Allen Eugene Decker, 58, of 120 Mill Street, died unexpectedly Sunday noon at his home. He had been in failing health for the last six years.

He was born in Colon on Oct. 24, 1922, a son of G. Howard and Vernie A. (Hackenburg) Decker. He had lived all his life in the Colon area.

Mr. Decker graduated from Colon high school with the Class of 1941. He was married to Mary West on Nov. 22, 1947 in Angola, Indiana. He served with the U.S. Army during World War II, and he worked for the Harter Corp. in Sturgis until poor health forced his retirement.

He was a member of Colon American Legion Post 454, and he had been active in Little League and Cub Scouts.

Survivors include: his wife, Mary; three daughters, Leah, Terri and Barbara, all of Colon; two sons, Allen E. II of Angola, Indiana, and Phillip R. of Colon; two grandchildren; six sisters, Mrs. Margaret Fullerton of Kalamazoo, Mrs. Alton (Thelma) Wattles of Sherwood, Mrs. Harold (Mae) Adams and Mrs. Reynold (Hilda) Jones of Colon, Mrs. Mildred Loudenslager of Sherwood, and Miss Donna Decker of Colon; six brothers, O.F., Robert and Lloyd of Colon, Clair of Lake City, Glenn of Leonidas, and Dr. N.K. of Brownsburg, Indiana; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers.

Services were held this (Wednesday) afternoon at 3:30 from the Schipper funeral home, with Rev. Tony Rodriguez of St. Louis, Michigan officiating. Interment was made in South Colon cemetery with military honors conferred by Colon American Legion Post 454. Bearers were Gary L., L. Burr and Dennis N. Decker, John B. Wattles, Thomas Loudenslager, James H. Ryan and Bradley R. Jones.

Burr Oak Acorn, Aug 6, 1891 -
George Decker was called from time to eternity last Friday morning, July 31, 1891, and was buried Sunday, August 2, 1891, aged 72 years 5 months and 6 days. One of the largest concourses of people followed him to his last resting place, his wife, 2 sons and 2 daughters remain to mourn his departure, and 1 son and 1 daughter preceeded him to the spirit world. Burial was made in the South Colon Cemetery (Eberhard), south of Colon. Rev. T. F. Bacher officiated, portion of scriptures, Job 5:26.

Oct. 30, 1920-March 27, 2003

Dr. Norman K. Decker, D.V.M., age 82 of Breman, Ind. and formerly of Colon, died on Thursday, March 27 at the Miller’s Merry Manor of Wakarusa, Ind.

Norman was born in Colon Township on Oct. 30, 1920, a son to the late G. Howard and Vernie A. (Hackenburg) Decker.

Norman’s early life was spent in rural Colon, he also lived in Middlebury, Monon, Brook and Brownsburg, Ind. returning to Colon in 1986 to make their home on Sturgeon Lake, and moving to Breman in 1999.

Norman graduated from the Colon High School with the class of 1938, and from Michigan State University in 1943.

On Sept. 5, 1942 he married Leah L. Cotton in Lansing. Norman worked for the State of Indiana Veterinarian Office in the ephemerally department, he also had his private veterinarian practice in Brook, retiring in 1986.

Norman was a member of the Colon United Methodist Church, and he served on the board of directors of the American Lung Association, Hendricks County Board of Health, South Newton School Corporation and Indiana Veterinarian Association. Norman was a Boy Scout leader for many years; he received the Sagamora of Wabash award “outstanding service” by Governor of the State of Indiana.

His wife Leah, three daughters: Cheryl and Tom Teghtmeyer of Bremen, Kimberly and Cecil Calloway of Brookston, and Melissa Decker of Breman, seven grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, one sister, Donna Decker of Colon and several nieces and nephews survive Norman. In addition to his family he is survived by a Vietnamese family adopted in 1980, Hoang and Hue and three adopted daughters, Thuy, Thy and Trang.

He was preceded in death by five sisters and nine brothers.

The family received relatives and friends on March 30 at the Schipper Funeral Home, LTD in Colon. Funeral Services celebrating the life of Dr. Norman Decker were held on Monday March 31 at 1 p.m. at the Colon United Methodist Church with the Rev. Arthur C. Murphy officiating. Interment followed in South Colon Cemetery.

If desired, memorials may be made to the Colon United Methodist Church or the South Colon Reformed Church. Envelopes are available at the funeral home.

Robert L. Decker, 74, of Decker Road in Colon, died Friday, July 9, 1999, in Sturgis Hospital. He was born on Oct. 17, 1924 in Colon Township to the late G. Howard & Vernie A. Hackenburg Decker.

He graduated from Colon High School with the class of 1943 and lived all of his life in the Colon area. He served with the U.S. Army during World War II.

For 30 years he worked for G.F. Business of Sturgis, retiring in 1983.

