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Rose G. Thelen

Orpha M. (Drake) VerPlanck

Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Geller

Alaina Sue “Lainy” Longoria

Rita F. (Simon) Wieber

Rita F. (Simon) Wieber, loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, died December 31, 2007, at the age of 84. She was born in Fowler on September 29, 1923, the daughter of Otto and Mary (Hufnagel) Simon. She was a retired executive secretary for the State of Michigan Department of Corrections, was a member of Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Daughters of Isabella and Christian Mothers, was a Eucharistic minister and Meals on Wheels volunteer.

Rita married Carl Wieber in Fowler on April 29, 1961 and he survives her. Also surviving are her daughters, Rosemary (Joseph) Brown of Tampa, FL and Patty Wieber of Lansing, grandchildren, Marissa Brown and Kelsey Brown, sister, Theresa Donovan of New Orleans, brothers, Don (Shirley) Simon of Mt. Clemens and Frank (Barb) Simon of Lansing and brother-in-law, Alfred Koenigsknecht of Fowler. She was preceded in death by her brothers, Paul Simon and Roman Simon and sisters, Anna Rose Koenigsknecht and Wilma Thelen.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 A.M. Thursday, January 3, 2008 at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, burial at Most Holy Trinity Cemetery with Rev. Fr. Dennis Howard officiating. The family will receive friends 7-9 P.M. Tuesday and 2-4 and 7-9 P.M. Wednesday at the Goerge Chapel of the Osgood Funeral Homes with rosaries prayed 8 P.M. Tuesday, 3 and 8 P.M. Wednesday. Sympathy may be expressed in the form of memorials to Heartland Hospice, Tri County Meals on Wheels or Most Holy Trinity Educational Trust Fund.

Linda L. Jenkins

Linda L. Jenkins, age 59, of Owosso, passed away Thursday, December 27, 2007 at her residence. Linda was born on March 27, 1948 in St. Johns, the daughter of Richard and Mary Jane (Dutcher) Jenkins. She graduated from St. Paul High School in 1966. She was a hairdresser for thirty years owning the Hairport Salon in Owosso, and retiring in July of 2007 due to her illness. She was an associate instructor for Paul Mitchell. In her earlier years Linda worked for Woodard Manufacturing, a showroom in Los Angeles, and was a furniture rep. in Redding, Pennsylvania.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10 am, Monday, December 31, 2007 at St. Paul Catholic Church, with Fr. John Fain officiating. Burial will follow at St. Paul Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Nelson-House Funeral Home on Saturday from 6 to 8 pm, and on Sunday from 12 noon to 8 pm, with a Rosary being prayed at 6 pm.

Survivors include her son, Ryan (Patricia) Jenkins of Owosso; granddaughter, Isabel; sisters, Margie Spencer, and Carol (Gary) Soule, both of Owosso; nieces and nephews, Rick and Patrick Brown, Katie and Jessalyn Soule, Anna (Skip) Clouse, Aaron (Kate) Jenkins, and Brandi (Bill) Albring; great-nephews, Andrew Jenkins, Cannon and Avery Clouse; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. She was predeceased by her parents; and brother, Jim Jenkins. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul Catholic Church.

Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Geller

Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Geller died December 29, 2007, at the age of 88. She was born in Hubbardston on April 30, 1919, the daughter of John and Louise (Rocky) Riley. Betty was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Pewamo. She was a retired nurse at Carson City Hospital. In June 1945, Betty married Carl Geller in Hubbardston.

In addition to her husband she is survived by daughter, Carla Geller, three sons, Richard Geller, Kenneth Leo (Mary) Geller and Patrick Geller. Betty is also survived by her grandchildren, Tiffany E. Geller. Mark Geller, Andrea Geller, Alicia Geller and Scott Geller. Betty also has four sisters, Lorraine (Elmer) Barker, Helen Tait, Rita (Neil) Snyder and Janet (Patrick) Burns, two brothers, Gene (Audrey) Riley and Leonard Riley, sister-in-law, Ruth Riley and brother-in-law, Stanley Schafer along with many neices and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister, Pat Schafer and brothers, Joe Riley and Jack Riley.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, January 2, 2008 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Pewamo, burial at St. Joseph Cemetery also in Pewamo with Rev. Fr. Charlon Mason officiating. Visitation will be 2:00 - 5:00 P.M. and 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. Monday at the Goerge Chapel of the Osgood Funeral Homes, Fowler, and the chapel will be open 12:00 - 4:00 P.M. on Tuesday with a rosary prayed at 3:00 and 8:00 P.M. on Monday only. Sympathies may be expressed in the form of contributions to the St. Joseph Catholic Church or School.

Rose G. Thelen

Rose G. Thelen died December 28, 2007, at the age of 86. She was born in St. Johns on October 16, 1921, the daughter of Edward and Anna (Schmitz) Schomisch. Rose was a member of Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Christian Mothers, Daughters of Isabella and Past President of the Ladies Auxilliary V.F.W. Post #3733. She was a retired sales clerk from Becker Furniture. On November 27, 1943, Rose married Leonard Thelen and he preceded her in death on September 9, 1998 after 54 years of marriage.

