Page 4/The Sun and News, Saturday, April 24, 2021Gary Thomas Elmore, age
71, of Caledonia, formerly of
Collinsville, IL, passed away
on Sunday, April 18, 2021 at
his residence.
He was born September 5,
1949 in Long Beach, CA to
Clifford and Roberta (Wirth)
Elmore. He married Karen
Althardt on September 8,
1973 in Collinsville, IL; they
shared 47 wonderful years of
marriage. She survives and
resides in Caledonia.
Together, they had one
son, Michael (Nicole)
Elmore; four grandchildren,
Austin (McKenzie),
Breanna, Cameron and
Mackenzie; and one soon-to-
be great-granddaughter,
Scarlett, daughter of Austin
and McKenzie; his mother,
Roberta Elmore; brother,
James Elmore; in-laws, Dr.
Ron and Carole Althardt,
Marilyn and Robert Krauss;
nephew, James (Laura)
Althardt; nieces, Dawn (Matt
Kordelski) Elmore, Lisa
(Gary) Hoelscher, Amy
(Brian) Ellis, Julie (Rob)
Bilbruck, as well as
numerous great-nieces,
great-nephews and cousins.
Gary was preceded in
death by his father, Clifford
Elmore; sister-in-law, Becky
Elmore; and nephew, James
Elmore.
Gary graduated from
Southern Illinois University.
He proudly served in the
United States Navy, which
included two tours in
Vietnam. He most recently
retired from Frito-Lay as the
district manager. Prior to his
work with Frito-Lay, Gary
was a vice president of
Colonel Days, Sagebrush
Stores.
He was devoted to his
work, and it showed through
the multiple awards he
earned over the years. In
2013, Gary earned the
Frontline Leadership of
Excellence Award as the
Sales District Leader in Mid-
America. In 2014, he was
the recipient of the Ring of
Honor Award, which
included a trip for Gary and
Karen to New York, wherehe was presented his
honorable award at the
Pepsico Headquarters. In
2016, Gary was recognized
with the Grow Talent Award
with Mid-America. Gary had
an outstanding work ethic,
which was recognized and
appreciated by all who knew
and worked alongside him
throughout the years.
Gary was a dedicated and
loving family leader, who
always made himself
available to anyone in need.
His sense of humor, ready
smile and caring spirit made
him a special treasure who
will be greatly missed, but
whose memories will endure
forever.
He was a prior and
longtime member of Holy
Cross Lutheran Church in
Collinsville, IL, and since
moving from the area, a
devoted member of St. Mark
Lutheran Church in
Kentwood.
Memorial donations may
be made to Holy Cross
Lutheran Church (Facelift
2021) in Collinsville, IL, St.
Mark Lutheran Church in
Kentwood, MI, or to the
Wounded Warrior Project.
Additional condolences may
be sent to the family at http://www.
lakeviewfuneralhm.com.
A visitation for Gary will
be held on Monday, April 26,
2021 from 10 a.m.-noon at
Lake View Funeral Home,
Fairview Heights, IL.
A funeral service will
immediately follow the
visitation, at noon. Interment
will be at Lake View
Memorial Gardens.Gary Thomas Elmore
Leona J. Smith, age 99, of
Middleville, has begun her
new life in heaven, a life that
we will enjoy together with
her in the presence of our
Lord. We are grateful for the
hope that we have as
Christians that to be absent
from the body, is to be
present with the Lord.
Leona passed away
peacefully into God’s loving
arms on Thursday, April 22,
2021 at Thornapple Manor,
where she called home for
the past seven years. Leona
was born on May 29, 1921
in Grand Rapids to Clarence
and Pauline (Verburg)
Longstreet.
Leona moved to
Middleville with her parents
in 1932, and was a 1938
graduate of Thornapple-
Kellogg High School. On
June 16, 1944, Leona
married Arthur D. Smith and
together they shared 55
wonderful years together. In
July of 1955 their daughter
Paula Fay Smith was born,
and at the age of 12 Paula
went to be with Jesus.
