18 Thursday, October 3, 2024 BATTLE CREEK SHOPPER NEWS http://www.thebattlecreekshopper.comOzella
Marshall, 94,
passed away
peacefully, after
a long and
loving life, on
Sept. 22, 2024.
She was born
Feb. 11, 1930,
in Beloit, Wis.,
to Henry Green
and Annie Mae Green. Eventually
they moved to Chicago and then
Battle Creek.
Ozella was married three
times; first to Calvin Williams,
and then to Thomas Lancaster,
and in October 1997, she married
Lonnie Marshall. She and Lonnie
had decades of love and adventure
and worship of the Lord togeth-er before Lonnie passed on March
18, 2012.
Ozella was an LPN nurse, first at
Percy Jones Hospital, then at the
Battle Creek V.A. Medical Center,
and she finished her nursing career
at Lakeview General Hospital. She
also was a beautician and ran her
own salon on Upton Avenue for
many years. She eventually moved
her salon to her basement in her
home until she retired. She was
very active in local politics and was
an active union representative. After
retiring, she worked part-time in
home health care, taking care of the
elderly, a vocation she was passion-
ate about.
Ozella’s other passion was her
love for God, starting way back at
St. Marks C.M.E. Church. She andLonnie felt called to move to Bright
Star Faith Temple and after spend-
ing years there they joined the
Battle Creek Seventh-day Adventist
Tabernacle in March 1983, where
they both remained until their pass-
ing. They were both elders in the
church, loved, and respected by the
congregation. Anyone who knew
Ozella knew that she was the most
outgoing, social, loving and gra-
cious person. She was a wonderful
sister, wife, mother, stepmother,
grandmother and great-grandmother
and a friend to many in Battle Creek
and across the United States.
Ozella was preceded in death by
her parents, Henry Green and Annie
Mae Green; her husband, Lonnie
Marshall; a brother and two sisters,
Josie Williams and Deedee Green.She leaves to cherish her mem-
ory a daughter, Ann Pointer of
Kalamazoo; her grandsons, Adonis
(Jackie) Pointer of Florida, Andre
Pointer of Battle Creek, and Alonzo
Pointer of Kalamazoo; her great-
grandchildren, Deon, Aliyah, AJ,
Japri and Jayli; and great-great-
grandchild Jayden Quincy; stepchil-
dren; many nieces, nephews, cous-
ins; and godchildren Marvin Cantrell
and Annabell Carson.
Funeral services have taken place.
Burial was held at Ft. Custer
National Cemetery in Augusta,
Mich.
Arrangements by Bachman
Hebble Funeral Service, (269) 965-
5145/www.bachmanhebble.com.Gail A.
McWilliams of
Battle Creek,
passed away
Tuesday, Sept.
24, 2024. She
was born in
Jeffersonville,
Ind. (along
with her
twin, Jerry)
to Robert L. and Iris L. (Jones)
McWilliams on Oct. 21, 1945.
Gail attended Post Elementary
School, Southeastern Jr. High,
graduated from Battle Creek
Central, class of 1963, and attended
Kellogg Community College. Gail
was employed by Michigan Bell
after high school and retired from
the Social Security Administration
as a claims representative after 30
years of service.
In earlier years, Gail enjoyed
bowling, playing golf, boating,
coaching Special Olympics and
taking care of her flowers and yard.
She belonged to a group of friends
that shared a monthly potluck for
many years. She also remained
close with a group of friends from
high school, whom she named the
DependaBelles, and Zoomed with
them regularly. Gail loved hamburg-ers, spaghetti, peanut M&M’s, mov-
ies and making people laugh. Her
heart was big and her smile even
bigger. Humor got her through the
tough times.
Gail was preceded in death by her
mother and father; her stepfather,
Robert McCleery; and a brother and
sister-in-law, Dennis and Jenny.
She is survived by her brother,
Jerry of Battle Creek; her niece,
Laura of Richmond, Ky.; her god-
daughter, Ginger Strand; her
McCleery siblings, Maureen
(Donald) Vire, David (Teresa)
McCleery and Barbara (Mike)
Roller; close friends Sharon Heisler,
Sallie (Ken) Goodman, Barbara
Auble and Lynn (Toby) Rich; and
her dog, Marlee.
Visitation was Tuesday, Oct. 1,
2024, at Farley Estes Dowdle
Funeral Home & Cremation Care,
from 1-2 p.m., with a service at 2
p.m.
In lieu of flowers, please con-
sider donating to Centrica Care
Navigators, 7100 Stadium Drive,
Kalamazoo, MI 49009 or All Species
Kinship (A.S.K.), P.O. Box 4055,
Battle Creek, MI 49016.
Personal messages for the family
may be placed at http://www.farleyestes-
dowdle.comAlaine
Elizabeth
Ratliff, 91, of
Springfield,
Mich., passed
away Friday,
Sept. 27, 2024.
She was
born April 1,
1933, in Battle
Creek, Mich.,
the daughter of Arthur and Eva
(Flook) Grant. Alaine married James
W. Ratliff on Feb. 16, 1951, and
then graduated from Lakeview High
School that spring. They were mar-
ried for 61 years.
Alaine worked most of her career
at Bill Knapp’s Commissary as an
administrative assistant. She was
a devoted wife and mother to her
five children. Her hobbies included
square dancing, round dancing and
reading. From 1965-2011, Alaine
and Jim taught countless square
and round dancing classes. After
Jim’s death, Alaine continued to
teach until 2019.
They passed on their love of
dance to people from ages 9-99.
Alaine and Jim took dance seri-
ously, right down to the detailed
costumes. They even started their
own club in the 1970s called the
Sundown Squares. Before that, they
danced with the Quadrilles.
She is survived by her children
Dale (Penny) Ratliff, Don (Amy)
Ratliff, Brian (Jacqui) Ratliff and
Debra Ratliff; sister Marietta
Atkinson; 19 grandchildren; 23
great-grandchildren; and two great-
great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her
parents; Arthur and Eva Grant; hus-
band James “Jim” Ratliff; son Paul
Ratliff; and brother Ronald Grant.
Visitation will be held at Bachman
Hebble Funeral Service on Monday,
Oct. 7, 2024, from 11 a.m. to noon,
with the funeral to immediately fol-
low at noon. Burial will be at Floral
Lawn Memorial Gardens in Battle
Creek, Mich.
Memorial tributes may
be made to Calhoun
County Medical Care
Facility (Attn: Memory
Care Unit).
Arrangements by
Bachman Hebble Funeral
Service. (269) 965-5145/
http://www.bachmanhebble.
com— ELDER LAW —- Legal advice & counseling regarding long term care.
- Protecting your home and assets.
- Advice for your financial and/or medical condition.
- Benefits available to you including Medicaid & veterans.
— PROBATE & ESTATE PLANNING — - Wills and trusts
- Powers of Attorney for Health Care and Finances
- Pre and post nuptial agreements
Stacey Lott • Planning for blended and non-traditional families
Attorney at Law
269-963-8222 • http://www.staceylottlaw.com
130 East Columbia Ave., Battle Creek, MI 49015