She is survived by three sons, Richard (Pat) Thelen, Gary (Susan) Thelen and Dale (Dottie) Thelen all of Fowler, two daughters, Judy (Dave) Finkbeiner and Sandy (Fritz) Steed both of Portland, 17 grandchildren, 41 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. Rose also has one brother, Edwin (Agnes) Schomisch of Fowler and one sister, Marie (Veer) Stevens of Lansing. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, daughter-in-law, Barb Thelen, three grandchildren, Jeffrey Parsons, Brent Thelen, and Tammy (Thelen) Fox, great-great granddaughter, Olivia Merrifield, two brothers, Lester and Leonard Schomisch, and one sister, Esther Theis.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10:30 A.M. Monday, December 31, 2007 at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, burial at Most Holy Trinity Cemetery with Rev. Fr. Dennis Howard officiating. Visitation will be 2:00 – 4:00 P.M. and 7:00 – 9:00 P.M. Sunday at the Goerge Chapel of the Osgood Funeral Homes, Fowler with a rosary prayed at 3:00 and 8:00 P.M. Sympathies may be expressed in the form of memorial contributions to the Most Holy Trinity Educational Trust Fund.

Alaina Sue “Lainy” Longoria

Alaina Sue “Lainy” Longoria passed away December 26, 2007, at the age of 24. She was born in St. Johns on July 31, 1983, the daughter of Alberto Longoria of St. Johns and Julie (Larry) Seibert of Ovid.

Also surviving are her fiance, Patrick Kepler, sisters, Jessica (Gordon) Purchase, niece and nephew, Bryce and Jacey Purchase, Jodi (Tom) Micka, Melanie (Robert) Hampton, Erika (Clyde) Oakes and Cheryl (Nathan) Smith, brothers, Kirk Smith and Larry (Gaylynn) Seibert, Jr., grandparents, Margaret (Al) Lounds and Julia Longoria, aunts, Diane Longoria, Gloria (James) Kimmel, Karen (Charlie) Gendreau and Patti (Pete) Faivor, uncles, Eric (Sherri) Longoria, Ricardo (Patti) Longoria, Louis (Barb) Longoria, Michael (Natalie) Longoria, William (Terri) Peterson, Jeffrey (Sabrina) Longoria, Kurt (Debbie) Parks, many cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brother, Alberto Longoria, grandfathers, Sam Parks and Eufemio C. Longoria, great grandmother, Gertrude White and uncle, Robert Longoria.

Funeral services will be 11:00 A.M. Monday, December 31, 2007 at the Houghton Chapel of the Osgood Funeral Homes, burial at Maple Grove Cemetery with Pastor Bob Prange officiating. The family will receive friends 6-8 P.M. Sunday at the funeral home. Sympathy may be expressed in the form of memorials to the Asthma Foundation and/or Scoliosis Foundation of Michigan.

Orpha M. (Drake) VerPlanck

Orpha M. (Drake) VerPlanck passed away peacefully at her son's home in Fort Wayne, IN on December 24, 2007 surrounded by her family. Born March 6, 1910 in Durand, MI, she graduated from Rodney B. Wilson High School in St. Johns and County Normal Teacher's College in Ypsilanti. She received her Master's Degree from Michigan State while teaching full time in the Lansing School District and raising her family. Her professional career began at the Frink School, St. Johns, a one room, rural school. She also taught in Rochester, MI before moving to Lansing where she taught at Bretton Woods and High Street Elementary schools. She learned Spanish in order to encourage her Spanish speaking students at High Street to share their culture with their fellow students, one of several educational innovations that she developed and implemented on her own. She also pioneered phonetic teaching and was asked to teach the pedagogy of phonetics one summer at Adams State College in Alamosa, CO. She left the classroom reluctantly to accept responsibility as the principal of Cumberland School from which she retired in 1973. She was a member of Central United Methodist Church, Semper Fidelis, the Greater Lansing Area Retired School Personnel, Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel, Michigan Educational Association of Retirees, National Retired Teachers Association and Delta Kappa Gamma (Theta Chapter).

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles H. VerPlanck; is survived by her two sons, C. Kent VerPlanck and wife, Rhonda of Suwanee, GA and Alan L. VerPlanck and wife, Victoria of Fort Wayne, IN; and grandchildren, Carl, Anna and Zoe of Fort Wayne.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, December 28 at Central United Methodist Church with the Rev. Joseph Huston officiating. Interment will follow in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Lansing. Contributions may be made to Central United Methodist Church, 215 N. Capitol, Lansing, MI 48933 or the American Heart Association, Memorial and Tributes Lockbox, 3816 Paysphere Circle, Chicago, IL 60674 in honor of Mrs. VerPlanck.