Shopper_7_4_24_FULL_

http://www.thebattlecreekshopper.com BATTLE CREEK SHOPPER NEWS Thursday, July 4, 2024 17

est man with a great work ethic. He worked

for the W.K. Kellogg Company in Battle Creek,

specializing in packaging machine repair.

Richard retired after 35 years in 1989, by

then a 10-year member of the Kellogg 25 Year

Club. After retirement, Richard and Marjorie

enjoyed spending time with family and friends,

and wintering in Lake Wales, Florida. He also

enjoyed camping with Marjorie, gardening and

raising raspberries, which he loved sharing

with others.

Richard is survived by his children, Dennis

Biteman and Beverly (George) Mercer; grand-

children Adam (Susanne) Biteman and Bo

(Mercedes) Biteman; great-grandchildren

Steven, Henry, Alyssa and Holly; sisters

Georgeanna Clark, Frances Cross and Patricia

(David) Kaniewski; brother Dan (Martha)

Biteman; brother-in-law Harold (Mary) Funk;

sister-in-law Rose Marie Funk; special friends

Carol and Patrick; as well as many nieces and

nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife,

Marjorie; grandson Derek Biteman; brother

Byron Biteman; and his parents.

Funeral services took place June 28,

2024, at Kempf Family Funeral and Cremation

Services of Battle Creek. Interment took

place at Burlington Township Cemetery in

Burlington, Michigan.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating

in Richard’s

memory to

Centrica Care

Navigators, 700

Stadium Drive,

Kalamazoo, MI

49009.

Your Pet is Part of

Your Family

We want you to remember

them that way

Give your loved ones the care

they deserve. Cremation and

burial options available.

Celebrate the

life of your pet

in a way that is

meaningful to

you and your

family.

269.788.

Richard M.

Biteman, 95,

of Battle Creek,

Michigan, passed

peacefully into the

presence of Jesus,

his Savior, on June

23, 2024.

Richard was

born June

29, 1928, to

George and Alice

(Isham) Biteman

in Sherwood,

Michigan. Richard managed the A & P store

in Union City, during which time he met and

married Marjorie Funk on June 6, 1948. They

were married for 74-plus years. Together, they

loved and served God as they raised their fam-

ily in Burlington, Michigan. They relocated to

Battle Creek in 1980. Richard was active in the

churches he attended, whether in Burlington,

Battle Creek or Lake Wales, Florida. He

enjoyed singing and was in charge of music at

the Burlington Church of God and participated

in choir and musical productions at the South

Lake Wales Church of God.

He was a quiet, considerate, kind and hon-

Ruth Ann

Caldwell, 69,

of Springfield,

Mich., went to be

with the Lord on

Monday, June 24,

2024, at Bronson

Battle Creek

Hospital. She was

born on Jan. 11,

1955, the daugh-

ter of Frank Cook

and Edith (Fowler)

Cook.

Ruth was a 1973 graduate of Battle Creek

Central High School and was employed at Head

Start, Altrusa Day Nursery, K-Mart and retired

from Battle Creek Health Systems in 2009.

Ruth is survived by her husband, Lorenzo

Caldwell Sr.; children, Felicia Broomfield,

David Broomfield, Lorenzo Caldwell Jr., Larue

Caldwell, Malaika Butler; 16 grandchildren;

seven great-grandchildren; special daughters,

Lateeka Morris and Aaliyah Trigg; special sons,

Michael Butler, Ryan Jackson; brothers Frank

Cook Jr., Kenneth (Jeanette) Cook Sr., Ernest

(Sheila) Cook, Archie Murphy; sisters, Denise

Cook, Cynthia Cook, Brenda Murphy, Laurie

Harris; her favorite dog, Sophie; and many

nieces, nephews and special sisters.

She was preceded in death by her par-

ents, Frank and Edith Cook; grandson David

Broomfield; brothers Raymond Cook, Frankie

Murphy and Stanley Murphy.

Ruth devoted herself to teaching children.

