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| Faith Devereaux | Joseph G. DiBlase |
Faith Devereaux
Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 8, 2001 at 10:00 A.m. at Smith Family Funeral Homes, St. Johns Chapel. Pastor Mark Woodbury of the Charlotte Assembly of God Church will officiate. Burial will take place at Duplain Township Cemetery, Duplain Township, Michigan. Visitation will be Friday 2-9 with the family present from 2-4 and 7-9 P.m. Faith was born in Duplain Township, Michigan on July 26, 1926, the daughter of Ward & Lilas H. (Case) Devereaux. She was a member of the Assembly of God Church in Charlotte. She resided most of her life in St. Johns, Michigan moving to Charlotte in 1989. She also served in the United States Marine Corps. Survivors include one sister, Amber Easlick of Ravenna, MI, one brother, Orville & Virginia Devereaux of Williamston, MI, and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, and one sister, Ellen Marie Devereaux. Memorials may be made to the Assembly of God Church in Charlotte, Michigan. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes, St. Johns Chapel. Samantha Lynn Rasmussen, of Cadillac, died Saturday morning, September 1, 2001 at the age of 4. She was born February 23, 1997 in Lansing, Michigan to Mark E. Rasmussen and Mindy Williams. She is survived by her parents, Mindy (Noah) Weissen of Cadillac, Mark E. Rasmussen of St. Johns, MI; 2 brothers, Brian A. Rasmussen and Nathaniel N. Weissen, both at home in Cadillac; 2 sisters, Catherine E. Rasmussen at home in Cadillac and Naomi Rasmussen in San Diego, CA; grandparents, Peggy Chadwick of Lansing, Robert S. (Ruby) Williams of Montague, MI, James G. Rasmussen of St. Johns, MI, Shirley Rasmussen (Lyle) Huguelet of DeWitt, MI, and Teri (Tony) Bolf of Cadillac; many aunts, uncles and cousins. Funeral services will be held 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, September 5, 2001 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on M-115 in Cadillac with President Mike Hartman officiating. Graveside services will be held at 5:00 P.M. Wednesday at Mt. Rest Cemetery in St. Johns, MI. Memorials may be made to Mark Rasmussen & family. Local arrangements by the Osgood Funeral Home, St. Johns.
Joe also has two sons, Joseph (Kathy) DiBlase and their daughters, Kimberly (Matt) Prince and Kristin DiBlase, all of Lansing, and Robert (Martha) DiBlase of Lansing and their sons, Jason (Stacie) DiBlase of Racine, Wisconsin, Nicholas DiBlase and David Raglin, both of Lansing. He is also survived by three brothers, Angelo DiBlase, Joseph (Laura) Mora and Nicholas Moraco, all of Illinois, and three sisters, Teresa (Dr. John) Lindsay, Clara McDonough, and Pauline Arrendondo, all of Illinois. In addition to his parents, Joe was preceded in death by two brothers, Frank and Alfred DiBlase. Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10:00 A.M. Saturday, September 8, 2001
at St. Joseph Catholic Church with Rev. Fr. Ken McDonald officiating. Burial will be
at Mt. Rest Cemetery with military graveside services provided by American Legion Post #
153 and V.F.W. Post #4113. The family will receive friends 6-8 P.M. Thursday
and 2-4 and 6-8 P.M. Friday at the Osgood Funeral Home with a Rosary
being prayed 8 P.M. Friday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Hospice
House of Mid-Michigan or St. Joseph Education Trust Fund.
Also surviving are one daughter, Kathleen (Michael) Verlinde of St. Johns, Gary (Shelly) Biddinger of St. Johns and Richard (Alice) Biddinger of Caro, MI, seven grandchildren, ten great grandchildren, one great great grandchild, and one sister, Reva Lindley of Petoskey, MI. He was preceded in death by one sister, Grace and two brothers, Irvin and David. Funeral services will be 2:00 P.M. Friday, September 7, 2001 at the Osgood Funeral Home, burial at Mt. Rest Cemetery with Pastor Ronald Biddinger and Pastor Robert Ditmer officiating. The family will receive friends 6-9 P.M. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Also surviving are four sons, Joe (Judy) Salminen of Grand Ledge, Michael (Gina) Salminen of Ypsilanti, Rev. Jon (Linda) Salminen of Pearland, Texas, and Rev. Bryan (Casey) Salminen of St. Louis, MO, six grandchildren, Sean, Bethany, Daniel, Lauren, David, and Michael, numerous nieces/nephews and many friends. Art was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Gertrude Salminen, and four brothers, George, Lawrence, Charles, and Gust Salminen. Funeral services will by 11:00 A.M. Thursday, September 6, 2001 at St. Johns Lutheran Church with Rev. George Brinley officiating. The family will receive friends 6-8 P.M. Wednesday at the Osgood Funeral Home, St. Johns. Memorials may be made to U of M Cancer Research. Merle W. Gillis
Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie Chapel, Thursday, September 6, 2001 at 11:00 A.m. Pastor Billie Lou Gillespie will officiate with burial at Ford Cemetery, Gratiot County, Michigan. Visitation will be Wednesday from 2-9 with the family present from 2-4 and 7-9 P.m. at the funeral home. Mr. Gillis was born September 30 1912, the son of James P. and Bernice (Hall) Gillis at his parents home in Saginaw County near Fenmore. He attended the Fenmore country school and was a 1929 graduate of Elsie High School. He resided most of his life in the Saginaw County area. His heart was in his agricultural career, first dairy farming for many years with his father and brother Gerald, and later cash crop farming. The Gillis brothers, Merle and Gerald, also owned and operated the Fenmore Roller Rink for several years in the 1940’s before building and operating Brockway Roller Rink in Saginaw, Rollhaven Roller Rink in Flint, Southland Lanes Bowling Alley in Flint, and Fashion Square Roller Rink in Saginaw. Mr. Gillis was a renowned worldwide traveler fulfilling his lifelong dream of traveling around the world visiting Antarctica, Russia, Europe, Australia, and Siberia. The highlights of his adventures, however, were his numerous safaris to Africa. Mr. Gillis was an active member of the Flint Ski Club for many years, which offered him the opportunity of skiing in the United States and Europe. He was also a member of the National Bowling Proprietors Association. Survivors include; 1 brother Gerald (Martha) Gillis of Saginaw, 1 sister Reatha Maynard of Elsie, nephews Gene (Sandy) Maynard, Gary (Kari) Gillis, nieces Janet (Kenneth) Swanson, and Marilyn, Carolyn, and Karen Gillis, several grandnieces and nephews, 2 great grandnephews, and 1 great grandniece. He is predeceased by his parents, 1 sister Stella Keyser, 2 brothers’ in-law Albert Maynard and Lawrence Keyser. Memorials may be made to the Elsie Historical Society. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie Chapel.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, September 5, 2001 at 10:00 A.M. at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie Chapel from 2-8 with family present 2-4 & 6-8 P.M. Beatrice was born in Galesburg, Michigan on August 15, 1921 the daughter of Clare & Irene ( Cutler ) Freer. In 1941 she married John M. Abnet Sr. in Galesburg, Michigan, John died in 1983. She resided most of her life in Kalamazoo, Indian River and St. Johns, Michigan. She was a member of St. Johns United Methodist Church and was a member of United Methodist Women. Survivors include, 1 son, Frank & Karen Abnet of Oakley, 4 grandchildren, John M. Abnet III, Andrew Abnet, Allison Catrell, and Daniel Abnet, 2 great grandchildren Sidney & John IV. A special child in her life Dori Robinson, 1 daughter in law, Barbara Abnet of Norfolk, Virginia, 2 sisters Louise Fisher of Wayland, MI, Harriet Sommerfeldt of SanDiego, CA, 1 brother Jim Freer of Arizona. She was predeceased by her parents, 1 son John M. Abnet Jr., 3 sisters & 4 brothers. Memorials can be made to the Elsie Public Library in Elsie Michigan. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie Chapel.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 1, 2001 at 11:00 A.m., at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie Chapel with Pastor Larry Howland officiating. Visitation will be Friday from 2-6 P.m. Jeff was born in Owosso, Michigan on April 4, 1953, the son of Gerald and Hazel (Williams) Carpenter. He graduated from Ovid-Elsie High School and lived most of his life in the Ovid area. He is survived by three daughters, Jessica Ann Carpenter of Haslett, Carmin Rae Carpenter of Florida, and Heather Joy Carpenter of Chesaning, one granddaughter LaKata, mother, Hazel Carpenter of Owosso, four sisters, Geraldine Arnett of St. Johns, Pat Holder of Owosso, Dorothy Sparks of Cadillac, and Debbie Hettler of St. Johns, one brother, Gerald Carpenter of Cadillac, and life long friend, Stacy L. Coon of Chesaning. He is predeceased by his father, one daughter Jamie, and one brother Keith. Memorials may be made to the family. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie Chapel. Frank J. Len, 61, of Ovid, died Aug. 31, 2001. He was born Dec. 29, 1939 in Detroit, the son of Frank and Lottie (Swistack) Len. He graduated from Lincoln Park High School in 1958 and from Henry Ford Community College. He worked for the Detroit Police Dept. for 7-1/2 years and retired from Michigan State Police as Detective Sgt. in 1996 after 29-1/2 years. He was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church. Funeral services were held Sept. 4 at Holy Family Catholic Church with the Rev. Fr. Paul Cummings officiating. |
Age
75 of Charlotte, Michigan formerly of St. Johns died Wednesday, September 5, 2001 at
Sparrow Hospital in Lansing. She was a retired Home Healthcare Worker. 
Joseph G. DiBlase died September 3, 2001 at the age
of 75. Born December 28, 1925 in New Kensington, PA the son of Joseph and Rose (Ciancio)
DiBlase. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and the St. Johns Rotary Club
as a Paul Harris Fellow. Joe worked in St. Johns as an Optician for Dr. David L.
Peters for 21 years. He married Joanne Strelecki July 8, 1972 and she survives him.
Clayton A. Biddinger died September 3, 2001 at
the age of 85. He was born in North Star, MI on November 3, 1915, the son of George and
Clarissa (Wilkinson) Biddinger and lived most of his life in Middleton and Pompeii before
coming to St. Johns. He retired from Federal Mogul in 1977. Clayton married Marjorie G.
Duflo in Middleton on November 7, 1934
A. Arthur "Art" Salminen died September
3, 2001 at the age of 71. He was born in Humbolt, MI on January 12, 1930, the son of Gust
and Maria (Arola) Salminen. He retired from the State of Michigan-Department of Civil
Service. He is survived by his wife of 46 years Betty Gee Salminen whom he married
on March 5, 1955. 
Age 88 of
Bannister, Michigan passed away Sunday, September 2, 2001 at HealthSource Hospital in
Saginaw, Michigan following a lengthy illness.
Age 80 of Oakley
formerly of St. Johns died Friday, August 31, 2001 at Ovid Healthcare Center, Ovid,
Michigan. She was a Home Economics Teacher retiring from Portage Public Schools.
Age
48 of Ovid, Michigan passed away Monday, August 27, 2001 in El Paso, Texas. He worked for
Event Services Company and was a stage builder for concerts.