Burial headstone, Riverside Cemetery, Alma, Gratiot, MI

Documents:
1940 Census, Sumner Twp, Gratiot, MI

Burial Monument, Richland Township Cemetery, Montcalm, MI

Obituary:
Richard Dean "Nick" Bigelow
Age 88, of Vestaburg, passed away Friday, April 13, 2018 at Masonic Pathways in Alma.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, April 18, 2018 at 2 pm at the Lux-Moody-Wolfel Funeral Home, Alma with Pastor George Showers officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday from 5 to 8 pm and Wednesday from 1 pm until time of service. Interment will follow at Richland Township Cemetery, Vestaburg.
Nick was born January 14, 1930 in Ingham County, the son of Howard and Marcella (Doepker) Bigelow. He graduated with the class of 1948 at Alma High School, where he earned a school letter in FFA and also served as a State FFA Officer. Nick was known for raising pigs while in high school and continued to do so for several more years. On February 7, 1948 he married Colleen (Throop) Bigelow. They were married 64 years. Nick worked a number of years for the Vestaburg Silo Company. Then after 36 years with the Wolverine Power Supply Company as plant supervisor, he retired in 1992. Nick enjoyed deer camp in the Upper Peninsula near Ontonagon, wintering in Zephyrhills, Florida, tending to his garden and lawn and was an avid Detroit Tigers fan. He was a trustee on the Richland Township Board, member of the Vestaburg Lions Club, coached little league (he was instrumental in starting this team in Vestaburg) and pony league and supported his children and grandchildren in their school and sporting events. He was a compassionate man regarding his family and community, who was very proud to say, he was from Vestaburg. He was a loyal father and friend and would lend a helping hand whenever needed. He was named a Vestaburg Pioneer during the 2013 Vestaburg Community Days.
Nick is survived by his children, Steven (Marguerite) Bigelow of Vestaburg, Micheal (Jane) Bigelow of Dorr, Cheryl (Don) Rice of Rudyard and Richard "Rich" (Denise) Bigelow of Vestaburg, grandchildren, Jason, Erin, Robert, Mike, Nick, Luke, Tamara, Heath, great-grandchildren, Amber, Mike, Lydee, Brody, Colleen, Elise, Noah, Preston, Owen, Joel, Reese, Harper and a great great granddaughter Addelyn. Also siblings Ida, Wanda, Donelda, Phyllis and Ed.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Colleen, brothers Ken, Phil and sister Nancy.
In lieu of flowers and because of Nick�s passion for baseball, please consider memorial contributions to the Vestaburg Youth League or the Vestaburg Community School Athletic Department. The family would like to extend appreciation to Great Lakes Hospice and the Masonic Pathways for their compassionate care.
- Lux-Moody-Woltel Funeral Home, Alma, MI

Documents:
Draft Registration Card, World War I
Draft Registration Card, World War II
Marriage record, State of Michigan
1940 US Census, Grand Rapids, MI

Documents:
1940 US Census, Grand Rapids, MI
Marriage record, State of Michigan

Documents:
Birth Record, St Josephs Catholic Church, Ft Jennings, OH
Death Record, St John the Baptist Catholic Church, Glandorf, OH

Burial headstone, St John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery, Glandorf, OH

