Obituaries
Doris C. Rogers
Doris Catherine Rogers of Eaton Rapids, MI passed away on Sunday, November 14, 2021, at the age of 101. Doris was born on September 26, 1920, in Warsaw, Indiana the daughter of Thad and Mary (Spurlock) Kipker. She was raised in Alger, Ohio before moving to Michigan at the age of 12. Doris married Cleo Rogers in 1936 and together they raised 4 children on their farm outside of Eaton Rapids. Along with farming full time Doris also enjoyed volunteering her time in the kitchen at the Eaton Rapids Senior Center, the Eagles in Charlotte, and the Springport VFW Post. She loved spending time with her family, some of her happiest times were family trips to the Upper Peninsula and the years when her family was together on the farm. Doris was an avid Detroit Tigers fan, and enjoyed gardening, fishing, and canning.
She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, Cleo; daughter, Carol Woodard; grandchildren, Charles “Chuck” Rogers, Jr., Richard Wyatt, Jr. and sister, Marge VanPatton.
Surviving is her daughter, Cheryl Smith; sons, Charles Rogers, Warren (Jan) Rogers; grandchildren, Mary (Pete Sieben) Wyatt, Annette Clark, David Rogers, Nina Eitniear, Sally Lundell, Kathline McIntyre, Jordan (Stephanie) Rogers, Katie (Steve) Davis, Isaac (Yen Tran) Wyatt, T.C. Eitniear; 22 great grandchildren, 7 great, great grandchildren and 2 great, great, great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 20, 2021, at Skinner Funeral Home, Eaton Rapids chapel with visitation starting at 12:00 p.m. For those desiring memorial contributions may be made to the Jean Bradford Kline Senior Center in Eaton Rapids. To share memories or leave condolences please visit www.SkinnerFuneralHomes.com
Inez A. Walworth
Inez A. Walworth, May 20, 1919 – November 10,2021, Jackson. Born Inez A. Towns to Claude and Stella (Walker) Towns of Springport, she passed away in Jackson, November 10, 2021, age 102 years.
Inez was a 1938 graduate of Springport High School. She married Lyle Walworth of Eaton Rapids on August 25, 1945.
Inez was a retired sewing teacher from Jackson Junior College, a member of the Wally Byam Airstream Club, the Belles & Beaux Square Dancing Club, and the First United Methodist Church. Known for her outstanding cooking, baking, and sewing, her Jackson County Fair entries earned her many awards through the years. Mr. & Mrs. Walworth spent 31 winters in Florida during their retirement years.
Surviving is her one daughter Judy (Thomas) Naylor of Ann Arbor, one granddaughter Jennifer (Andrew) Ballema of Winnetka, IL two great-grandchildren Charlie and Ellerie Ballema of Winnetka, IL, and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Inez was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Lyle, and nine siblings – Durward, Cecil, Charles, Harold, and Milo Towns, Nina Stockfish, Mabel Down, Alice Culver, and Doris Ballard.
According to her wishes Mrs. Walworth has been cremated. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Jackson Friendly Home, 435 W. North Street, Jackson, MI, 49202. Please express your condolences to the family at www.watson-funeral-chapels.com.
David C. Owen
David Charles Owen of Lansing, formerly of Eaton Rapids, passed away November 15, 2021, at the age of 73. David was born in Eaton Rapids, MI., January 21, 1948, the son of Harold and Marion (Hine) Owen. He proudly served and was honorably discharged from the US Navy. David was very talented when it came to making quilts, sewing, and making bears. He was also famous for his apple pies, loved to camp and spend time with family and friends.
David is survived by his wife of 45 years, Billie Owen; children, Kandace (Larry) Cuddington of Cadillac, Valerie (Tim) Pancost of Charlotte, Todd Steele of Lansing; grandchildren, Jonathan Wright, Cameron Oberlin, Morgan (Michael) Oberlin, Mackenzie (Dominique) Pancost, Tabitha (Dereck) Pancost, Olivia Pancost, Colton, Cortney, Gabe, Savanna and Brittany; great grandchildren, Brynndal, Braxton, Nevaeh and baby Madeline who is due in December and his fur baby, Max; sister, Sharon Williams of AZ; brother, Tom Owen of Eaton Rapids; sister-in-law’s Carol Owen of OH, Edith Hamilton of TX; brother-in-law, Bob Clough of Eaton Rapids. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Bill Owen; sister, Shari Clough.
Funeral services will be 12 p.m. Friday November 19, 2021, at Mt. Hope Church, 202 S. Creyts Rd. Lansing, MI 48917. Visitation will take place on Thursday at the Mills Funeral Home, Shelly-Odell Chapel in Eaton Rapids from 6-8 p.m. and at the church Friday one hour prior to the service. Those desiring may make memorial contributions to Mt. Hope Mission Support for Pastor Scott and Ruth Thompson or Best Friends Animal Society, 5001 Angel Canyon Rd. Kanab, Utah 87441. To leave online condolences for the family, please visit our website, www.millsfuneral.com.
