http://www.thebattlecreekshopper.com BATTLE CREEK SHOPPER NEWS Wednesday, June 6, 2024 19
It is with great
sadness the
family of Mary
VanderWall, 95,
announces her
passing on Monday,
May 27, 2024, at
Bronson Battle
Creek Hospital,
surrounded by her
family. She was
born Mary Frances
Noah to Harold
and Mary (Leach)
Noah on August
26, 1928, in Wayland, Michigan. Mary attended
Thornapple-Kellogg schools, graduating in 1947.
Mary was classy, with a little bit of firecracker
mixed in. She was a lovely lady inside and out.
Her family was her life, and she enjoyed cooking
and baking for everyone, going out to eat with
family and friends, and was an avid golfer in her
younger years. She also enjoyed working well
into her 80s at Miller College as a receptionist.
She had previously worked at a dental practice
and Kellogg Community College. She liked
watching the Detroit Tigers baseball, golf and
some football games on TV, sitting on her deck
soaking up the sun, and visiting with friendsand family when they stopped by. Mary attended
Maple Methodist Church in Battle Creek. She
leaves behind many friends, but a few were very
special to her: Bob Sealock, Nancy Noah and
Muriel Clark.
Mary is survived by her brother, Dr. Melvin
Noah; sons John (Jan) VanderWall and Scott
(Denise) VanderWall; grandson Adam (Kirstin)
VanderWall, step-grandsons Ryan Stemplewski,
Ian Stemplewski and Eric (Trish) Wesner; step-
granddaughter Amy Wesner; great-granddaughter
Jemma K. VanderWall; step-great-granddaughters
Ashlynn Wesner and Brooklynn Wesner; nephews
Greg (Jean) Noah, Terry (Margaret) Noah, Randy
(Chen Yin) Noah and Chris (Anne) Noah; several
grandnieces and grandnephews; and her faithful
doggy, Coco.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents;
beloved grandson Mitchell VanderWall; sister-
in-law Kaye Noah; and brother-in-law Duane
“Dewey” VanderWall.
Per Mary’s wishes, cremation has taken place
and there will be no funeral service. The family
will host a celebration of Mary’s life at a later
date, yet to be determined.
Arrangements are being handled by Farley
Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care.
Personal messages for the family may be placed
at http://www.farleyestesdowdle.com.Tom Allen
VanDorsten, 76,
of Battle Creek,
Michigan, passed
away Sunday, May
26, 2024. He was
born December
3, 1947, the son
of Richard and
Dorothy (Custer)
VanDorsten.
He was pre-
ceded in death by
his parents; his
wife, Anelda L-Veta
VanDorsten; and brothers Roy VanDorsten and
Ted VanDorsten.
He is survived by his sons, Edward VanDorsten,
Andrew (Melanie) VanDorsten, Noah VanDorsten;
daughter Lori VanDorsten (Andrew Sivwright); and
the mother of his children, Linda Bauer.
He is also survived by grandchildren Drew
(Ashley) VanDorsten, Alex VanDorsten, Karly
(Cody) Fitzgerald, Eva VanDorsten, Aiden
VanDorsten; great-grandchildren Natalie and
Reagan VanDorsten; brothers David VanDorsten,
Toss (Colleen) VanDorsten, Tim (Brenda)
VanDorsten; as well as many nieces, nephews and
cousins.
Tom graduated from Pennfield High School
and served in the U.S. Air Force. He worked at
Eaton Corporation, aircraft mechanic and was
self-employed in the Battle Creek area. He enjoyed
singing, bowling and golf.
Visitation will be held at Baxter Funeral &
Cremation Service, 375 W. Dickman Road, on
Thursday, June 6, 2024, from 12:30-1:30 p.m.,
with the memorial service to celebrate his life fol-
lowing at 1:30 p.m.
Interment will take place at Fort Custer National
Cemetery.
Arrangements entrusted to Baxter Funeral &
Cremation Service. (269) 788-9800; http://www.baxter-
funeral.comMary Jean
Zielke
May 8, 1936 –
June 1, 2024
On June 1,
2024, Mary Jean
(Martus) Zielke
of Battle Creek, a
treasured mother,
grandmother and
great-grandmother,
passed away peace-
fully at age 88.