Documents:
1940 Census, Alma, Gratiot, MI

Burial Headstone, St Patricks Cemetery, Elwell, Gratiot, MI

Obituary:
Richard O'Connor 97, died early Tuesday morning April 1952 at a convalescent home in St. Louis where he had been taken about ten days previously for care.
He was well known as a builder in this vicinity having built the Irishtown Church, what is now the Garber Funeral Home and several other buildings in the town. He also served as an inspector when the addition to the school was built in 1929.
He lived on the farm now known as the old Crawford farm for some time before moving to Mt. Pleasant and later to St. Louis,
He was born in Nova Scotia October 31, 1854 to James and Cornelia O'Connor, coming to Shepherd when 15 years old, and was married to Catherine Mellet who preceded him in death. To this union were born two daughters, Mrs. Arnold Doepker of St. Louis and sister Gertrude O'Connor of the Pine at Chatam Ontario, One son Walter O'Connor preceded him in death just four years ago. Also surviving are one brother James of Madison, Ohio, seven grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren.
The Rosary will, be held at the Garber Funeral Home on Thursday evening at 8:30 and funeral services will be held at St. Patrick�s Church, in Irishtown at 10:30 Friday morning. Fr. Favara officiating, and the grandsons acting as pall bearers.
Interment will be in the Irishtown Cemetery.
From the scrapbook of Anna Koyl. No newspaper named.

Burial Headstone, St Patricks Cemetery, Elwell, Gratiot, MI

Obituary:
Catherine Mellet, only surviving daughter of Micheal & Bridget Mellet was born in 1854 in Milwaukee, WI. She married Richard O'Conner in 1880 and bore 3 children, Gertrude who moved to Ontario, Walter and Sarah who remained in Michigan. She inherited part of her father Micheal Mellet's acreage as did her younger brother Micheal Mellet, Jr. Catherine passed in 1934.

Documents:
1940 Census, Alma, Gratiot, MI
Marriage Record, State of Arkansas

Burial headstone, Oak Grove Cemetery, Saint Louis, Gratiot, MI

Documents:
1930 US Census, St Louis, Gratiot County, MI
1940 US Census, St Louis, Gratiot County, MI

Documents:
1940 Census, Alma, Gratiot, MI

Burial monument, Oak Grove Cemetery, Saint Louis, Gratiot, MI
Service Commemorative, Oak Grove Cemetery, Saint Louis, Gratiot, MI

  

Documents:
1940 Census, Alma, Gratiot, MI

Burial headstone, Vista Verde Memorial Park, Rio Rancho, NM

Documents:
Marriage Record, State of Arkansas

Burial monument, Mission Hills Memorial Gardens, Niles, Cass, MI

Resided in Hopewell, Muskingdum, OH in 1944.

Obituary:
E. Opal Burdett, 85, of White Street, Niles, Michigan, died at 12:25 A.m. Saturday, February 28 in the Lakeland Memorial Center, Niles, of sudden illness, but of natural causes.
She was born July 13, 1918 in Gratiot, Ohio, to Glen Franklin and Tida Pearl (Burrier) Gard and lived in Niles since 1955, coming from Detroit.
Mrs. Burdett was a former employee of Simplicity Pattern Company, Niles and was the third of ten siblings. She is remembered with tears of joy and a life lived well. Opal loved to bake, embroidery and do word search puzzles.
On November 6, 1971 in Niles she was married to William E. 'Bud' Burdett who died August 25, 1988.
Mrs. Burdett is survived by her daughters, Linda (Doepker) Thomas of Edwardsburg, Michigan, and Patricia A. (Doepker) Lyon of Elkhart, Indiana. She has nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Also surviving are a sister, Dorothy Welsh; brothers, Donald and John Gard, all of Newark, Ohio, and a brother, Gilbert Gard of Hopewell, Ohio.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 3, 2004, in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Reverend Emmett H. Kadwell, Jr. of Wesley United Methodist Church, Niles, officiating. Interment will be at Mission Hills Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the funeral home.
Contributions in memory of Opal Burdett may be made to Cass County Council on Aging.
- Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, MI

 
L: Marjorie in her 1926 Campbell School class photo.

