years.

He was born in Detroit on Dec. 23, 1918. From his earliest days he was called “Doug” by his family and friends. During the Depression, his family moved to Chambersburg, Penn., where Doug completed high school and at age 16, and entered Gettysburg College. The family moved to Newaygo, and after finishing the year at Gettysburg, Doug transferred to Grand Rapids Community College, and a year later to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, following his father’s footsteps. There he completed his bachelor’s degree in economics in 1940. While in school, he supported himself by delivering ice, then working at the landmark Pretzel Bell, where he learned the restaurant business.

Doug entered the MBA program, but as war approached, he discovered and obtained admission to the Naval Supply Corps School at Harvard University, emerging as a “90-Day Wonder” ensign in September 1941. He was “Officer of the Day” at Toledo Naval Station on Dec. 7, 1941, when the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was announced.

While stationed in Toledo, Ohio, Doug met Nancy Rucker. They married in 1943 and honeymooned on a train to San Francisco, where Lt. Miller had been ordered to USS Boreas, a refrigerated transport ship. Doug rose to supply officer, managing the food and sundries Boreas carried unescorted across the Pacific and from New Zealand and Australia to American ships and ground forces in forward positions.

Lt. Commander Miller was assigned to duty in Washington, D.C., after the war. He then transferred to Naval Reserve status, attaining the rank of captain in 1960. His love of the Navy was transferred to his heirs. His son, David, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis; his grandson, Douglas, graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2001, earned his helicopter pilot’s wings and has served in Afghanistan; his grandson, Nathan, is in his third year at Annapolis. Doug remained active in several retired military organizations, and enjoyed attending reunions and other gatherings, such as the opening of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

After leaving active military service, Doug and Nancy returned to Ann Arbor. There, Doug completed his MBA program and they opened a restaurant. Their first two sons were born in Ann Arbor; and by 1953 the family had moved to New York, where their third son was born. Doug worked for Caltex Petroleum Company in Manhattan, devising methods and schedules for delivering food and other supplies to Caltex worldwide tanker fleet and shore operations in Asia and Africa. In 1953 Doug lived in Bahrain for eight months as harbormaster, replenishing Caltex ships in the Persian Gulf. In those days, few families accompanied employees when they were stationed overseas.

In 1957 Doug was assigned to manage Caltex’s Indonesian, supply and food service operations in Sumatra, Indonesia. He was in Indonesia for three years, joined by his family for two of them. After returning from Indonesia Doug left Caltex, then became superintendent of the school lunch program in the Katonah-Lewisboro school district in New York. He later added the title of Manager of the Waccabuc Country Club near South Salem, N.Y. From 1963 through 1983 he saw Waccabuc grow from a small, seasonal operation into one open to members year-round.

Despite the stress of long separations during and after the War, Doug and Nancy remained married until Nancy’s death in 2003. They were partners in the true sense of the word: When Doug had to be overseas, Nancy would take on jobs, later taking care of their children, and starting nursery schools in several cities where they lived.

After retiring in 1983, Doug and Nancy traveled all over the world, including China, Korea, Russia, New Zealand and Hawaii. As a sideline, Doug set up a company to import venison from New Zealand, giving him an excuse to travel to New Zealand, which he had grown to love during World War II. In 1999 they sold their house in Lake Katonah, N.Y., and moved to Big Rapids.

Survivors include three sons, Chris (wife Karen) in Atlanta, Ga., and their children, Doug, Andrew (wife Elizabeth), and Sarah (husband Chad) Brown, Steve in South Salem, N.Y., and David (wife Joyce) of Big Rapids, and their children Nathan, Joshua, Samuel and Abigail.

Memorial services will be held for Captain Miller in Big Rapids and Atlanta, with specific dates to be determined.

Arrangements are by the Mohnke Funeral Home.

