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Obituaries |
| John M. Kurncz | Rex Allen Baker |
| Rex
Allen Baker
Rex could often be found helping one of his sons with a project or setting up a trampoline for his grandsons. He worked hard to remodel his home to have a nice place for his wife and family. In addition to this, he found time to take care of his mom after his dad's death less than a year ago, and also squeeze in some time to go hunting and fishing, which he truly loved to do. He enjoyed sitting around the campfire or wood stove telling stories, especially about his buddies at work, or the big buck that got away. In 1963, he enlisted in the Army and was in the Army Corp of Engineers, advancing to the rank of Sergeant (E5). He spent two years in Germany and upon his return to the United States he was united in marriage to Nancy Ann Walter on August 5, 1967. For the past four decades, Rex was employed by Dana Corporation as one of their top machine repair men. He worked in the St. Johns plant and also traveled to Nebraska, Tennessee and Missouri, fixing machinery and training others in the mechanics of the machine. Rex and his wife, Nancy, raised three boys, Kevin (Michelle) Baker of Muskegon,
Michigan; Steven (Laura) Baker of St. Louis, Missouri; and David (Heidi) Baker of Lansing,
Michigan, who will mourn his loss. He leaves behind three grandsons (Benjamin,
Christian, and Myles) as well as a granddaughter on-the-way; his mother, Marietta Baker,
three Funeral services will be held at the Houghton Chapel of Osgood Funeral Homes, 232 E. Oak St., Ovid, Michigan on Saturday, May 3, 2003 at 11:00 A.M. with Mr. Phil Beavers officiating. Interment will follow in South Ovid Cemetery, Ovid Township, Clinton County, Michigan. The family will receive friends Friday, May 2, 2003 from 2-4 and 6-8 P.M. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Autism Society of America, 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 300, Bethesda, MD 20814-3067, www.autism-society.org.
Surviving are children, Joann (Gary) Myers of Florida, James (Linda) Kurncz and Marian (Bob Ledergerber) Miller, all of St. Johns. Grandchildren, Duane Myers, Dean (Tina) Myers, Mike (Kristi) Kurncz, Karen (Brad Solarek) Kurncz, Karla (Chad) Palmer, Steve (Shari) Kurncz, Andy Kurncz, Katie Miller, Robert Miller and Molly Miller, six great grandchildren, two brothers, Peter (Marian) Kurncz, Nick (Tina) Kurncz, and sister in law, Ann Kurncz. He was preceded in death by his brother Mike Kurncz. Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, burial at Mt. Rest Cemetery with Rev. Fr. Innocent Kujur officiating. The family will receive friends 6-8 P.M. Monday and 4-8 P.M. Tuesday at Osgood Funeral Home with a rosary at 7 P.M. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to St. Joseph Education Scholarship Fund or St. Joseph Catholic Church.
Surviving George is Margaret, his wife of 64 years, their son, Dale Leavitt of Washington Township, daughters, Betty Leavitt of Delta Township and Marilyn (Thomas) Irrer of St. Johns, daughter-in-law Christine Leavitt of St. Johns, seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Stanley and Jean Morrill of Laingsburg, and many nieces and nephews and their familes. George’s only sister, Lucille (Edwin) Heibeck preceded him in death. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, April 29, 2003 at 2:00 P.M. at the Osgood Funeral Home, St. Johns with burial at Collier Cemetery, Pastor and neighbor Jim Dibbet, Salem United Methodist Church officiating. The family will receive friends 2-4 and 6-8 P.M. Sunday and Monday at the funeral home. Family suggested memorials include the American Heart Association, the National Parkinson Foundation and Salem United Methodist Church. Hayden Charles St. Pierre, infant son of Eric Charles and Lori Kay (Wilcox) St. Pierre, passed away April 20, 2003, at Denver Children's Hospital. A memorial service will be held April 29, Swan Law Cascade Chapel, Colorado Springs, Col. He is survived by his parents; brother, Jonathon; sister, Delaney; grandparents, Curt and Kathy Langager, Ron and Ella Wilcox, Raynold and Barbara St. Pierre; great-grandparents, Jacob and Marcella Langager, Kay Wilcox, and Helen Bonczak; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his great-grandparents, Chuck and Helen Mercy, Phillip and Dorothy St. Pierre, Louis Bonczak, and Floyd Wilcox.
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Rex Allen Baker
died at his home in Shepardsville, Michigan Wednesday, April 30, 2003, in his 58th
year. He was the son of Rex Gordon Baker and Marietta Louise Palen, and was born at
St. Lawrence Hospital, Lansing, Michigan on July 2, 1944. He grew up in the
Shepardsville area, just two miles south on a farm in Ovid Township, Clinton County,
Michigan. 
John M. Kurncz died April 25, 2003 at the
age of 89. He was born in Czechoslovakia on May 29, 1913. The son of Michael and Anna
(Porada) Kurncz. He married Helen Dudash on June 4, 1938 and she precedes him in death. 
George C. Leavitt of rural Ashley passed away
Thursday, April 24, 2003. He was born June 18, 1916 to Grover and Grace (Price) Leavitt
and lived his childhood in the Colony area near Elsie where he learned to value family,
community, and developed a love for the land. On June 9, 1938, George married Margaret
Morrill of Ovid and in 1941, they along with George’s parents, moved to Washington
Township, Gratiot County where they raised their family, established and operated a cash
crop and livestock farming business. In his retirement George worked in real estate, but
found great pleasure in his vegetable garden, raspberry patch and rose garden.