Documents:
1930 US Census, Coe Twp, Isabella, MI
1940 US Census Lansing, Ingham, MI

Burial monument, Oak Grove Cemetery, Saint Louis, Gratiot, MI

Obituary:
Geraldine Marie "Gerry" Doepker, 94, of St. Louis, loving mother and grandmother, went to be with her Savior, Jesus Christ on Thursday, January 29, 2015, at Masonic Pathways in Alma. Gerry was born in St. Louis, Michigan on August 31, 1920, the daughter of George and Lottie (Bolt) Bebow. She graduated from St. Louis High School in 1938. She attended Mrs. Hildreth's Business School, which was located on the second story of a downtown St. Louis building. From there she worked at a dime store, a doctor's office and Leonard's Refinery until she married LaVerne Doepker on January 10, 1942 in St. Louis, MI. He preceded her in death in May 1988. Gerry was a lifelong resident of St. Louis. She and LaVerne owned and operated Mid-West Building Distributors in St. Louis for many years. Gerry enjoyed time with her family at their cottage on Higgins Lake and Camp 8 hunting property in northern Michigan. She and LaVerne loved to travel throughout the United States in their motor home. Gerry was actively involved in the American Legion Auxiliary Post 256 and served as membership chairman for years. She also looked forward to spending time with her friends at the Senior Center in St. Louis. Gerry attended St. Louis First United Methodist Church. Gerry is survived by her son Dan and Mary Doepker of St. Louis, MI, daughter Dianne and John Ayris of St. Louis, MI, 4 grandchildren; Christopher Ayris of Mt. Pleasant, MI, Kari and David Holmberg of St. Johns, MI, Jennifer and Jarrod Folsom of Rockford, MI, Brian and Jessica Doepker of Holt, MI, 6 great-grandchildren; Macklin and Griffin Holmberg, Liam and Claire Folsom, Aurora and Ila Doepker, brother Lowell Bebow of St. Louis, MI and sister-in-law Donna Bebow of St. Louis, MI. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother Kenneth Bebow and sister-in-law Margery Bebow. Funeral Services will be held at First United Methodist Church, St. Louis, MI. on Monday, February 2, 2015 at 11:00 A.M., with Pastor Terri Bentley officiating. Burial will take place at Oak Grove Cemetery, St. Louis. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service on Monday from 10 to 11 A.M. at the church. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to St. Louis Senior Center or St. Louis First United Methodist Church.
- Smith Family Funeral Homes, St. Louis, MI.

Documents:
Death Record, State of Ohio
1910 Census, Greensburg Twp, Putnam, Ohio

Burial marker, Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church Cemetery, Glandorf, Putnam, Ohio

Documents:
1910 Census, Greensburg Twp, Putnam, Ohio

Documents:
1910 Census, Greensburg Twp, Putnam, Ohio

Documents:
Marriage Record, St John the Baptist Catholic Church, Glandorf, OH
Draft Registration Card, World War I
Draft Registration Card, World War II

Burial Monument, St John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery, Glandorf, OH

Obituary:
GLANDORF - Urban F. Quinn, 76, a retired farmer, died at 3 p.m. Thursday in his home here following a heart attack.
Born Aug. 23, 1890, in Kalida, he was a son of John and Ann Gulker Quinn. In 1913, he married Mary Giesken and she died in 1955.
Surviving are six daughters, Mrs. Margaret Stechschulte of Rt. 3, Elida, Mrs. Paul (Mary Louise) Deters of Ottawa, Mrs. John (Jeanette) Bowers of Rt. 3, Columbus Grove, Mrs. Carl (Clarine) Wilhelm of Custar, Mrs. Norman (Dorothy) Schmenk of Rt. 2, Ottawa and Mrs. Eugene (Mary Jane) Stechschulte of Columbus Grove; six sons, Cletus of Alma, Mich., Louis and Carl, both of Lima, and Richard, Robert and Jack, all of Glandorf; one brother, Alfred of Kalida; one sister, Mrs. Loretta Unverfurth of Fort Jennings; 52 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
He was a member of St. John's Catholic Church, Holy Name Society and the Knights of Columbus.
Requiem High Mass will be offered at 9:30 a.m. Monday in the church by Rev. Aloys Friedrich. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call at McCrate Funeral Home, Ottawa, after 2 p.m. Saturday.
- The Lima News, Friday, November 4, 1966