Obituaries

George Bowling, 75, Vicksburg, passed away May 6. George was born on December 29, 1944 in Wheeling, W.Va. He was the son of Bane and Eunice (Rose) Bowling. George proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corp during Vietnam from 1964 to 1965. George retired from tool manufacturing after 25 years from Clausing Corp. George will be remembered by his family for being strong-willed but very friendly. George is survived by his two children, Maria (Mick) McCallister, of Parchment and Kevin Bowling, of Vicksburg; grandchildren Terra (Taylor) McCallister, of Portage; Miranda McCallister, of Florida; Karissa (Zach) McCallister, of Kalamazoo; Caden, Connor and Carson Bowling, of Vicksburg; and six great grandchildren. George’s ashes will be buried with military honors at Fort Custer National Cemetery at a later date. Visit his page at mccowensecord.com. Donations may go to Talons Out Honor Flight talonsouthonorflight.org.

Scott Alan Brock, 42, Vicksburg, passed away May 4. Scott was the son of Paul and Brenda (Wood) Brock. He was born on April 28, 1978 in Kalamazoo. He grew up in Vicksburg and attended school there. He worked for a few companies in Kalamazoo and Allegan County. He enjoyed visiting his family at mom’s house, especially for Sunday dinners, and learned to play the guitar a little over the years. In the last year, Scott started attending One Church in Kalamazoo and grew especially close to Pastor Scott and his wife. Though he had health problems in the last six months, he was formulating plans to help charities in the Kalamazoo area. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Brenda Brock, and his oldest brother, Gary Alvord. He is survived by his brother, Andy Brock, and sister-in-law, Amy Brock, of Scotts, and his sister, Melanie Brock (Mike Stephens), of Portage. He is also survived by nephews Jacob Ross, of Kalamazoo, and Kurt (Alex) Koller, of Battle Creek; nieces Emma Brock of Kalamazoo, Maggie Brock of Scotts, and Leia Mullen of Portage, and a grand-nephew, Oliver Koller, born this April. Visit his page at mccowensecord.com.

Beth Haines, 66, Adrian, formerly of Vicksburg, passed away May 1. She was born March 1, 1954 in Vicksburg, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth Lowe. She grew up in Vicksburg and graduated from Vicksburg High School, then Kellogg Community College. Beth enjoyed spending time with family and friends. She also enjoyed relaxing in her pool, reading books, crafts, her annual 4th of July party, and especially the holidays. She was preceded in death by her father, Richard F Lowe, and her son, Jason D Haines. Beth is survived by her mother, Elizabeth Lowe of Vicksburg; children, Jared A. Haines of Adrian; Jordan A. (Amanda) Haines of Highland; daughter Lauren E Haines of Westland; grandchildren Caleb, Emma, Eli, Zoey, Sawyer, Cole, and Jordynne Haines; a brother, Rick (Kim) Lowe of Three Rivers; nephew Corey Aukerman of Three Rivers; niece Kelly Aukerman of Vicksburg; great nephew, Dawson Aukerman of Three Rivers, and great niece Abigail Braat of Vicksburg. Donations may go to InterAct of Michigan. Visit her page at mccowensecord.com.

Dwight Haines, 56, Vicksburg, passed away May 10. Dwight was born on February 20, 1964 in Benton Harbor. He was the son of Clarence and Margaret (Sutcliffe) Haines. Dwight graduated from Vicksburg High School in 1982. A fun-loving, outgoing and caring individual, Dwight had a deep love for music that he shared through playing piano and violin, and frequently partaking in the entertainment scene of downtown Kalamazoo. He will always be remembered for the laughs and love he brought to his family and friends. Dwight is survived by his mother, Margaret; a sister, Brenda (James) McCallum, of Galesburg; niece and nephew Nicole (Tim) Wilson, of Galesburg; and David (Tara) McCallum, of Galesburg; four great-nephews, Nathan, Elijah, Ryan and Eric. He was preceded in death by his father, Clarence Haines, in 2016. Visit his page at mccowensecord.com.

Louis D. Malito, 80, a resident of Arbor Terrace in Naperville, Ill. and a former longtime resident of Vicksburg, passed away April 20. He was born on February 13, 1940 in Chicago. Lou is survived by his beloved wife, Elizabeth “Beth” Malito; his loving children, Leah (Michael) Malito Vinik, Dean (the late Lisa) Malito, Darla (Scott) Malito Caputo, Holly (Steve) Malito Pickens, Daniel Malito of Vicksburg, David (Michelle) Malito formerly of Vicksburg, Jesse Malito, Anna Malito, Katrin Malito, along with 13 grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dominick and Mary (née Falbo) Malito and infant son, Dominic. Lou was a member of U.A. Plumbers Local 130 in Chicago and continued in this trade through Plumbers Local 333, working for Kellogg Corporation after moving to Vicksburg. While living in Country Club Hills, Ill., Lou was also a volunteer fire fighter and became part of the first paramedic team in Country Club Hills. Throughout his life, he was a football coach, baseball coach, softball coach and player, bowler and always a gardener. Most of all, he was a loving father, a caring neighbor and good friend. Lou enjoyed spending time with his ever-growing family, each summer at Pine Lake Cabins in Wellston, Mich., where he found peace, enjoyed fishing and spent time hanging around the campfire with his crazy large family.