Leona worked in a variety
of different roles throughout
her life including as a
secretary at the Middleville
Creamery, teller at Farmers
State Bank and Hastings
City Bank, secretary at
Booth Insurance and at Gene
Poll Realty until her
retirement in 1990.
She was the oldest living
member of the Middleville
United Methodist Church.
Leona was active for many
years and served in many
areas. She helped in Sunday
school, junior choir, was the
chairperson for vacation
Bible school. Leona was a
member of J.O.Y. Circle,
Middleville United
Methodist Women, holding
offices in both groups, and
was treasurer of the church
for many years. She also
sang in the choir and played
in the handbell choir.Leona was involved with
the Order of Eastern Star,
serving as Past Matron, life
member, and Past Matron
Club. She was a Past Queen
and life member of Deir-el-
Bahari Temple #67,
Daughters of the Nile and
member/past officer of
Pythian Sisters.
Leona will be most
remembered as a perfect
example of a true lady. She
was a kind, gentle, and an
intelligent person with a
giving heart.
Leona is lovingly
remembered by her dear
friends: Patti Mickelson,
Dean Mickelson, Casey
Mickelson, and Lucas
Mickelson. Also surviving is
a host of friends that have
been special in their own
way.
Leona was preceded in
death by her husband,
Arthur, in 1999, daughter,
Paula Fay Smith, in 1967,
and her parents.
A visitation will be held at
the Beeler-Gores Funeral
Home in Middleville, on
Sunday, April 25, 2021 from
1 to 2 p.m. Leona’s funeral
services will be conducted at
2 p.m. A graveside service
will be held on Monday,
April 26, 2021 at Mount
Hope Cemetery at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers
memorial donations may be
made to the Middleville
United Methodist Church.
Please visit http://www.
beelergoresfuneral.com to
share a memory or leave a
condolence message for
Leona’s family.Leona J. Smith
Area Obituaries
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Middleville seeking contractor
for depot renovation
Greg Chandler
Staff Writer
Now that the Village of
Middleville has retained a
consultant to work with the
village on having its train
depot recognized as a nation-
al historic site, it is looking
for someone to work on
restoring the structure.
The downtown develop-
ment authority board Tuesday
authorized Village Manager
Patricia Rayl to seek propos-
als from interested firms or
individuals to undertake res-
toration of the depot’s exteri-
or and other preservation
work.
“We want them to have
past experience on restoring
historic buildings,” Rayl told
the DDA board.
Among the qualifications
being requested by the vil-
lage are successful experi-
ence in rehabilitation of his-
toric structures using the
standards of the U.S.
Secretary of the Interior,
work on at least two projects
of similar size and scope over
the past five years, and sub-
mittal of a proposed project
timeline, according to the
RFP document.
“The authority recogniz-
es the historic and cultural
necessity of further preserv-
ing the site for the education
and enjoyment of present and
future generations,” Rayl
wrote in the RFP document.
“The authority expects from
the selected firm a first-class,
well-planned restoration that
will be completed in accor-
dance with agreed upon time-
tables and within the allotted
allocation.”
The DDA has set aside
$20,000 for the restoration.
“The DDA budgeted for
this project, so they are tak-
ing charge of the bid pro-
cess,” Rayl wrote in an email.
“The successful bid proposal
will go before the DDA and
the village [council] to ensure
that both parties approve the
costs for the work to be
done.”
Bids for the project are
due by May 17. The resto-
ration work is slated to begin
June 1 with an expected com-
pletion by Nov. 30, according
to the RFP document.
Built in 1902, the
Middleville depot was a stop
on the Michigan Central
Railroad’s Jackson-to-Grand
Rapids line. The village
acquired the depot from
Thornapple Township nearly
four years ago.
The village already has
retained the consulting firm
Mannik Smith Group to work
on the application to have the
depot included in the National
Park Service’s National
Register of Historic Places.
The village is spending
$9,700 on the application
process.QUESTIONS:
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