She loved to collect dolls and antiques, work

in her yard and take care of others. She helped

start God’s Kitchen and was one of the found-

ers of New Deliverance Missionary Baptist

Church, where she served as the president of

the Usher Board, member of the Missionary

Society, was a Sunday school teacher and

Sunday school secretary. She also was a mem-

ber of the Charitable Union in Battle Creek and

fed the homeless at Sojourner Truth Park and

the Share Center, providing help in any form

that she could.

Family hour will be held at Baxter Funeral &

Cremation Service on Saturday, July 6, 2024,

from 10-11 a.m., with the celebration of life

service to follow at 11 a.m.

Interment will take place at Memorial Park

Cemetery in Battle Creek.

Arrangements entrusted to the Baxter Funeral

& Cremation Service, 269-788-9800. http://www.

baxterfuneral.com

Gerald Edward
“Red” Dunn, 79,
of Lansing, MI,
passed away on
Thursday, June
27, 2024.
Born on March
15, 1945 in
Battle Creek,
MI, Gerald was
a hard-working
man who held
various jobs
throughout his
life. He enjoyed fishing, riding snowmobiles

and motorcycles. His love for travel led

him through 47 of the 50 states. Gerald,

also known as “Red,” loved Christmas

decorations and dressing up as Santa to

see people’s smiles. No one was ever a

stranger to him.

He is survived by his loving wife, Natalie

Dunn; children Patricia (Rick) Lees, Cindy

(Jeff) Herriff and Ken (Elizabeth) Dunn; 12

grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; one

great-great-granddaughter; and his broth-

ers Steve (Pam) Dunn and Mike (Vickie)

Dunn.

He was preceded in death by his par-

ents, Ray and Gladys (VanPatten) Dunn;

brother Kenneth; sister Betty; and his first

wife, Nancy.

A memorial visitation will be held on

Monday, July 8, 2024, from 6-8 p.m. at

Bachman Hebble Funeral Service in Battle

Creek, MI. A service to honor Gerald’s life

will be held Tuesday, July 9, 2024, at 11

a.m. at Bachman Hebble Funeral Service.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be

made to Sparrow Hospice or the American

Cancer Society.

Arrangements by Bachman Hebble

Funeral Service, (269) 965-5145. http://www.

bachmanhebble.com

Kate Evans

passed away June

26, 2024. Kate

Evans was born

September 1,

1932, in Brandon,

Mississippi, to

Bennie and O.C.

Coleman (Louis

Hobbs).

Kate came to

Kalamazoo at

a young age

and attended

Kalamazoo Public Schools. Kate married

Melvin Evans in 1957. Kate and Melvin

moved to Battle Creek, Michigan, where

she worked for Kellogg Company for 30

years. Kate was a member of the Kellogg

25 Year Club and was a member of Mt.

Zion A.M.E. Church.

Kate was preceded in death by her par-

ents, Bennie, O.C. Coleman, and Louis

Hobbs; her son, Larry Evans; her two sis-

ters and three brothers.

She leaves cherished memories with

her husband, Melvin, after 67 years; two

grandsons, Tico Evans (Battle Creek, MI),

Marcel Mayberry (Battle Creek, MI); three

granddaughters, Enid Evans (Chicago,

IL), Michiko Alvarenga (Lansing, MI), and

Myken Mayberry (Lansing, MI); a very

special daughter-in-law, Mycheal Gamble

(Peoria, AZ); six great-grandchildren; sev-

eral nieces and nephews; and many cous-

ins and friends.

Visitation will be held at Mt. Zion AME

Church, 364 W. Van Buren St., on Monday,

July 8, 2024, from 11 a.m. to noon.

A funeral service will be held at Mt. Zion

AME Church on Monday, July 8, 2024, at

noon, with Rev. Christina Dennis of Mt.

Zion AME Church officiating.

Interment will take place in Floral Lawn

Memorial Gardens.

Memorials may be made to the charity

of one’s choice.

Arrangements by Baxter Funeral &

Cremation Service. 269-788-9800/www.

baxterfuneral.com