Jo Anne McCrumb, 73, Kalamazoo, formerly of Vicksburg, died May 25. She was born to Donald and Helen (Miller) McCrumb on December 5, 1946. She attended Grand Ledge Public Schools and participated in 4-H, rode rodeo, showed horses. The family later moved to Vicksburg, where Jo played clarinet in the high school marching band, pitched for the softball team, and, even though she was only a Bulldog for a year, was elected Fall Homecoming Queen in 1964. She graduated from Vicksburg High School in 1965, then attended Western Michigan University, earning a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts. She worked for several companies including ROLM communication systems and Western Michigan University, installing phone systems and trained employees to use them. She retired from WMU. She attended Vicksburg United Methodist Church, and Unity of Kalamazoo when she moved to the city. She met her husband, Jeff Smith, through church. Jo was preceded in death by her parents and her daughter, Amy Piper. Surviving are her son, Troy (Shannon) Smith; grandchildren Alex and Faith; siblings Jock McCrumb, Jed (Linda) McCrumb; and nieces and nephews. A private gathering will take place with burial at Vicksburg Cemetery. Visit Jo’s page at BetzlerLifeStory.com. Donations may go to Unity of Kalamazoo.

Ryan C. Miller, 43, Vicksburg, passed away May 22. He was born on June 4, 1976 to Timothy and Deborah (Frye) Miller in Kalamazoo. Growing up in Vicksburg, he was a talented athlete and musician. He played soccer and golf in high school as well as the tuba in the Big Red Machine marching band, graduating in 1994. He received an associate’s degree from Ferris State University and entered the heating and cooling industry as a pipefitter. After 9/11 he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served his first tour in Iraq in 2002, followed by two other tours of duty in Operation Enduring Freedom. Upon returning home he married his high school sweetheart, Kristine Spiegelberg. When he needed some time to relax and collect himself, he turned to the solace of nature, the garden, or his barn. He loved tinkering on tractors and growing food to feed his family. He also enjoyed the fresh air of a campsite as well as the breeze while riding his Harley Davidson over the years. Ryan grew his strong faith by leaving his fingerprints on many aspects of the Vicksburg United Methodist Church. Ryan is survived by his wife of 12 years, Kris; children Anna Lynn, Anthony Ryan, and Liam, all of Vicksburg; his parents, Timothy and Deborah Miller of Vicksburg; and siblings Scott (Kathy) Miller, of Vicksburg and Todd (Mandy) Miller, of Vicksburg. He is also survived by his mother and father-in-law, Deb and Wayne Spiegelberg, of Vicksburg; sisters-in-law Brandy Thomas of Vicksburg, Sara Spiegelberg of Springfield, Bonnie (Blake) Osborn of Grand Rapids, and Barbie (Jason) Masternak of Dorr; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Ryan was preceded in death by his grandparents, Bob and Kay Miller, Jim Frye, and great grandma, Lur Dumas. Visit his page at mccowensecord.com. Donations may go to Wounded Warrior Project or USO Military Lounge.

Sue Clark Moore, 82, Vicksburg native, activist and editor-publisher of the South County News, died at her home Wednesday, May 27. Sue grew up in the newspaper business. She was the daughter of Meredith and Bernice Clark, who owned the Vicksburg Commercial Express. Sue wrote and edited for that newspaper over two decades. She attended Michigan State University, was on the cheerleading squad, and began a 66-year streak of attending MSU-UM football games. Although she lived in Vicksburg for most of her life, she lived at times in Seattle and Springfield, Ill. In Vicksburg, she served on the Board of Education and promoted community-changing efforts. She helped push for creation of the Community Foundation and the Farmers Market. She worked on the program and fundraising for the Rotary Club Showboat, now the Showcase. Her parents’ newspaper had been taken over by the Kalamazoo Gazette, and ceased publication in 2012. In 2013, with a nudge from Village Council President Bill Adams, Sue and others in the Schoolcraft-Vicksburg area began to publish the weekly South County News, credited by many as a “glue” that continues to hold each community together. Sue is survived by her two sons, Scott (Lynda) Moore, of Portage and Chris Moore, of Seattle, and grandchildren Zachary, Austin and Meredith Moore. She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Sandra Kay Miller. Due to COVID-19 concerns, a public visitation for Sue was scheduled by appointment June 1 at McCowen & Secord Funeral Home, Rupert-Durham Chapel in Vicksburg. A more public gathering to honor and celebrate Sue’s life will be held at a future date when current restrictions are lifted. Visit her page at mccowensecord.com. Donations may go to the non-profit South County News.

