18 Thursday, August 22, 2024 BATTLE CREEK SHOPPER NEWS http://www.thebattlecreekshopper.com
Curtis L.
R. Ferree,
57, of Union
City, passed
away unex-
pectedly from
natural causes
on Monday,
August 12,
2024, at his
home.
A funeral service was held Friday,
August 16, 2024, at 1 p.m. at
Lighthouse Funeral & Cremation,
1276 Tate Trail, Union City, MI,
49094, with Pastor Clark Lawson
officiating. Interment followed at
Riverside Cemetery in Union City.
Curtis was born February 19,
1967, to Gareth “G.C.” and Sharon
(Rea) Ferree in Marshall, Michigan.
He graduated from Harper Creek
High School with the Class of 1985
and attended the RMTC trade
school in Battle Creek.
Curtis married Theresa Ann
Vantrease on June 12, 1993, in
Marshall. They lived in Battle Creek
before moving to Union City in
1997, where he built his own home
on Union Lake. He co-owned and
operated Ferree’s Tool, Inc. in Battle
Creek with his family. He worked
there from the age of 13 years old
until he retired in 2021.
Curtis was an auto enthusiast and
enjoyed restoring old cars, espe-
cially his 1967 GTO. He enjoyed
hanging with his buddies, traveling
with his wife and being a grandpa.
Curtis was quiet, a private person,
and was known be stubborn. He
could build anything and had an
abundance of trivial knowledge that
he loved to share and have friendly
competitions with friends and family
over a variety of topics. He was an
artist and liked to draw caricatures
and conceptual designs for building
projects. He also enjoyed snowmo-
biling, watching sci-fi shows, Marvel
movies, “Star Wars,” and was a
huge NASCAR fan.
Curtis is survived by his wife,
Theresa; his children, Ryan (Ashlee
Shepherd) Ferree of Ceresco, Sable
(Lex Maggard) Ferree of Grand
Rapids, and adopted daughter
Karisa (Andrew) Lynd of Tekonsha;
his mother, Sharon (Gaylon) Ford of
Union City; his step-siblings, Bryon
(Julie) Ford of Charlotte, NC, and
Shyla (Phil) Marchion of Stewart,
FL; his grandchildren, Oliver Lynd
and Silas Ferree; his several aunts,
uncles, nieces, nephews and cous-
ins; and his dog, Oakley, a pitbull-
heeler mix.
Curtis was preceded in death by
his sister Christa Lynn Ruth Ferree
(1991); his father, Gareth “Drysdale”
Ferree; and all of his grandparents.
Memorial contributions can be
made to Battle Creek Community
Foundation-Memo line-Christa
Ferree Scholarship, 32 W. Michigan
Ave., Suite 1, Battle Creek, MI
49017, https://bccfoundation.fcsuite.
com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_
id=1582; or Branch County
Community Foundation-Memo line-
Curtis Ferree Fund, 2 W. Chicago
St. E1, Coldwater, MI 49036.
Please visit http://www.lighthousefuner-
al.com to share memories, pictures
and videos with the family.Judith
“Judy”
Gillespie, of
Battle Creek,
lost her battle
with cancer
on August 14,
2024, and
went home to
be with our
Lord. She was
born October 8, 1939, to Gordon
C. and Jessie M. Moore in Battle
Creek, MI. She was the oldest of
three children.
Judith retired from Kellogg
Company in 1997 after retiring from
Clark Equipment Company when it
downsized and left Battle Creek in
1984.
Judith was a member of Battle
Creek Chapter, Order of the
Eastern Star, for 64 years and was
a Past Worthy Matron. She enjoyed
winters in Weeki Wachee Springs,
Florida, where she made many
friends. She graduated from Battle
Creek Central H.S. in 1957 and had
many lifelong friends. She loved
the outdoors and enjoyed camping,fishing, scuba diving, dune buggy-
ing and snowmobiling. Judith loved
spending time with her grandchil-
dren and great-grandchildren.
Judith was preceded in death by
her parents, Gordon C. and Jessie
M. Moore, and her brother, Thomas
R. Moore.
She is survived by her husband
of 65 years Richard D. Gillespie,
three children, Gordon D. Gillespie
(Tammy Beard), Michael R.
Gillespie and Michelle (Gillespie)
Partridge; nine grandchildren; 20
great-grandchildren; and many niec-
es and nephews.
In accordance with her wishes,
cremation has taken place. A
celebration of life will be held on
Saturday, August 24, 2024, at
23950 Collier Ave., Battle Creek,
from 1-4 p.m.
Please make any donations to the
charity of your choice.
Arrangements by Farley Estes
Dowdle Funeral Home. Personal
messages for the family may be
placed at http://www.farleyestesdowdle.
com.Pearl E.
(Mercer)
Walden,
100, of Battle
Creek, passed
away peace-
fully on August
12, 2024. She
was born in
Battle Creek
on March 14,
1924, the daughter of Edwin and
Anna (Kellogg) Mercer, and gradu-
ated from Battle Creek Central High
School with the Class of 1942.
After graduating high school, Pearl
worked at the Weston Biscuit
Company until 1956.
Pearl married George W. Walden
on November 11, 1945; he sadly
preceded her in death on October
3, 1987.
She is survived by her children,
Sam (Linda) Walden and Sue
(Gregory) Lake; her grandchil-
dren, Christopher Walden, Andrew
Walden, Michael Lake, Stacy
Beimer, and Samantha Walden;
and her great-grandchildren, Hunter
Pyle, Payton Walden, Edward
Walden, Anna Kay Pyle, OttoWalden, and James Beimer.
Pearl was also preceded in death
by her parents; her infant brother,
Edwin Mercer; and her infant sister,
Bella Mercer.
Pearl was a member of the First
Congregational Church since 1957.
She served as past-president of
the Mary Brewster Circle and the
Women’s Fellowship, secretary of
the Couple-Plus Club and chair-
person of the fellowship hour at the
church. Pearl was also a member of
Burnham Brook and past-president
and secretary of the Hammond
Organ Club. She enjoyed tap
dancing, line dancing and ball-
room dancing, traveling, gardening,
attending area staged shows, and
spending time with her family and
friends.
A private family service has been
held.
In lieu of flowers, please consider
making donations to the American
Cancer Society.
Arrangements by Farley Estes
Dowdle Funeral Cremation Preneed
Care, Battle Creek. Personal mes-
sages for the family may be placed
at http://www.farleyestesdowdle.com.Do you have
your
in a row?
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