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| Ethirage “Dutch” Parks | Berniece “Bea” Myrtle Fleming |
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Ethirage
“Dutch” Parks
Surviving are his sons, Ron (Angie) Wood of Washington, DC, Ed (Becky) Wood of Mecosta County and George (Linda) Parks of Ithaca, daughter, Karen Brooks of Eaton Rapids, eight grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, four sisters, Margaret Salters of St. Johns, Ethel (Ecrel) Dunsmore of Alma, Audrey Dumond of Owosso and Maude Ann Melton of Mississippi and brother, Bob (Shirley) Parks of St. Johns. He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers. Funeral services will be 1:00 P.M. Friday, October 10, 2003 at the Osgood Funeral Home, burial at Eureka Cemetery with Rev. Steve Weinberger officiating. The family will receive friends 6-8 P.M. Wednesday and 3-5 and 7-9 P.M. Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the V.F.W. Post 4113, St. Johns.
Also surviving are three sons, Terry Fleming of Ovid, Philip Fleming of Lansing and Thomas Fleming of Michigan, four daughters, Rhonda Sheets of Ovid, Linda Gregson of Eaton Rapids, Connie of Durand and Ruth of Elsie, seventeen grandchildren, three great grandchildren, sister, Beatrice Stevens of Laingsburg, brother, Bernard Brown and half brother, George Hileman of Reed City. She was preceded in death by her parents. Funeral services will be 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, October 8, 2003 at Calvary Baptist Church of Ovid, burial at Hillcrest Cemetery with Pastor Robert Magee officiating. The family will receive friends 2-4 and 6-8 P.M. Tuesday at the church. Memorials may be made to Calvary Baptist Church of Ovid. Thelma Iola Eick died October 5, 2003 at the age of 89. She was born in Washington Township, MI on August 16, 1914, the daughter of Harvey and Cecile (Kellogg) Griffith. Thelma resided in St. Johns all of her life. She worked for Dr. Sauders most of her life. She loved to fish and later into life she enjoyed NASCAR. Her goal was to make everybody happy making candy for family and friends. She enjoyed making chairs for loved ones. Surviving are her sisters, Gwen Streeter of Ohio and Evelyn Keener of Michigan and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers and sisters. Graveside services will be 2:00 P.M. Thursday, October 9, 2003 at Eureka Cemetery. The family will receive friends 12 noon – 1:30 P.M. Thursday at the Osgood Funeral Home.
Fr. Wieber was also devoted to flying. He has his personal license and served as a chaplain with the Air National Guard in Battle Creek. After moving to Tucson, Arizona in 1976, he joined the Air Force Reserves. In this capacity he served as a military chaplain at bases in West Germany, Italy, England, Spain and Greenland, in addition to 14 bases in the United States. He retired as a Colonel in the United States Air Force Reserves in 1987. In recent years he has been in ill health. Heather Teel and her family were his health care providers. He returned to Michigan in August of this year and after a brief stay in Whitehills Health Care Center and Hospice House of Mid-Michigan, he died on the evening of October 2. He is survived by his sisters, Magdalene Armbrustmacher of Fowler and Romilda Pung of Lansing, his brothers, Arnold, Eugene and Gerald (Doris) Wieber of Fowler and Rev. Donald Wieber, Pastor of St. Joseph Church in Watervliet, MI, and brother-in-law, Sylvester Thelen of Westphalia, MI. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Irene Thelen and Sister Esther Wieber O.L.V.N. and Sister Bernita Wieber O.P. He will be remembered as a loving and caring brother and a devoted friend and priest by the many people whose lives he touched. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, October 7, 2003 at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, burial at Most Holy Trinity Cemetery with Bishop James Murray and other Diocesan Priests concelebrating. Relatives and friends are invited to pay their respects from 2-9 P.M. Monday, October 6, 2003 at the Goerge Chapel of the Osgood Funeral Homes, Fowler, with a rosary prayed at 3 P.M. and a scripture service at 8 P.M.In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Most Holy Trinity Education Trust in Fowler, Whitehills Health Care Center or Hospice House of Mid-Michigan.
Funeral services will be held Monday, October 6, 2003 at 11:00 A.M. at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie Chapel. Pastor Don Galardi and Pastor Eric Stanton will officiate with burial at Fairfield Township Cemetery, Shiawassee County, Michigan. Visitation will be Saturday from 6-8 P.M. and Sunday 2-4 P.M. James was born on December 12, 1937 in Flint, Michigan, the son of Theodore & Mabel (Abbott) Marx. He graduated from Flint Northern High School with the class of 1956. On August 14, 1965 he married Shirley Nippa in Flint, Michigan. He was a member of Community Presbyterian Church in Owosso, Michigan, and also a member of the UAW #599. He was a man who loved his bible, his family, bluegill fishing & Tiger baseball. He resided most of his life in Flint, Mid-Michigan & Ovid, Michigan. He is survived by his wife Shirley Marx of Ovid, MI, 2 daughters, Bethaney Lynn Marx of Owosso, MI, and Stacey A. & Michael Morton of Owosso, MI, 4 grandchildren, 1 sister, Nora Milligan of North Carolina, 1 brother, Ted Marx of Clio, MI, and a special friend & fishing buddy, Rich Petrowski of Flushing, MI. He was predeceased by his parents, and 1 brother, Robert Marx. Memorials may be made to Charity of donor’s choice. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes,
Elsie Chapel.