Norma Pauline Britton

Mohnke Funeral Home — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:04:16 +0000

Big Rapids, Norma Pauline Britton, 88, passed away Wednesday, February 10, 2010.She was born August 2, 1921 in Barton Township, Newaygo County, the daughter of Carl and Ida Gertrude (Schooley) Madison. On February 12, 1947 she married Maxwell E. Britton in Big Rapids. Norma retired after 14 years from the food service department at Ferris State University in 1986 and then worked part time there until 1998. She was a long time member of the First United Methodist Church in Big Rapids. She enjoyed tending her flowers, watching sports, being Mom, grandma and aunt to her family.Surviving Norma are two sons, Richard (Kathleen) Britton of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia and Donald (Melinda) Britton of Big Rapids, six grandchildren, Jennifer, Nathaniel, Zachary, Nicholas (Katie),Megan and Kristen Britton, plus four nephews and four nieces. She was preceeded in death by her husband, Maxwell in 2005, two brothers, Wallace Madison, Donald Madison and one sister Lorita (Madison) Youngs.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. on Monday, February 15, 2010 at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Dean Prentiss officiating. Burial will follow at the Maple Grove Cemetery, Fremont. Memorial contributions for Heartland Hospice and the First United Methodist Church Outreach Committee may be left at the Mohnke Funeral Home where Norma’s family will greet friends on Sunday, February 14, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Norma’s family would like to thank the staff at Evergreen Terrace for their kindness and care.

Herbert “Herb” A. Parsons

Mohnke Funeral Home — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:55:05 +0000

Herbert “Herb” A. Parsons, 84, of Big Rapids, passed away Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at home surrounded by his loving family.He was born August 29, 1925 in Holcombe, Wisconsin, the son of Harry C. and Mary Jane Inez (Aitken) Parsons.He served in the United States Navy during World War II in the Pacific as an Aviation Ordnanceman Second Class.After receiving his Bachelors and Masters degrees from Stout University in Wisconsin he taught vocational education at Battle Creek Central High School prior to moving to Big Rapids in 1953. Herb helped develop the Automotive Technology Program where he served as “teacher”, Associate Dean and Program Director during his “32 1/2″ years at Ferris State University. Prior to retiring he played a lead role with planning, development and construction of Ferris State’s new Automotive and Heavy Equipment Technology building. A project he enjoyed and took great pride. Upon retiring from Ferris in 1986 Herb was awarded the title Professor Emeritus.Herb was a life member of Iota Lamda Sigma and Phi Delta Kappa Fraternities and a member of the United Church of Big Rapids since 1955.He loved deer hunting and didn’t miss a hunt in 70 years. He also enjoyed antique cars and was co-founder of the River Valley Car Club.He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Betty and five children, DeWayne Parsons, Lynne Zaebst,Vicki Parsons, Jan (Michael) Clark and Mary Jo Parsons, six grandchildren; Tomas and Tennille Parsons,Brent and Dana Zaebst, Heather and Shawn Clark. Also, surviving are a brother, Laverne Parsons plustwo sisters, Shirley Danielson and Jean Richtmyre. He was preceeded in death by his brother Bill Parsons. A memorial service for Herb will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 6, 2010 at the United Church with Rev. Jon Fleming officiating. Memorial Contributions may be made to the American Red Cross,Home Hospice of Michigan, Leukemia Society of America. Arrangements are by the Mohnke Funeral Home in Big Rapids, Michigan.

Gerald R. Bechaz

Mohnke Funeral Home — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:10:24 +0000

Big Rapids-Gerald R. Bechaz, age 69, of Big Rapids passed away Monday, February 1, 2010 at Spectrum Hospital in Grand Rapids. He was born October 2, 1940 in Big Rapids, the son of Oswald and Jane (Hosier) Bechaz. Gerald retired from Wolverine World Wide Plants C and B after 38 years. He was a 1959 graduate of Big Rapids High School.

He is survived by his mother Jane Bechaz, one daughter, Terri Jo (Russell) Hansen of Muskegon, one granddaughter, Tina Marie, 4 brothers and sisters, Janice (Bill) Streeter, Texas, Mary (Wes) Bigelow of Morley, Robert (Ruthann) Bechaz of Morley, and John Bechaz of Stanwood plus many aunts, uncles,nieces and nephews. Gerald was preceded in death by his father Oswald in 1993.

A gathering in Gerald’s honor will be held at the Stanwood Eagles Club on Friday, February 5, 2010 at 1:00 p.m.Memorial contributions may be made Home Hospice of Michigan. Arrangements are by the Mohnke Funeral Home.