Documents:
Burial monument, Oak Grove Cemetery, St Louis, MI

Documents:
Burial monument, Oak Grove Cemetery, St Louis, MI

Obituary:
ROSS, VIRGINIA ANN, 81, of St. Louis, Mich., formerly of Port Richey, died Friday (Dec. 24, 2004) at Schnepps Healthcare Center, St. Louis. Born in Alma, Mich., she lived here for 18 years before moving back to Michigan. She was a homemaker. She was a volunteer for vacation Bible school, Bayonet Point Hospital and the American Heart Association. She was a member of the Moose and Elks clubs, Port Richey, and Wheeler Immanuel Lutheran Church. Survivors include three sons, Bill, Fort Wayne, Ind., Jim, Flint, Mich., and Jack, St. Louis; a daughter, Sharon McGee, New Port Richey; 12 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; two great great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
- Smith Family Funeral Homes, Corunna, Mich.

 

Documents:
Burial monument, St Vincent Depaul Cemetery, Shepherd, MI

Obituary:
Evelyn Coughlin July 31, 1921 - March 21, 2021. It is with deep sorrow that we prepare to say good-bye to a beautiful woman with a blessed soul. Evelyn, whose nearly 100 years of life began with her birth as the seventh child of Oliver and Ethel (Riggle) Caszatt, near the village of Winn. Shortly after, the family settled on the homestead farm on Crawford Road. It was here that Evelyn spent her childhood with two older sisters and eight brothers. Evelyn attended the Lincoln Center school through the eighth grade. Shepherd did not have busing at that time, so Evelyn was unable to attend high school. She spent that next year helping the school teacher and developed a love for teaching and learning. The following year Shepherd provided a bus and Evelyn graduated from Shepherd High School in 1940. She went on to college at what was then called Central Normal school and became a teacher. She taught kindergarten through eighth grade in a one room school house near Coleman. In 1945, after WWII, Evelyn married the man she would spend the next 57 years with, Martin Coughlin. He passed away July 30, 2002. Evelyn left the teaching profession to raise her six children, with the help of her husband. She never stopped teaching her children; unconditional love, selflessness, service to others, acceptance, patriotism and above all else, a love of God. She was a woman of great faith that sustained her during difficult times. She was also a woman of gratitude. She was grateful for her health, her home on the river and her family. She could be heard to say a thousand times, �oh kids, we are so blessed�. Evelyn loved having family gatherings with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. She had a great sense of humor and could laugh at herself. Evelyn was active with the Shepherd VFW Women�s Auxiliary serving a term as president. The Auxiliary helped to provide care for veterans and their families. Her husband was a WWII veteran, her sons, Dan and Levon (Lee) are Vietnam Veterans, her grandson, Blair Veit is a Gulf War veteran. Great grandsons, Tim Ross and Justin Ellsworth served in the Iraq war with Justin making the ultimate sacrifice. Also, serving their country in uniform are her great grandsons, Austin Ross and Connor Veit As a member of St. Leo�s church in Winn, Evelyn served as a lector and was an active member of the Altar Society. She helped prepare and serve many funeral dinners for parishioners. Left to grieve are her children, Dan Coughlin, Connie (Terry) Lynch, Yvonne Coughlin (Al Frederickson), Kathy (Kevin) Darnell all of Mt. Pleasant, Lee (Connie) Coughlin of Shepherd. Evelyn leaves behind 15 grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren and 14 great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother, Harlan (Glenda) Caszatt, four sisters-in-law, Betty Caszatt, Dot Caszatt, Marge Bollinger, Rose Coughlin and many nieces and nephews. Besides her husband, Evelyn was preceded in death by her daughter, Brenda Veit, granddaughter, Andrea Campbell, grandson, Matthew Darnell, great grandsons, Colton Sherman, Justin Ellsworth and C.J. Ross. Her brothers, Gaylord, Vernon, Paul, Jack, Stanley, Levant and Phil Caszatt and sisters, Verdyth Hamlin and Elaine Bush also preceded her in death. A mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday March 27, with visitation from 3-8 Friday and one hour prior to mass at St. Vincent de Paul in Shepherd. Celebrating the mass will be Evelyn�s nephew, Father Ken Coughlin, assisted by Father Fred Kawka. Deacon Todd Lovas will preside at the Vigil Service at 7:00PM Friday evening. The funeral mass will be livestreamed on the St. Vincent Facebook page as well as their YouTube channel and will be available on the Berry Funeral Home Facebook page as well. There will also be overflow seating available in the Parish Hall as well. Donations may be made to the Wounded Warriors Project in Evelyn�s memory.
- Morning Sun from Mar. 24 to Mar. 25, 2021

