Obituaries
Larry E. Ainsworth
Mr. Larry Edwin Ainsworth, age 79, of Vermontville, Mich. passed away Saturday, November 21, 2020 at The Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. Beloved husband of Julia and the late Lorelei (1991). Loving father of Brian (Jill) and Steven (Kelly). stepfather of Trinka Jeffery and Clifford (Kristen) Jeffery. Dearest grandfather of Luke, Maria, Kayla, Grace, Stormy, Benjamin and Jack.
Larry was born in Battle Creek, Mich. on February 8, 1941, the son of the late Edwin and Margaret. Larry was raised in Vermontville, Mich. and was a proud graduate of Vermontville High School. While in high school, Larry was a talented athlete finishing as a State Track Champion in the 1/4 mile. After completing high school, Larry continued his education, putting himself through DeVry Tech Institute in Chicago working as a bartender and in construction.
On August 10, 1966 Larry entered the United States Army where he served in the Vietnam War. Initially, Larry’s original assignment was as a radio operator, but was recategorized as a machine gunner once the military took note of his “country boy” marksmanship. While in Vietnam, Larry was also given charge of building many of the structures of the forward communications base he was assigned to due to his construction experience while attending DeVry. Larry was a proud veteran and was honored with the Vietnam Counter Offensive II Medal, Sharpshooter Rifle Medal, National Service Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and The Purple Heart which he received after being wounded in the Tet Offensive.
When Larry returned home, he returned to General Motors where he worked for over 30 years before retiring at the age of 53. While his children were young, Larry volunteered as the varsity track coach at Maple Valley High School. His commitment to community could be seen through his dedication in assisting local law enforcement as president of the Mounted Division of the Eaton County Sheriff’s Department. Larry was an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoyed several big game hunting adventures with his son Brian, including hunting elk in Montana and Wyoming, and nearly all of the family vacations were spent fishing or hunting.
After retiring, Larry and his beloved wife, Julia, enjoyed traveling throughout the United States, visiting The Outer Banks in North Carolina, Vermont, New Orleans, Texas, and North into California, and many other places. They also enjoyed relaxing on Rice Lake in Canada where they fished together. Larry loved his Nashville Baptist Church family, spending time together in fellowship was something Larry always enjoyed.
Funeral Services will be held at The Daniels Funeral Home, Nashville, Mich., at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 with pastor Deano Lamphere officiating.
The family will receive visitors on Tuesday, December 1 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Daniels Funeral Home in Nashville.
Interment will take place immediately following the funeral service at Lakeview Cemetery in Nashville. Larry will be interned with full military honors provided by the United States Army, and the American Legion Post 45 – Hastings, Mich.
Memorial contributions may be made in Larry’s name to the Maple Valley High School track program at 11090 Nashville Highway, Vermontville, MI 49096 or the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, 1-Blue Activities, 3000 Monroe NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505.
For anyone not feeling comfortable attending services at this time, the family is also planning a Celebration of Larry’s life to take place next spring/summer at an outside location when hopefully this pandemic is at bay.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Daniels Funeral Home in Nashville. For further details please visit their website at danielsfuneralhome.net.
Marilee A. (Ulery) Kilbert
Marilee A. Kilbert, age 92, of Charlotte, formerly of Elkhart passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 19, 2020 at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Michigan. Marilee was born on September 3, 1928 (Labor Day!) in Elkhart to Calvin and Ruth Ulery. She married Howard J. Kilbert on August 9, 1947 at Grace Lutheran Church in Elkhart.
Marilee graduated from Elkhart High School where she was a class officer, helping each year with reunion planning. She worked for many years as a nurse’s assistant for the Elkhart Community Schools and for Whitehall Laboratories. She faithfully volunteered for decades at Elkhart General Hospital Emergency Room on Friday evenings and for 60 years was a regular volunteer and instructor of CPR and First Aid Classes for The American Red Cross. Marilee was proud of her EMT certification and happily spent many summers as camp nurse at Singing Hills Girl Scouts Camp. She was a faithful member of Grace Lutheran Church in Elkhart and the William Tuffs Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR).
Marilee will be greatly missed by her children: Barbara (Scott) Myckowiak of Charlotte, Patricia (Bob) Grimm of Middlebury, Ind., Nancy (Dave) Holderread of Lansing, Mich., and Linda Kilbert of Bargersville, Ind.; four grandchildren: Bob Deaton, Jim (Hannah) Holderread, Jon Holderread, and Becca (Caleb) Hubble; five great-grandchildren; and her brother, Herbert (Joan) Ulery Sr. of Middlebury, Ind. She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard in 2002 and her son, Jim in 1972.
Marilee lived in Elkhart almost all her life. She loved living there and missed it greatly when she relocated to Michigan in her last few years. She spent many fun-filled days at the family cottage at nearby Stone Lake. She was a great cook and showed her love by cooking wonderful meals for her family. Pies were her specialty and she traditionally made several for Thanksgiving dinner, including her famous Peanut Pie. She also was able to accurately recreate her mother’s famous sugar cookies and shared them often. As family gathered around the table for grace before her special meals, it was almost inevitable that Marilee would realize the rolls or some other dish was left behind in the kitchen. Her standard comment “Let’s pray and then I’ll get it” has become legend in the family. Marilee shared her family’s fondness for popcorn and enjoyed it frequently. Until her decline in recent years, she was an avid seamstress and quilter, gifting many family members with her handiwork. She was a tenacious genealogist, digging deep to find family connections and lineage. She loved to travel and after retirement enjoyed many special trips with Howard or her daughters. Marilee’s generous spirit and loving care will be missed by those who knew and loved her. We are comforted by the knowledge that she is now in heaven, free from pain and confusion, and joyfully reunited with Howard and Jim and others who have gone before her.