He married Letha J. Dingman on Nov. 5, 1949 in Angola, Ind. She survives. Also surviving are two daughters, Karen Bittner of Battle Creek and Dianne Denney of Colon; two sons, Gary Decker of Athens, and Dale Decker of Coldwater; 10 grandchildren: Stacy and Shawna Bittner, Sheila, Ricki, Tim, and Luke Decker, Joshua and Rosemary Denney, and Aaron and Jessica Decker, two great-grandchildren; three sisters, Mildred Loudenslager of Sherwood, Hilda Jones and Donna Decker, both of Colon; and a brother Dr. Norman K. Decker of Bremen, Ind.

Bob was a member of the Colon American Legion Post No. 454 and the American Rifle Association. He loved the outdoors, fishing, hunting and most of all, his garden.

He was preceded in death by eight brothers; Wren O., Earl L., A. Pearl, A. Eugene, Oscar F., Lloyd H., Clair M., and Glenn G. Decker, and three sisters; Thelma W. Wattles, Ila Mae Adams, and Margaret A. Fullerton.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. today at the Schipper Funeral Home Ltd. of Colon where services will be at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 13 with David J. Farrell officiating. Interment will follow at South Colon Cemetery. Military Honors will be conferred by the Colon American Legion Post No. 454.

If desired, memorials may be made to the Colon Rescue Squad or the South Colon St. Paul’s Reformed Church building fund.

Susan Decker was born in Mifflin county, Pa., May 1, 1824; died March 28, 1901, aged 79 years, 10 months and 27 days. Her maiden name was Susan Eberhard. She was married to George Decker at the age of 17 and came to Michigan soon after their marriage and settled on the Nieman farm, a short distance east of the Brick church, South Colon. Six children were born to this union and three are left to mourn the departure of the devoted mother, viz: Mrs. Foster King, Mrs. Jacob Rich, and Byron Decker, east of Colon. Besides her children she leaves behind two sisters and one brother, Mrs. Stailey, Mary and Reuben, and many, many other relatives and dear friends. Mrs. Decker was most highly respected by all who knew her. She was of a very amiable disposition. She was a member of the Reformed church for many years. The funeral services were conducted by her pastor, Rev. H.S. Nicholson, from the Brick church, South Colon, Wednesday, March 30, 1904, at 1 o'clock p.m. She was buried aside of her husband, who died in 1891, in the cemetery near the church, to await the glorious resurrection day. Peace to her ashes.

Just a kind and good old mother,
One of the pioneers;
Loved by her people one and all,
And had dwelt in the place for years,
But the Master of life and the giver of good,
Who rules at the big white throne,
Had decreed that her labor on earth was done
And saw fit to call her home.

Shirley E. DOBBERTEEN, 47, 203 Cottage Ave., Sturgis, died Jan. 21, 1979 in Sturgis Hospital, where she was admitted Jan. 15.  She had been in failing health six months.  Mrs. DOBBERTEEN was born in Pontiac, Feb. 9, 1931, a daughter of Floyd and Grace (UNDERWOOD) GEIL, and had been a Sturgis resident since 1954, coming from Rochester.  She was married to William L. DOBBERTEEN March 11, 1951, in Rochester, Mich.  Mrs.
DOBBERTEEN taught remedial reading in Sturgis Community Schools several years.  She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and the Tray Guild of Sturgis Hospital Auxiliary.  Surviving are her husband; a daughter, Nancy A. DOBBERTEEN, at home; three sons, Thomas S., John L. and William M. DOBBERTEEN, all at home; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd GEIL,
Rochester; a sister, Mrs. Ronald (Joan) GUYETT, Rochester; a niece, Mary GUYETT, Rochester; a nephew, Ronald GUYETT, Rochester, and her mother-in-law, Mrs. Mabel DOBBERTEEN, Sturgis.  Friends may call at the Foglesong Funeral Home until 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.  Services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Trinity Lutheran Church with Rev. Erwin A. RUHLIG officiating.  Burial will take place in Oak Lawn Cemetery.   Memorials may be directed to the H. M. HEIDENREICH, JR., Scholarship Fund or St. Joseph County Chapter of the American Cancer Society.  Envelopes are available at the funeral home.  (No family connection to submitter.)

