http://www.thebattlecreekshopper.com BATTLE CREEK SHOPPER NEWS Thursday, August 1, 2024 37
Lanealla Roxanne Taylor,
57, of Battle Creek, Michigan,
passed away July 18, 2024.
Lanealla was born December
12, 1966, in Battle Creek,
Michigan, the daughter of
Johnny Lee Ogletree and
Shirley Ann McLiechey.
Lanealla graduated from
Battle Creek Central and from
there she pursued her career
cooking and working in res-
taurants. Lanealla was a very
good cook and enjoyed cook-
ing and barbecuing for family
and friends. Lanealla also enjoyed spend-
ing time with her family and friends playing
cards and listening to music. She was very
proud of her heritage as a descendant of
Sojourner Truth.
Lanealla is survived by her brother
Rayman Taylor of Battle Creek, MI; sisters
Marva (Ogletree) Glass of Arizona, and
Latia (Carlos) Williams of Battle Creek,
MI; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins
and friends; special godson
Josh; special cousin Danita
McClendon; special and dear
friends Gwen Settles and
family, Joel Fulton and Pastor
Duval Harris.
Lanealla was preceded
in death by her parents; her
brother Johnny Taylor; grand-
parents Roy Ogletree and
Ronealla Ogletree, Thomas
W. McLiechey and Oleada
(Hughes) McLiechey; and spe-
cial aunt and uncle Johnny and
Andrea Canelas.
Services to celebrate Lanealla’s life will be
held at noon Saturday, August 3, 2024, at the
Trinity Neighborhood Center, 10 W. Bidwell
St., Battle Creek, MI 49015.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making
donations to the family.
Arrangements by Farley Estes Dowdle
Funeral Home & Cremation Care, Battle
Creek. Personal messages for the family may
be placed at http://www.farleyestesdowdle.com.Donna Jean Root, 90, of
Battle Creek, Michigan, passed
away Saturday, July 20, 2024.
She was born July 1, 1934,
the daughter of Earl Boyd
Root and Velda Ellen (Speer)
Root.
Donna was a devoted
LPN and devoted her life to
take care of others. She was
an avid bingo player, loved
camping, doing ceramics and
putting together puzzles. Her
main passion in life, however,
was her grandchildren. She
loved to spend time with them, making
memories with them through the years and
sharing many laughs.
Donna is survived by her sons Charles
(Mary Robbins) Pukyrys, David (Kim)
Goszulak; brother Mike (Janet) Root; 18
grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; five
great-great-grandchildren; and
several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death
by her parents, Earl and Velda
Root; son John Goszulak;
daughter Margaret Hursley; son
Wally Goszulak; former spous-
es Sam Pukyrys, Don Tucker;
sister Pat Graham; and brother
Jerry Root.
A celebration of life service
will be held August 10, 2024,
from noon to 4 p.m. at the
Bedford Hills Club House,
110 Bejac Circle Drive, Battle
Creek, MI 49014.
Memorial contributions may be made to
Majestic Care of Battle Creek in memory of
Donna.
Arrangements by Baxter Funeral &
Cremation Service. 269-788-9800. http://www.
baxterfuneral.comEarnest Martin Branham, 81, of Battle
Creek, passed away July 23, 2024 at
Bronson Battle Creek in Battle Creek, MI.
He was born October 16, 1942 to Martin
and Hazel (Risner) Blanton in Battle Creek,
MI. Earnest graduated from Lakeview High
School. He married Ruth McKenzie on May
10, 1965, in Paintsville, Kentucky. He worked
as a steam fitter for Kellogg Cereal Company
for several years.
Earnest loved his family, and he was crazy
about his grandchildren. He was a member
of the Kellogg 25 Year Club and Woodland
Church. In his younger days he would go
hunting, fishing, and he collected rare coins.
Earnest is survived by his loving spouse
of 59 years, Ruth; daughters, Renee
Schuiteboer, Patricia (Vince) Munoz,
Tammy (Jerry) Burdette; grandchildren, Jake
Burdette, Taylor Pardee, Amanda Waterstrat;
great-grandchildren, Caleb Stryker, Adaline
Pardee, Landon Pardee, Aiden Waterstrat;
brother and sisters, Patrick Blanton, Carl
Blanton, Vonda Swan and Kay Boysel.
He was preceded in death by his parents
and granddaughter Nicole Stryker.
Visitation will be held Thursday, August
1, 2024, from 4-7 p.m., at Kempf Family
Funeral & Cremation Services, Battle Creek,
Michigan.
Funeral services will be held on Friday,
August 2, 2024, 1 p.m., at Kempf Family
Funeral Home Battle Creek in Battle Creek,
Michigan.
The burial will take place in the Battle
Creek Memorial Park.
Memorials are suggested to St. Jude’s
Children’s Hospital. Please visit https://www.
kempffuneralhome.com to view the online
obituary, sign the online guestbook or to
leave the family condolences.Let us connect you to
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