Surviving are two daughters, Jeanine Witgen of Duluth, Minnesota, Deborah Hedin of Lansing, five sons, Frank Witgen of Erie, PA, Max (Caryl) Witgen of Grand Rapids, Kevin (Diane) Witgen of Haslett, Joel (Trish) Witgen of Fowler, John (Sue) Witgen of Pewamo, ten grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, three sisters, Lillian (Bob) Peel, Violet (Mick) Morgan and Betty (Walter) Beech, sister-in-law, Joan Sumner and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Doris Vinocur and Alice Graft and brother, Bob Sumner. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10:30 A.M. Monday, October 6, 2003 at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, burial at Most Holy Trinity Cemetery with the Rev. Fr. Timothy E. MacDonald officiating. The rosary will be prayed 3 and 8 P.M. Saturday, 3 P.M. Sunday and a vigil service 8 P.M. Sunday at the Goerge Chapel of the Osgood Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Sparrow Hospice Services Clinton Home Team. Keith E. Sheldon, 73, of Mims, Fla., died Sept. 26, 2003. He as born in St. Johns, Nov. 13, 1929, the son of Dale and Arleen Sheldon. He married Hilda Hazle in 1953. Keith was a graduate of Michigan State University and received a Master’s Degree at Central Michigan University. Keith retired from the education field in 1996. Since retiring, Keith enjoyed writing poetry, short stories, and spending time with his family. He is survived by three sons, Kim (Kimberly) Sheldon of Winter Haven, Fla., Kurt Sheldon of St. Johns, Kent (Stephanie) Sheldon of Elgin, Ill.; five grandchildren; and a younger sister, Margo (Larry) Martin. His parents, his wife and his daughter, Kari, preceded him in death. A memorial service was held Sept. 30 at the United Church of Ovid. Memorial donations may be made to the Ovid-Middlebury Fire Department or the Ovid Public Library. Born Nov. 6, 1956 in Ft. McCellan, Ala., Rene Sue (Smith) DeWaters went to be with the Lord on Aug. 17, 2003 in Grayling due to a long series of heart problems. She was a military child in the U.S. Army and traveled the world abroad. She received a business associate’s degree from Kirtland Community College in Roscommon, a medical billing terminology certificate from Lansing Community College, and was previously employed by Windmill Truck Stop, Toys-R-Us, Clinton County Medical Center, SJPA Medical, DeWitt Women’s Health Care McClaren in DeWitt. Rene was preceded in death by a stepson, Matthew Aaron DeWaters, on Sept. 20, 1995. Surviving are her husband, Steven E. DeWaters of St. Johns; son Jason E. (Andrea) DeWaters of Potterville; stepdaughter Angela (Sherwood) Jones of Nashville; parents retired Lt. C. Laurence and Marva Smith of Grayling; sister Virginia (Kim) Burnham of Eagle; brother Larry D. Smith of Fowler; four granddaughters; four grandsons; four nieces; three nephews; sisters-in-law Shari Horwath of Holt and Susan Bergdolld of Chicago; mother-in-law Phyllis (Chuck) Schmutte of Fort Meyers, Fla.; and several cousins and friends. She loved her pets, Zoe, Zues and Tootie. There will be a graveside memorial service at Oakwood Cemetery, Eaton Rapids, at 11 a.m. Oct. 11, 2003. Loved throughout the Clinton County and Lansing areas, Rene will be deeply missed. Those desiring may make contributions to the American Heart Association in memory of Rene S. DeWaters.
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Ethirage
“Dutch” Parks died October 6, 2003 at the age of 72. He was born in St. Johns on
August 1, 1931, the son of William and Olo (Oroway) Parks. He was a crane operator for Red
Cedar Construction, enjoyed fishing and hunting. 
Berniece “Bea” Myrtle Fleming died October 5, 2003 at
the age of 73. She was born in Revere, Missouri on May 17, 1930, the daughter of Frank and
Garnie (Canning) Brown. She was a cook at Ovid Healthcare Center for 24 years, a member of
Calvary Baptist Church of Ovid, enjoyed crafts, reading and game shows. Bea married Guy
Fleming in Laingsburg on December 27, 1951 and he survives her. 
Rev. Fr. Elmer Wieber (Retired Colonel USAF Reserves)
Tucson, AZ, formerly of Fowler, MI Born in Fowler, MI on January 29, 1925, the son of
William and Clara (Knoop) Wieber. He went to Holy Trinity Grade School and Fowler High
School where he graduated in 1943. His training for the priesthood began at St. Joseph
Seminary in Grand Rapids in 1945. After attending Mt. St. Mary of West in Cincinnati and
St. John Provincial Seminary in Plymouth, MI, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of
Lansing on June 5, 1954. He served as an assistant in various parishes of that diocese. He
was appointed pastor of St. Jerome parish in Battle Creek and later St. John in Jackson
and St. Ambrose in Parchment which was then part of the Diocese of Kalamazoo.
James J. Marx, age 65 of Ovid, Michigan went to be with his
Lord on Thursday, October 2, 2003. He retired from Buick City / General Motors in Flint in
1993after 30 years of service. 
Ruth M. Witgen, Fowler, MI Ruth M. Witgen
died peacefully at home with her family by her side on October 1, 2003 at the age of 77.
Born April 17, 1926 in Portland, MI, the daughter of Elmer and Florence (Lily) Sumner. She
was a member of Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Most Holy Trinity Choir, Daughters of
Isabella and Christian Mothers and lived most of her life in Fowler. Her marriage to
Marvin Witgen, June 5, 1946 in Portland, Michigan ended with his death on March 21, 1988.
In October of 1990 she married Donald Parsons, and he preceded her in death on January 15,
1992.