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Gerald R. “Jerry” Huntley

Daisy "Dee" Jilka

Dennis R. Miller

L.C. Murninghan

Jerome Weber, age 55, passed away October 18, 2005 at Hospice House of Mid-Michigan, St. Lawrence Campus, after battling cancer for the third time. Born February 18, 1950 to John and Rosalyn (Smith) Weber at Clinton Memorial Hospital. He lived his entire life in Fowler. He hired on at Mathew’s Elevator in Fowler on January 1, 1970 and even after 35 years truly enjoyed his job and co-workers. He is probably one of very few people that went to work with a smile on his face everyday. He belonged to Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church and was a member of the Fowler Athletic Boosters and Fowler Conservation Club.

He is survived by his wife, Lorraine (Piggott), son, Richard (Christina) and grandson, Connor, of Ionia, daughter, Kristen (Jason) Velasquez of Ionia, two sisters, Rose Mary (Ernie) Myers of Fowler and Ruth (Kirk) Brock of St. Johns, three brothers, Ron (Noni) of Owosso, Paul (Shirley) of Fowler and Roy of Maple Rapids, in-laws, Gordon C. Piggott Sr. and Frieda Gallagher of Hubbardston, sister-in-law and brothers-in-law, Barb Piggott of Charlotte, Tom (Lori) Piggott of Wisconsin and Jim (Sandy) Piggott of Fowler, many nieces and nephews, several great nieces and nephews, a very large extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Rosie, sister-in-law, Mary Weber, mother-in-law, Donna (Fletcher) Piggott, brother-in-law, Gordon C. Piggott, Jr., his god parents, Edwin Weber and Bernita Hine and very special cousin, Ann Smith.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10:30 A.M. Saturday, October 22, 2005 at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 545 N. Maple St., Fowler, burial at Most Holy Trinity Cemetery with the Rev. Fr. Timothy MacDonald and the Rev. Fr. Adam MacDonald concelebrating. The family will receive friends 2-4 and 6-9 P.M. Thursday and Friday at the Goerge Chapel of the Osgood Funeral Homes, 11112 W. Ionia St., Fowler with rosary prayed 3 and 8 P.M. Thursday, 3 P.M. Friday and a vigil service 8 P.M. Friday. Sympathy may be expressed in the form of memorials to Hospice House of Mid-Michigan, 1210 W. Saginaw, Lansing, MI 48915 or Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church.

Leon S. Hengesbach

Leon S. Hengesbach,  Westphalia, MI Age 56, passed away on Monday, October 17, 2005. He was born on November 21, 1948 in Portland, MI, the son of Urban and Laura (Fedewa) Hengesbach. Leon was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, a member of the St. Joseph's Society, and enjoyed going to Houghton Lake. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Julius; and father-in-law, Gerald Huhn.

Surviving are his wife, Claudia Hengesbach; sons, Brian, Adam and Eric Hengesbach; brothers, John (Janet) Hengesbach, Robert Hengesbach and Marvin (Kathleen) Hengesbach; sister, Rosella (Charles) Lonier; mother-in-law, Elizabeth Huhn; brother and sisters-in-law; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by the Rev. Cecelio Reyna, Pastor, at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, October 20, 2005 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Westphalia. Rite of Committal will follow at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Westphalia. The family will receive friends at the St. Mary's Funeral Chapel from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. Rosaries will be prayed at 3 and 8 p.m. Tuesday, and at 3 p.m. Wednesday. A Scriptural Wake Service will be prayed at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Complete arrangements are entrusted to the Schrauben-Lehman Funeral Home, Portland.

Dennis R. Miller

Dennis R. Miller, of Jacksonville, Arkansas, died Wednesday, October 12, 2005 at the age of 59. He was born August 22, 1946 in St. Johns, Michigan the son of Raymond and Mary (Wadsworth) Miller. Dennis was a retired MSGT in the United States Air Force retiring after 27 years of service. After his military service he went to work for Raytheon retiring in 2004 and he was a lifetime member of the VFW located in Tonyville, Arkansas. Dennis was preceded in death by his father, son, Jason Miller and sister, Kathy Miller.

Surviving are wife Judy Miller of Jacksonville, Arkansas, mother, Mary Miller of Dearborn, Michigan, daughters, Kathy (Paul) Faubert of Williamsville, New York and Kindra (Jason) Pike of Ft. Rucker, Alabama, brother, Jeff (Kathy) Miller of Dearborn, brother-in-law, Jim (Teri) Brown of Durand, grandchildren, Nicolas, Bradley, Jordan, Mathieu, Benjamin and Magnolia, three neices, one nephew and numerous family and friends. The family woul like to say thank you to Hospice Home Care and Hospice Hospital, “You were wonderful.”

Graveside services will be held at Maple Grove Cemetery of Ovid, Michigan on Monday, October 17, 2005 at 10:00 A.M., with Associate Pastor Donald Ruff officiating. The family will receive friends Sunday at the Houghton Chapel of Osgood Funeral Homes, 232 E. Oak St., Ovid, Michigan from 2-4 P.M.

