SN 10-16-2021

Page 4/The Sun and News, Saturday, October 16, 2021

Area ObituariesArea Obituaries

Douglas Nye Mills

entered heaven on

September 24, 2021into the

loving arms of Jesus and his

family members who went

before him. He was born in

Grand Rapids on July 2,

1945.

Doug was preceded in

death by his loving wife,

Karen Louise, in 2016;

great grandson, Lukas in

March 2021; brother,

Franklin Nye Mills in

2019, and his parents,

Frederick and Barbara

Mills.

He will be greatly missed

by his son, Jason; two

grandsons, Tyler (Amber

Denton) and Dylan;

great-grandson, Odin;

brother, Jeff Mills (Karen)

and family Kevin, Michelle

(Tom), Ryan (Chrissy)

Mills and children,

Monica, Dominic, and

Bella; sister, Marcia Kaye

(John) and family, Lindsay

Holden (Derek) and sons,

Jack and Daniel, and

Jonathan Kaye (Sky

Tucker). He is also sur-

vived by his sisters-in-law

Claire Whitten, Tracey

Maviglia, Cookie Boss, and

brothers-in-law David

LaVergne, Greg Demoray,

and Joe Demoray.

Doug graduated from

Ottawa Hills High School

in 1964 and was immediate-

ly drafted into the United

States Army. He served

honorably in Vietnam

during the war. Doug held

two commercial hot air bal-

loon licenses in the USA

and Kenya, East Africa. He

was the WZZM Sky

Witness balloon pilot in the

1970s.

When a balloon ascen-

sion was required for spe-

cial events, he would take

off from downtown Grand

Rapids to the delight of

cheering crowds. He and

his wife Karen flew large

16 passenger balloons over

the Masai Mara Game

Reserve in Kenya for 15

years. Doug and Karen

flew balloons in California

for several years and he

was the chief pilot for Sky

High Hot Air Balloons in

Caledonia for over 40

years. He treated many

family members and

friends to unforgettable

balloon rides and African

adventures.

Doug was a member of

the West Michigan Chapter

of the Sons of the American

Revolution.

Doug lived in the

Caledonia and Middleville

area for 50 years and was a

past Commander of the

Caledonia American Legion

Post 305. He passed away

at Spectrum/Butterworth

hospital after a short but

challenging fight with can-

cer.

Doug was a larger-than-

life individual whose pass-

ing will leave a profound

gap in the lives of all who

knew him.

Funeral services will be

held at the Caledonia

United Methodist Church

on October 19, 2021 at 2

p.m. with a memorial lun-

cheon immediately follow-

ing at the Caledonia Legion

Post 305.

In lieu of flowers

memorial contributions

may be made to the

Disabled American

Veteran’s (DAV) homeless

initiative: https://www.

dav.org/veterans/out-

reach-programs/home-

less-veterans/ or the Ann

Arbor Fisher House for

Veterans https://www.fish-

erhousemichigan.org/

O’Field Funeral Home

Douglas Nye Mills

THE ROOMTHE ROOM

Join Us In Person or Online

However It Works Best For You!

Sundays 9:30 & 11am

cornerstonemi.org/Weekend

1675 84th St. SE, Caledonia, MI 49316

Sunday Services:

9:30 AM – Worship

11:00 AM – Sunday School

6:00 PM – Adult Bible Study

6:00 PM – Student Ministries

Dr. Brian F. Harrison, Pastor

Our mission is to worship God and equip

committed followers of Jesus Christ who will

reach our community with the Gospel

7240 68th Street SE

Caledonia, MI 49316

616-698-

http://www.alaskabaptist.org

CALEDONIA:

9185 Cherry Valley Ave SE

MIDDLEVILLE:

1664 M-

LEARN MORE!

thejchurch.com

616-217-

@thejchurch

ONE CHURCH - TWO LOCATIONS

Church ad_B&W_2.5 X 2_072320.indd 1Church ad_B&W_2.5 X 2_072320.indd 1 7/23/2020 4:16:21 PM7/23/2020 4:16:21 PM

Pastor Tony Shumaker

Worship Services: 10:00 AM

Beginning Nov. 7, Worship Services

will begin at 10:30 AM

Pastor Greg Cooper

In Person Family Service 10 am • Come as you are!