The middle child
of William and
Stella Martus, Mary grew up with her two broth-
ers on a farm in Cass City, MI. While their father
worked at Ford Motor Company, her mother was
the first woman school bus driver in the state
of Michigan. “Jean,” and as she was called by
her family, grew up riding the yellow school bus
driven by her mom. She graduated from Cass
City High School and moved to Mount Pleasant
to attend Central Michigan University and gradu-
ated with her degree in Elementary Education in
1958.
Immediately after graduation, she accepted
her lifelong teaching position with Springfield
Schools. After teaching for nearly 10 years,
she met the love of her life, Wayne Zielke, at
Springfield Elementary. Wayne was a speech
therapist, and he, too, had a love of children.
They married in June 1968 and welcomed their
first daughter, Andrea, in 1969 and their second
daughter, Kristi, in 1973. After a long illness,
Wayne passed away in 1977. Mary was a strong
wife, mother and teacher, who devotedly cared
for him during his illness and nurtured her two
young daughters all while continuing to teach
first and second grade. Mary, always fiercely
independent and determined to provide for
her girls, bought her first and forever home in
Springfield. Her girls were the center of her life
and during their summer vacations they created
awesome memories traveling extensively across
the United States.
In 1992, Mary retired after 33-1/2 years of
teaching in the Springfield/Battle Creek Public
Schools. She was always delighted when former
students were excited to see her out and about
the town. She always remembered their names
and enjoyed hearing about their lives. Both
before and in retirement, Mary loved attending
church, meeting with her former colleagues,
traveling and taking care of her plants. Her face
lit up with joy when she was with her grandchil-
dren and great-grandchildren. She had saved her
favorite children’s books from her classroom and
loved to read them over and over with them.She always inspired both Andrea and Kristi
through her examples of hard work, indepen-
dence, perseverance, dedication and love, and
they are forever grateful.
Mary Jean Zielke was preceded in death by her
parents and her husband, Wayne.
She is survived by her brothers, William
E. Martus of Richmond, Indiana, and Robert
Martus of Flushing, Michigan; daughters Andrea
Smith of Boise, Idaho, and Kristi Granger of
Springfield, Michigan; sons-in-law Randy Granger
and Brian Smith; grandchildren Connor Smith,
Sarah (Smith) Sayler, Anthony Zielke, Devan
Washington, Zachary Granger, Aubree (Granger)
Robison; and great-grandchildren Jacey and
Paxton Robison, and Colt and Murphy Sayler.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m.,
Thursday, June 6, 2024, at the Richard A. Henry
Funeral Home & Cremation Services. Funeral
service is scheduled for 11 a.m., Friday, June 7,
2024, at the funeral home, with interment to fol-
low at Memorial Park Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking guests
to bring school supplies to the funeral home or
monetary donations may also be made to buy
school supplies for children.
Memories and condolences may be left for the
family at http://www.henryfuneralhome.org.Stella Rose
Townley of Battle
Creek, Michigan,
passed away
May 10, 2024,
at the age of- Stella was
born in Chicago
Heights, Illinois,
on November 2,
1958, to the late
Vera Estella and
Billy Ray Townley.
They relocated
to Kalamazoo,
Michigan, in the early 1960s.
Stella lived most of her childhood in Kalamazoo,
Michigan, where she graduated Comstock High
School. Stella also attended Davenport College.
Stella had several positions, including retail,
automotive, and over 10 years at Meijer in ship-
ping and receiving in Battle Creek, MI.
Stella’s interests were reading, movies, country
music, watching hot air balloons, and enjoyed
spending time with her partner of 26 years, Jeff
Barnes. Stella was truly a kid at heart.
Stella is survived by her partner, Jeff Barnes;
her children, Michelle (Jeff) Jameson, Bill
Vandenboss, Nikki (Darby) Felton; her grandchil-
dren, Emma Felton, Billy Felton, Allison Jameson
and Reagan Jameson; her sisters, Billie (Kris)
Blake, Donna (Don) Mottram and Tricia Holtman;
and nieces and nephews.
Stella was preceded in death by her par-
ents, Vera Estella and Billy Ray Townley; her
brother, Norman Walton; and brother-in-law Scott
Holtman.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Farley Estes
and Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care,
105 Capital Ave. NE, Battle Creek, MI 49017, on
Saturday, June 22, 2024 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Personal messages for Stella’s family may be
shared at http://www.farleyestesdowdle.com.Please consider the
Post Foundation of Battle
Creek in your bequest
plans and give a memorial
that will go on forever.Call 269.962.2181 for
personal assistance.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.