Gerald R. “Jerry” Huntley

Gerald R. “Jerry” Huntley of St. Johns, passed away Saturday, October 15, 2005 at the age of 66. He was born July 1, 1939 in Lansing the son of Earl and Genevieve (Rowand) Huntley. Jerry served in the United States Marine Corp, enjoyed golfing, fishing, cooking, and watching football, especially the MSU Spartans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was a control analyst for Wyeth Laboratories in Mason and an instructor for Dale Carnegie. On March 25, 1974 he married Sharon Heinrich and she survives him.

Also surviving are his children, Kevin (Debra) Huntley of Hastings, Kelly Huntley and Gary Holland of Perry, Kim (Ambrose) Pearson of Perry, Pamela (Paul) Martin of Fowler, Cheryl Halfman and fiancé Scott Goodman of East Lansing, Linda (Patrick) Cook of Westphalia, Terry (Erin) Holfman of Ft. Myers FL, Rick (Chris) Halfman of St. Johns; 14 grandchildren; 6 great grandchildren; brother-in-law, Louis Duncan of Lansing; niece and nephew, Stacey Jackson and Brent Duncan both of Grand Ledge.

Memorial services will be held 11:00 am, Thursday, October 20, 2005 at Keck-Coleman Funeral Home 989-224-4422. Interment will follow at Mt. Rest Cemetery with military honors provided by the St. Johns Honor Guard. The family will receive friends 2-4 and 6-8 pm Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Great Lakes Hospice, 1000 E. Sturgis St. Suite #8, St. Johns, MI 48879.

L.C. Murninghan

L.C. Murninghan,  Dimondale, MI Died on our 34th anniversary, October 15, 2005 at the age of 79 after suffering with emphysema. L.C. was born on August 30, 1926 in Riley Township to Ernest and Gladys (Smith) Murninghan.

He was a WWII Navy veteran and Kamikaze survivor. He was a member of the Tin Can Sailors, life member and past commander of American Legion Post #183, life member of the Lansing Bowling Association, former member of the Lansing Police Department and a retiree of the Lansing District Court. Prior to that, he was employed at Holt Lumber Co. for 27 years, retiring as manager. He loved his bowling, golf and cards. L.C. was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Max; niece, Laurie; nephew, Randy; and grandson, Kenneth.

Surviving are: his wife, Jean; children, Wayne Murninghan of Ft. Wayne, Karen (Robert) Peabody of Hastings, Rhonda McDonald of Phoenix, John (Jan) Cosgrove of Goodyear, AZ, Dennis (Lyz) Cosgrove of Mesa, AZ and Barbara (Guiseppe) Stella of Lansing; 9 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and brother, Richard (Gloria) Murninghan of Livonia.

A funeral service will be held at 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 18, 2005, at the Estes-Leadley Greater Lansing Chapel, with the Rev. Sharon Zurakowski officiating. Interment will follow in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6-8 p.m. Sunday and from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. on Monday. Memorial contributions may be made to Sparrow Hospice Services in memory of L.C. Murninghan.

Daisy "Dee" Jilka

Former St. Johns resident Daisy "Dee" Jilka died on October 12, 2005 surrounded by her family at the age of 83. She was born on July 21, 1922, at Ponce, Puerto Rico, to Manuel Giron and Miguelina Torres. She grew up on the Borough of Manhattan in New York City and graduated from Butler High School in Butler, New Jersey in 1940. She attended St. Barnabas Nursing Hospital in Newark, N. J., from 1940 - 1943, and graduated as a registered nurse. During World War II, Daisy served in the Navy Nurse Corps.

She married Frank Jilka in 1945 and was married to him for 29 years. She lived in St. Johns from 1952 to 1962 and worked as a nurse at Federal Mogul. She has been a California resident since 1962. She worked at John Muir Medical Center from 1966 through 1985. She was preceded in death by her son, Dennis Jilka on January 8, 1998.

She is survived by her children Greg Jilka of Sebastopol, California, Steve (Lynne) Jilka of San Diego, California, Suzanne (Mark) Albin of Sebastopol, California, and Mary (Rick) Moore of San Diego. Daisy is also survived by her former husband, Frank Jilka, her daughter-in-law  Debbie Jilka, of Cotati, California and a sister, Lydia Dillon of Cabelskill, New York. She also leaves 8 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, October 17, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church 7983 Covert Lane, Sebastopol, CA. The  rosary will be prayed at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 16 at the Parent – Sorensen Mortuary, 301 South Main Street, Sebastopol, CA.

It was Dee Jilka who served as the first subject of Barry Bauer's Federal Mogul project here at the St. Johns Independent.  Here is that article, written by Dee herself.

Ensign Daisy Giron was once the cover girl for the New York Herald Tribune's This Week Magazine.