Kurtis S. McCarrick
Kurtis Scott McCarrick of Eaton Rapids, passed away on November 13, 2021, at the age of 60. Kurtis was born in Charlotte, MI., July 30, 1961, the son of Herbert and Joyce (Parsons) McCarrick. He was a 1979 graduate of Eaton Rapids High School and worked at Meijer for the past 42 years. Kurtis was passionate about raising his honeybees, was a member of the Conservation Club and the NRA and enjoyed hunting.
Kurtis is survived by his daughter, Autum McCarrick of Eaton Rapids; son, Spenser McCarrick of Eaton Rapids; mother; grandchildren, Tristan, Ryley, Logan, Jazmine, and Jorden; brothers, Herbert McCarrick and Rodney McCarrick; fiancé, Stephanie DeShong; several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father.
Memorial services will be held at a later date. Arrangements were entrusted to the Mills Funeral Home in Eaton Rapids. Those desiring may make memorial contributions to the family to help with expenses. To leave online condolences for the family, please visit our website, www.millsfuneral.com.
Lois Cowles
Lois Edith Solomon Cowles was born June 17, 1929, in Kalamazoo, Michigan at Borgess Hospital. On November 12, 2021, she died peacefully, and the angels carried her home to be with her husband Winfield.
Lois’ first home in Kalamazoo was at Gilbert and Hotop, where the family lived upstairs. Aunt Edna and “Grandma” Phelps also lived there. The family had a victrola and old-fashioned crank phone. She remembers making childhood prank phone calls, saying it was Mr. Pepper asking for Mrs. Salt.
In 1933 the family moved to Jefferson Avenue/Prairie where they rented. In 1937 the Solomon family moved to 615 N. Prairie. At the time, the home still had an outhouse.
Lois attended elementary school on West Main Street. It was there she met Dorothy Tucker, her lifelong friend. She attended Woodwards Junior High and then State High in Kalamazoo, where tuition was required.
She started playing the piano at the age of eight and then learned the old-fashioned pipe organ – operated with foot pedals — as a young adult. Throughout her youth she had two piano teachers, one was a church organist, and she recalls the name of the other as Francis Iney. Lois enjoyed attending recitals and musicals.
Lois went to college from 1947-1951 at Western Michigan University, following in the footsteps where her parents met. She majored in Education with French/History minors. She joined the French Club and an off-campus sorority.
From 1951 – 1952 she student taught at W.K. Kellogg Consolidated, which was a one room (12 grades) school. She lived in a club house for student teachers during those years.
Her father was Pastor of the West Side Gospel Church from 1935 – 1945 then the family attended Gospel Hall in Kalamazoo. He was also a Pastor at the Methodist Church in Alamo.
Lois later attended Calvary Church in Kalamazoo where she played piano and sang in the choir. As an adult, Lois and husband Winfield attended the First Baptist Church in Eaton Rapids where Lois played the piano and pipe organ. Later they joined South Baptist Church in Lansing where Lois played the piano for Sunday School. They joined the Griffith Methodist Church in the 1980s and both taught Sunday School and enjoyed social events including ice cream socials.
In the summer of 1952 Lois noticed an opening of a teaching position in Eaton Rapids and decided to move away from home. Back then schools were one room schoolhouses with all 12 grades and no indoor plumbing. Her first position was at the Bentley school Her room was featured on the back cover of the book “Rural School of Eaton County Michigan” featuring a class photo from March 12, 1954.
When Lois graduated from college, she still desired to be a missionary, but when she moved to Eaton Rapids, she met a handsome young man named Winfield Cowles. Winfield and Lois married May 30, 1954 and married 64 years before Winfield passed away in 2018. They had two daughters, Cheri Lu (Harding) and Sue Ann (Kelch).
Lois was a member of the Eaton Rapids Education Association and Michigan Association of Retired Persons. During her teaching career, she served as a Union Representative for Northwestern Elementary School in the early 1980s where she taught 3rd grade until she retired in June of 1991. She also joined the Home Extension in Eaton Rapids and the Lois Club.
Lois and Winfield enjoyed a long retirement together, and enjoyed square dancing, bluegrass festivals and teaching Sunday School together. Lois also enjoyed retired teachers’ teas, Lois Club luncheons and was known to host neighborhood parties at their Springport Road home. Lois and Winfield enjoyed travelling to many places across the country, including their favorite trip to the Grand Canyon with their daughters and their husbands.
The last four and a half years of her life she lived at Brookdale in Ann Arbor near her daughter Sue. She enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles, playing BINGO and was especially fond of dominoes with Winfield and family. She also joined in all of the fun group activities like going to the Yankee Air Museum, lunch bunch, and trivial pursuit. She never lost her gift to play the piano beautifully – all by memory and no sheet music — even to the last day. She was loved by all of the residents and staff and will be dearly missed by all.
She was preceded in death by her father CL Solomon, her mother Edith (McGowan) Solomon, brother Vincent, sister Ann (Willsea) Solomon and husband Winfield. She is survived by her daughters Cheri (Roger) Harding, Sue (Ray) Kelch; grandchildren Lindsay (Jess) Harding and Hilary (Ruben) Montano; great grandchildren Jacoby William and foster siblings Jabari and Heather; Ruben Joseph and Ryland Griffith Montano; along with numerous nieces and nephews.