Joseph L. Reynolds, 86, Delton, formerly of Vicksburg, passed away suddenly May 15. Joe was born in Kalamazoo on October 3, 1933, the son of the late William and Lila (White) Reynolds. He was a longtime resident of Vicksburg before moving to his dream home at Shelp Lake in Delton. Joe served in the National Guard with the 126th Infantry as a combat engineer and sharpshooter from 1955-1958. He retired from the Upjohn Company and then worked for the Kalamazoo Greater Auto Auction. He also ran his own janitor business. He earned seven varsity letters from Portage High School in football, baseball, basketball, and track. He also held the school record for running the mile. Joe graduated from Portage High School in 1951. He managed Vicksburg Merchants Men’s Fastpitch softball team and the Vicksburg Fastpitch Tournament and was known as “Coach Grandpa” within Vicksburg Little League. Joe played on various softball teams well into his 80s and won back-to-back gold medals in the Senior Softball USA Tournament of Champions in 2016 and 2017. He enjoyed camping, fishing, kayaking, cards and cribbage, his grandkids, being silly, and propagating flowers that he snuck out of other people’s yards. Joe also enjoyed orioles and hummingbirds and loved spending time with his family and at his winter home in Naples, Fla. On June 27, 1953, he married the love of his life, Dorothy J. (Marble) Reynolds. She preceded him in death on July 3, 2013. He was also preceded in death by his son, Timm E. Reynolds; brothers Lawrence, William and John and sisters Lila, Larene and Lyleen. Joe is survived by his children, Joseph (Joy Herson) Reynolds, Todd (Jody Sukup) Reynolds, Diana (Craig) O’Dell, Jennie (Rick) Holmes and Sean Reynolds; 11 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; his dear friend and companion, Marlene Warren and numerous nieces and nephews. Donations may go to Southwest Michigan Miracle League. Visit his page at joldersma-klein.com.

David Rhoda, 81, Schoolcraft, passed away peacefully at home May 11, under the care and love of his children and grandchildren. David was born in Schoolcraft on May 6, 1939, the son of the late Lawrence and Flora (Bingham) Rhoda. After graduating from Schoolcraft High School, he proudly served his country as private first class in the Marines Corps until being honorably discharged in 1960. He returned to make Schoolcraft his home and was always proud of his community. David had a kind heart and was always generous. He loved delivering his homemade salsa and pickles to friends, neighbors, family and his doctors and nurses. David had a wonderful smile and personality which made him a joy to know. Nothing made him happier than when his children and grandchildren would visit. He especially loved taking his grandchildren fishing and on John Deere “Gator” rides down the trails and back roads. He is survived by his children, Dennis (Karen) Rhoda, Don (Lorri) Rhoda, Larry (Missie) Rhoda, Steve (Tammy) Rhoda, Kim (Jim) Hamilton; grandchildren Trevor, Alyssa, Adam, Kyler, Macayla, Gabe, Halie, Trae, Jadyn, Bailee, Gavin and Olivia; siblings John Rhoda, Albert Rhoda, Nancy Fellner, Ruth (Larry) Cowan; and Gayla Sager, a very special friend and companion with whom he spent the last 10 years. Due to the current health crisis, a celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Donations may go to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan, c/o the funeral home. Visit his page at joldersma-klein.com.

Nancy Louise Roelof, 79, Portage passed away peacefully in her home with family by her side on Tuesday, May 12. Nancy was born on October 22, 1940 in Smithers, W.Va. to Troy and Violet (Feathers) Brown. On August 11, 1967, Nancy married Henry “Hank” Roelof Jr. in Parchment. He preceded her in death on November 21, 1995. She was also preceded in death by both of her parents, her sister Alice (Harley) Gettig, and her brothers, Johnnie, Arnold and (Troy) “Junior”. Nancy is survived by her children, Jerry (Shoni) Harris of Portage, Mike (Margaret) Harris of Comstock and Deborah (Morris) Giddings of Vicksburg; 11 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; three of her four sisters, Carolyn (Curly) Turrentine, Linda (Joe) Cronk, and Pamela (Danny) Long; two of her five brothers, Mike(Colleen) Brown and Billy (Rosita) Brown; and her best friend, Martha (David) Pride. Nancy has been cremated. A celebration of her Life will be held at a later date. While at Nancy’s webpage at http://www.mccowensecord.com, please take time to sign her guestbook by lighting a candle and sharing a memory with the family. Nancy’s family is being cared for by the McCowen & Secord Funeral Home, Rupert-Durham Chapel, Vicksburg.