Online Facebook and You Tube 10:20 am

http://www.brightside.org • 616-891-

8175 Broadmoor – Caledonia

See our website for further information.

Yankee Springs Bible Church

8900 Duffy Road

Middleville, MI 49333

"Shining Forth God's Light"

Sunday Morning Worship ........................10:00 a.m.

Community Group ..................................11:00 a.m.

James L. Collison, Pastor

http://www.yankeespringsbiblechurch.org

Good Shepherd

Lutheran Church

908 W. Main Street, Middleville

(Missouri Synod)

Sunday Worship ................9:30 a.m.

Pastor: Rev. Peter Berg

http://goodshepherdlcms.googlepages.com

Church: (269) 795-

SERVICE TIME:

Sunday at 10:00am

20 State Street, Middleville, MI / http://www.tvcweb.com

Local Church

Directory

Saturday Evening Mass ...................5:00 p.m.

Sunday Masses ...........9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

@ St. Paul Lutheran Church

& Preschool

8436 Kraft Ave., Caledonia, MI 49316

Office 616-891-8688 • Preschool (616) 891-

http://www.stpaulcaledonia.org

NOW OPEN TO PUBLIC

Sunday Worship:

8:30 a.m. & 11 a.m.

Fellowship

9:45 to 10:00 a.m.

Sunday School

10 to 10:45 a.m.

Whitneyville

Fellowship Church (^)
4935 Whitneyville Ave, between 52nd & 48 th^
(^)
Praising God through
Hymns  Reading God’s Word  Special Music
Worship Services Prayer Meeting & Bible Study
Sunday 10 am & 6 pm Wed nesday 6:30 pm & 7 pm (^)
Pastor Ed Carpenter - 616-868- 0621
Sermons online: WhitneyvilleFellowship.org
Fern E. Harper passed
peacefully in the presence
of loved ones on October
11, 2021.
Fern was predeceased by
her husband, Charles
William Harper and her son,
Kevin Ballard.
She is survived by four
children, Dawn Ballard
Thomas, Maeleah Dykstra,
Maurice Harper, and
Dolorena Harper.
Fern was also prede-
ceased by her parents,
Goldie and Loren, two
brothers and four sisters.
She is survived by her sis-
ter, Iva.
Fern is also mourned by
many grandchildren, great
grandchildren, nieces, neph-
ews, and dear friends.
She is remembered as a
kind, caring and generous
Mother, Granny, Great
Granny, Aunt, and a friend
to all she met. All will miss
her fried chicken and her
famous eggs and toast.
All the times and conver-
sations in the kitchen with
Fern will certainly be
missed but will always and
forever remain in our
hearts.
An open house celebra-
tion of Fern’s life was held
Friday, October 15, 2021 at
the Cider Mill Community
Center. 425 Cider Mill
Drive, Middleville MI
49333.
Memorial contributions
in Fern’s memory may be
made to the Barry County
Humane Society.
Fern E. Harper
Winifred Punt, age 88, of
Caledonia, went to be with
her Lord on Friday, Oct. 8,
2021.
She was preceded in
death by her husband,
William Punt; sister and
brother-in-law, Sarah and
Jack Koetje; and niece,
Adele Alsop.
Winfred will be lovingly
remembered by her chil-
dren, Michael and Cindy
Punt, Mark and Pam Punt;
grandchildren and
great-grandchildren,
Jennifer and Mike Enders
(Rylan, Josie, Brynn,
James), Heather and Alex
Robinson (Quinn, Parker),
Jenna and Rob Green
(Elise, Colin), Joe and
Jessica Punt (Charlotte,
Oliver), Ken and Cora
Stockel; sister-in-law, Betty
Punt; niece, Doreen and
Rocky Liuzzi.
The family greeted visi-
tors on Wednesday, Oct. 13,
2021 at Stroo Funeral
Home, where the funeral
service began at 1 p.m. Rev.
R. Scott Greenway and Rev.
Merle Buwalda officiated.
Interment was at Mt. Hope
Cemetery, Middleville.
Memorial contributions
may be made to Faith
Hospice at Trillium Woods.
Winifred Punt