October 20, 1999

Obituaries

FLORENCE A. BARBER, 83, of Rapid City, died Sunday, Oct. 17, 1999, at the Kalkaska Memorial Health Center. She was born Aug. 21, 1916, in Rapid City.
      Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Wolfe Funeral Home in Kalkaska. Friends may call at the funeral home from 9 a.m. Thursday until the time of service.
     
      LEO B. HAGER, 68, of Kalkaska, died Monday, Oct. 18, 1999, at his residence. He was born Oct. 31, 1930, in Fife Lake.
      No services are planned. Arrangements were handled by Wolfe Funeral Home in Kalkaska.
     
      VICTOR J. NEUMAN, 79, of Bellaire, died Tuesday, Oct. 19, 1999, at Meadow Brook Medical Care Facility in Bellaire. He was born Dec. 23, 1919.
      The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m.today at the Bellaire Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes, where A Wake service will be held at 7:30 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Luke Catholic Church in Bellaire.
     
      FLOYD R. WILLIAMS, SR., 71, of Thompsonville, died Monday, Oct. 18, 1999, at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City.
      Arrangements are being handled by the Bennett-Barz Funeral Home in Beulah.
     
      Phyllis L. Smith
      Died October 18, 1999
      KALKASKA - Phyllis L. Smith, 64, of Kalkaska, passed away Monday at her home.
      Born Dec. 8, 1934, in Kalkaska, she was the daughter of Elmer and Cora (Morris) Cross. On April 16, 1955, in Kalkaska, she married Robert Smith, who preceded her in death on March 17, 1974.
      A lifelong resident of Kalkaska, Phyllis graduated from Kalkaska High School in 1952. She was a loving mother and grandmother to her family and she enjoyed golf and bingo.
      She is survived by her son, Tim Smith of Kalkaska; four daughters, Carla (Robert) Sieting, Dorothy Nelson and Robin (Matthew) Richmond - all of Kalkaska, and Sandy (Tom) Strand of Corvallis, Ore.; two brothers, Allen (Sharon) Cross of Rapid City and Ronald (Barrie) Cross of Kalkaska; nine grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
      She was preceded in death by a son, Eugene "Butch" Smith; and a sister, Helen Walter.
      Friends may call from 5 to 9 p.m. today at the Wolfe Funeral Home in Kalkaska. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery.
     
      Helen E. Stachurski
      Died October 15, 1999
      TRAVERSE CITY - Helen E. Stachurski, 80, of Traverse City, died Friday at Bortz Health Care in Traverse City.
      Born May 14, 1919, in Sunnyside, Ohio, she was the daughter of Francis and Mary Lendowski. She was married to Boleslaus "Bill" Stachurski for over 50 years.
      Helen retired as a seamstress from Chrysler Motor Company in Detroit. She was employed there for 30 years. She lived in Traverse City for the past 15 years, moving from Warren. She enjoyed crocheting.
      She is survived by two daughters, Celeste (Robert) Liska of Pellston and Lenore Thompson of Indianapolis; four grandsons, David and Kevin Milz and James and Jeffrey Liska; and three great-grandchildren, Travis, Kate and Claire.
      She was preceded in death by her parents and husband.
      A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Thursday at St. Francis Catholic Church in Traverse City with Rev. Bill Lipscomb officiating. Burial will be in Grand Traverse Memorial Gardens.
      Arrangements were handled by Traverse City Chapel of Covell Funeral Homes.
     
      Jason Olds Wilson
      Died October 17, 1999
      ELK RAPIDS - Jason Olds Wilson, 22, of Elk Rapids, died Sunday at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City.
      Born April 12, 1977, in Traverse City, he was the son of Larry and Nancy (Babcock) Wilson of Elk Rapids. On July 17, 1999, at New Hope Community Church in Williamsburg, he married Hope Inman.
      A lifelong resident of Elk Rapids, Jason graduated from Elk Rapids High School in 1995. He was working towards his bachelor's degree in accounting at Ferris University Center. He was the owner of First Impression Lawn Care in Elk Rapids and operated it with his brother, Chad of Elk Rapids, for the past four years. He enjoyed being a referee at high school basketball games and he played recreational hockey in Traverse City. Jason was a former member of the Elk Rapids Volunteer Fire Department. He attended New Hope Community Church and was actively involved in the youth program.
      He is survived by his wife, Hope Wilson of Elk Rapids; parents; two brothers, Chad and Tyler Wilson - both of Elk Rapids; a sister, Olivia Wilson of Elk Rapids; maternal grandmother, Barb Babcock of Elk Rapids; and paternal grandparents, Gail and Anne Wilson of Beulah.
      He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Samuel "Ward" Babcock.
      Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. today at Elk Rapids Chapel of Covell Funeral Homes. Visitation will continue at 10 a.m. Thursday at New Hope Community Church in Williamsburg prior to the funeral services which will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Church with Pastor John Clark officiating. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery in Elk Rapids.
      Memorial contributions may be directed to New Hope Community Church Youth.