Due to COVID-19 there will be no public service at this time. Stemm- Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home, 1531 Cobblestone Blvd., Elkhart IN 46514 is handling the arrangements. A private service will be held for the immediate family with burial following at Rice Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please make donations in Marilee’s honor to Grace Lutheran Church, 831 West Marion Street, Elkhart, IN 46516, American Red Cross, 1123 South Indiana Avenue, Goshen, IN 46526, or William Tuffs Chapter NSDAR, c/o Treasurer Stephanie Wright, 22532 Winchester Drive, Elkhart, IN 46514.
Linda Jo Scott
With deepest sorrow, we regretfully share the passing of Linda Jo Scott (Samuels), Friday, November 20, 2020. Linda was born in Chicago, Ill. on December 3, 1939. She lived in Chicago through high school, received her bachelor’s degree from Yankton College S.D., in 1961, and earned her master’s degree, and PHD in literature from Emory University, Ga. in 1964.
Linda Jo was a lover of the arts and education. She studied and taught literature, poetry, and writing most of her life. She taught English in a prison, taught language in foreign countries, and dedicated her life to helping others learn. She travelled the world, extensively in Europe and parts of Asia, and even lived in France and South Korea. She was fluent in French, wrote hundreds of poems and published many articles.
Linda Jo was a member of the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra for 31 years as second violin. She taught at Olivet College in Olivet Mich. for 20 years, before retiring in 1998. Countless students reflect that she was their favorite teacher and that she touched and changed their lives. She played countless weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, funerals, and more as a strolling violinist, often for just a meal.
She is survived by her sons John Randall Banks, Bellevue, Mich., Alan Banks, his wife Dana, and their children Carter, Rylie, and Emery, Akron, Ohio; her sister Marjorie Buchbinder, Miami Fla.; and brother, Thomas Samuels, Enterprise Ala. Her sweetheart, Andrew Francis Vincent Leat, preceded her in death in 2015. They traveled the world and the states in their 13 years together.
As we remember mom’s life and all the lives she touched, we are thankful that she was ours in flesh and blood, but everyone’s in spirit and friendship. She was kind and caring, warm and inviting, thoughtful yet uncomplicated. Fond memories, poetry, writings and art are what we will always have to remember mom.
We ask that gifts be dedicated to the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra in Battle Creek Michigan.
Richard R. Cobb
Richard Raymond Cobb, 91, of Vermontville, died peacefully on Monday, November 23, 2020 at his home. Richard was born February 21, 1929, at home in Eaton County. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and proudly served during WWII. Upon his return, he married Bertha Faye Wilson on August 22, 1949 and the two started their family. Richard worked 25 years at Diamond Reo in Lansing until its closure in 1975. He then started his own business, Cobb Well Drilling, which he owned and operated over 30 years in the Charlotte area. Throughout his lifetime, Richard also operated his own small farm in Vermontville. In his spare time he loved watching NASCAR and playing three-card poker at the casino. Above all, Richard loved his family.
Richard is survived by his wife of 71 years, Bertha Cobb; son, Richard L. (Belinda Harwood) Cobb; six grandchildren, Shelly (Brent) Rehm, Darren (Monelle) Cobb, Jared (Nicki) Osborne, Christie (Chad) Lutz, Richard (Evelyn) Osborne, and Andrea Cobb; 12 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; sisters, Margee Sudberry and Virginia Peters; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his daughter, Janice Cobb; son, David Cobb; brother, Lyle Cobb; and brothers-in-law, Jack Sudbury and John Peters.
Private family services will be held. Friends and family are encouraged to share memories of Richard on his tribute page at PrayFuneral.com.
The family is in the care of Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte.
David W. Smith
David Winslow Smith, of Onondaga, passed away November 21, 2020 at the age of 85, after a brief fight with complications from COVID-19. David was born in Saginaw, Mich. on January 3, 1935, the son of Winslow and Helen (Loebs) Smith. He greatly enjoyed shooting from high school on. He was a boy scout and also in the National Guard. David enjoyed fixing things, houses, cars, motorcycles. He worked as a Corrections Officer at Southern Michigan Prison in Jackson for 27 years, retiring in 1991. He was on the Three Weapon Team (Rifle, Shotgun and Pistol) at the prison. There are many trophies and prizes he won at different shoots. After retirement he joined the Rose City Harmonica Club. He played harmonica, was the treasurer for about 15 years, and he moved the equipment for the club for many years. Onondaga Community Church was his home church for about 45 years. He was active at the Swiss Steak Suppers and supporting the church any way he could.
David is survived by his wife of 65 years, Gail; children, Bonnie Myers of Warren, Paul (Deb) Smith of Pinconning, Linda (Earl) Ammon of Georgia, and Leslie (Chris) Zenker of Onondaga; grandchildren, Susan (Tony) Watkins, Amanda (Jonathan) Crandell, C.J. Zenker, Aleca (Patrick) Chenault, and Josh Zenker; three great grandchildren; two siblings, Mark (Anne) Smith, and Joy Zissler; and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held in the spring. For those desiring, memorial contributions can be made to the Onondaga Community Church Building Fund, P. O. Box 97, Onondaga, MI 49264, or Hillsdale College, 33 E. College St., Hillsdale, MI 49242, in memory of David. The family has entrusted arrangements to the Mills Funeral Home, Shelly-Odell Chapel in Eaton Rapids. Online condolences and memories may be shared at millsfuneral.com.