A prominent Sturgis attorney, Raymond H. DRESSER, SR. died Wednesday in Doctors Hospital, Hollywood, Fla., where he and his wife were vacationing. He was 67. Mr. DRESSERâs death, the result of a coronary attack, occurred at about 6 a.m. Mr. and Mrs. DRESSER made their home in Sturgis at 1210 S. Lakeview Ave. Mr. DRESSERâs contributions in time and professional services to his community have been manifold. Mr. DRESSER served as trustee of several estates of public spirited citizens through whose generosity the Sturgis Memorial Hospital Nursesâ Home, the northerly addition to the Sturgis Memorial Hospital, the Jane A. STURGES Memorial Home for elderly women and the Sturges-Young Civic Auditorium were made possible, a dream seldom realized in a city the size of Sturgis. Mr. DRESSER served the City of Sturgis as its legal counsel for 15 years. Mr. DRESSER was born in the village of Litchfield, Hillsdale County, on Jan. 28, 1901. After attending the Litchfield public schools where he was graduated from high school in 1919, he entered the University of Michigan. On May 13, 1923, was married to Lola JUCKETTE of Homer. In 1924 he was graduated from the University of Michigan Law School and started his law career in Detroit. After three years he moved to Sturgis to become a partner of Theo T. JACOBS, a prominent local attorney. After Atty. JACOBS was elected Circuit Court judge, Mr. DRESSER continued the general practice of law as an individual until 1956 when he was joined by his son, Raymond H. DRESSER, JR. Mr. DRESSER was a member of Gamma Eta Gamma, legal fraternity, Michigan State Bar Association, American Bar Association, American College of Trial Lawyers (an honorary membership of prominent trail attorneys), a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a director of the American Judicature Society. Atty. DRESSER was qualified to practice before all of the courts of the State of Michigan, the federal district courts, the Federal Court of Appeals of Cincinnati, Ohio, and the United States Supreme Court in Washington D.C. He had served on many State Bar committees including the Grievance Committee for the Fourth Congressional District. He had been a commissioner of the State Bar of Michigan for many years and held the offices of treasurer, second vice president and first vice president. In 1958 Mr. DRESSER assumed the presidency of the State Bar, the highest honor that can be bestowed upon an attorney by his constituents in the practice of law. Mr. DRESSER had been active in Rotary International and in 1935 was elected district governor for Western Michigan. He was, at the time of his death, a director of the Kirsch Co. and the Sturgis Savings and Loan Association. He was a member and an ordained elder in the First Presbyterian Church in Sturgis. Mr. DRESSER served for 27 years as a member of the Selective Service System; he was a life member of the Meridian Sun Lodge No. 49, F&AM and Columbia Commandery No. 18, Knights Templar; DeWitt Clinton Consistory and Saladin Shrine Temple, Grand Rapids; a past president of Klinger Lake Country Club; active in the Republican Party, and a member of the Elks Lodge. Surviving are his widow, three children Gloria MILLER of Hollywood, Fla., Marilyn CALLAHAN of Los Altos, Calif.; and Raymond of Sturgis; and five grandchildren. The body will arrive at the Toledo airport at 9:07 tonight and will be brought to Sturgis to the Foglesong Funeral Home where friends may call beginning Friday morning and until 9 a.m. Saturday. Following that hour the visitations may be made at the First Presbyterian Church where rites will be observed at 11 a.m. Saturday, with the pastor, the Rev. William BOWEN, officiating. Interment will take place at Oak Lawn Cemetery. If desired, friends may direct memorials to the First Presbyterian Church or the Sturgis Foundation. Mrs. DRESSER arrived in Sturgis at 1 p.m. today, flown here by the Kirsch Co. jet plane. (Thursday, April 4, 1968) Funeral rites for Raymond H. DRESSER, 67, widely-known attorney, were observed at 11 a.m. Saturday in the First Presbyterian Church, with the pastor, the Rev. William BOWEN, officiating. Mrs. Raymond MORRISSON was the organist. A prayer service for members of the immediate family was held in the church at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. The benediction was said in Oak Lawn Cemetery. Named as honorary casket bearers were Howard E. AUGSPURGER, Carlyle B. POWELL, Ledge D. FORD, Frank C. MILLER, F. Milton SEGER, Earl H. PALMER and Herbert H. BECK. Active bearers were William P. MARKS, Franklin P. BUSH, Raymond J. WOODRICK, Thomas PERSING, Robert P. POLEYS and Richard L. FREEMAN. Mr. DRESSER, who began his law practice in the Sturgis area along with the late Theo T. JACOBS in 1927, died in Doctorâs Hospital, Hollywood, Fla., last Wednesday morning from a coronary seizure. He had been active in all phases of his practice of law and was the medium of coordinating estates that proved of untold benefits to citizens of the Sturgis community, which included the Sturgis Memorial Hospital Nursesâ Home, the north addition to the Hospital, the Jan A. STURGES Memorial Home for elderly women, and the Sturges-Young Civic Auditorium. Attending the service in groups were members of the Sturgis Rotary Club, St. Joseph County and Michigan State Bar Associations, Circuit Court judges and county officials from around the area and members of various Masonic groups, including Meridian Sun Lodge No. 49, F&AM, Columbia Commandery No. 18, KT, and Saladin Temple, Grand Rapids. In respect to his memory hundreds passed his casket and the church was filled beyond the capacity of the sanctuary. He is survived by his wife, the former Lola JUCKETTE, his son, Raymond H., Jr. of Sturgis, who was associated with this father and the firm of DRESSER and DRESSER; his daughters, Mrs. Richard (Gloria) MILLER of Hollywood, Fla., and Mrs. Marilyn CALLAHAN of Los Altos, Calif.; five grandchildren; his brother, Laurence DRESSER, Tulsa, Okla.; and a sister, Mrs. Fostena McKEE, Syracuse, N.Y. (undated) (No family connection to submitter.)