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Documents:
Burial military service plaque, Ferris Center Cemetery, Vestaburg, MI
Burial monument, Ferris Center Cemetery, Vestaburg, MI

 

Documents:
Burial monument, Ferris Center Cemetery, Vestaburg, MI

Obituary:
Donna Lou McNerney, age 96, of Vestaburg passed away at her home on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, surrounded by her beloved family. Donna was born to parents, Clare and Gladys (Hare) Beach at the farm on December 16, 1928, along with her twin brother Dean Luis. She arrived in this world with fiery red hair and freckles. More boy than girl, she loved to play outside with her best friend (Dean). Donna grew up during the Great Depression, forever touching her life, teaching her to make the most of what she had and to value things until they have truly worn out.
She went to a one-room schoolhouse, on the corner of Crystal and Kendaville roads. Donna said everything she learned she did by watching Dean. She graduated with the Class of 1946 at Vestaburg High School, where she was the 5'2" starting defensive guard on the undefeated girls' basketball team back in the day when they played 6 on 6 and only 3 players on each team could be in either the offensive or defensive zone at one time. As such she was inducted into the Vestaburg Sports Hall of Fame. After high school, Donna's father helped her through beauty school at M J Murphy Beauty College. There she excelled and was even invited to Mackinac Island do the hair of the cast members of "This Time for Keeps" in 1947. Industrious and hardworking, she opened her own salon, employing several other beauticians and became well known in her community. She was at one time president of the Michigan Hairdressers Association and served on the board of the School of Cosmetology run by Montcalm Community College. Later, she sold the business and moved the shop to her home so she could "be there" for her kids and successfully did so until her retirement in 1990.
On May 18, 1949, Robert Joseph (Bobby Joe) McNerney married Donna, and they started a family in 1950. She raised 4 children with strength and humor and a great deal of affection. She loved fiercely, prayed fervently, wept openly and didn't find it necessary to say, "Wait until your father gets home." Along with raising her children, Donna raised a host of other kids to love Jesus, as a Sunday School teacher at Vestaburg Church of Christ for nearly 30 years. She was an adventurous soul, growing old but never growing up, even as a grandmother who was still climbing trees higher than the grandkids. Donna also enjoyed gardening, arranging flowers, cooking, sewing, and quilting over the years.
Donna will be deary missed by her daughter Kris Ann McNerney-Blake; sons Timothy (Debbie) McNerney, Thomas (Rhonda) McNerney, Greg (Becky) McNerney; grandchildren Hayley, Holly, Hilary (Philp), Heath (Kellie), Hannah (K.C.), Alisa (Joe), Anna (Chris), Samuel, Amber (Toren), Rebekah, Rachel, and Amanda; 16 great-grandchildren; and sister Janet Yesmunt; brother in law, Tom Johnson.
Preceding Donna in death are her parents; twin brother Dean Beach, who was killed while serving in the Air Force during Vietnam; husband Bobby Joe in 2005; and siblings Kendall Beach, and Jackie Johnson; Brother in law, Norm Yesmunt.
A celebration of life for Donna's life will take place on Friday, July 11, 2025, at Vestaburg Church of Christ at 3:00 PM with sons Timothy and Thomas McNerney officiating. Family will receive and greet friends from 12:00 PM until the time of service. Interment will take place on a later date at Ferris Township Cemetery.
- Legacy.com, 20 Jun 2025