Ronald VanHouten

Ronald VanHouten, age 83, passed away, Saturday, December 7, 2024 after navigating a long illness with a great attitude and much courage. Born February 5, 1941 in Wyandotte, Michigan, the son of Clarence I. and Margaret (Peggie) VanHouten. He was a 1959 graduate of Flat Rock High School.

He married Lillian Allen, October 6, 1962 in Monroe and shared 62 years of happiness together. They moved to Howell in 1970 and have resided in Iosco Township since, raising their family.

Ron started his nurseryman career as a fourteen-year-old hoeing trees. His career spanned over sixty years as a corporate operational manager for Huron Sod Farms, then Cottage Gardens Nursery, Lansing Branch, prior to opening his local operation, VanHouten Nursery and Landscaping, Inc. He prided in growing and planting quality nursery stock. His knowledge of trees was amazing and he could identify them from half mile away.

Ron was well known for his community involvement serving as chair of the Iosco Township Zoning Board of Appeals and Township Planning Commission, as well as a member of the County Planning Commission for 25 years. He was elected and served as a Livingston Commissioner for ten years being known as a man of reason, intelligence and man of his word.

Ron loved his family and friends and was known to delight them with his serious and comical stories from real life experiences.

Throughout the years Ron enjoyed raising pigeons, goats, peafowl, domestic geese and always a flock of chickens.

He is survived by his wife, Lillian; son, Scott VanHouten; daughter, Dawn (John) Ducett; granddaughters, Natasha Ducett; Chevelle (Dustin) Kuhfeldt; great grandsons, Farley Ducett, Johnny Bartos, Kolt and Levi Kuhfeldt.

Visitation was being held Sunday, December 15, 2024, from 2 to 6 pm and a Funeral Service, Monday December 16, 2024, at 11 am with an hour of visitation beginning at 10 am, officiated by Reverend Kevin Pierpont at MacDonald’s Chapel, 315 N. Michigan Avenue, Howell.

The family has asked for those wishing to remember him with a donation please do so by contributing to the “Howell Garden Club Youth Horticultural Scholarship Fund”. Donations can be made out to "Howell Garden Club" and mailed to Mary McIsaac, 4010 Southwood Drive, Howell, MI 48843.

 Karen Cochran

Williamston, Michigan

Her Legacy… Karen Cochran, 73, passed away September 30, 2024. She was born on February 7, 1951, in Detroit, Michigan to Lewis Bailey and Marilyn (McGill) Bailey. Karen was the second of seven children. She graduated from Fowlerville High School in 1969. She will be remembered as a unique character with a generous spirit and a heart of gold. Karen always went the extra mile to help others in need. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family especially the grandchildren. Karen was a member of the Family Tabernacle Church of God for nearly 10 years where she spent a great deal of time in service to her church family. She loved to garden, taking the food that she grew and donating it to the food pantry. She will be in the hearts of all those that knew and loved her.

Her Family… Karen will be greatly missed by her children, Tammi Libby, John (Adrianna) Cochran, Matt Cochran, Tiffany Forrester; siblings, Vicki (Kerry) Watkins, Christie (Todd) Showerman, Bill Bailey, Tracie (Jeff) Hymer, Kelly (Scott) House; grandchildren, Tim, Ethan, Brian, Amber, Levi, Aurora, Isaiah, Aviyah, Josh, Alyssa, Makayla, Austin, Leah; 3 great grandchildren with another one on the way; many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, Lewis and Marilyn Bailey; sister, Debbie Lynn; daughter, Tanya Hale.

Her Farewell…Karen’s family and friends gathered at 10:00am, Monday, October 7, 2024 until the time of service at 12:30pm, at Borek Jennings Funeral Home, Howell Memorial Chapel in Howell, Michigan. Her burial followed at 2:00 pm at Greenwood Cemetery in Fowlerville. Pastor Jeff Howard served as Celebrant. Memorial contributions are suggested to Family Tabernacle Church of God. Please leave a message of comfort for Karen’s family at 1-877-231-7900, or sign her guestbook at www.borekjennings.com.

 Jane Ellen Turner

Jane Ellen Turner, age 72, passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love of her family on December 5, 2024. Born on June 13, 1952, in Owosso, MI, she was the cherished daughter of the late Dallas and Sydney Morse. Jane's enduring spirit and loving heart will be profoundly missed by all who were blessed to know her.

In Fowlerville, MI, the town she called home for most of her life, Jane's journey was one of love, learning, and laughter. It was at Fowlerville High School that she met David Turner, who was destined to become the love of her life. Together, they forged an unbreakable bond in marriage on August 29, 1970. David remains to cherish her memory, along with their beloved children, Jenny (Robert) St. Charles and Patrick (Libby) Turner. Her spirit lives on through her adored grandchildren Ariel, Abby, and Dominique, and great-grandchildren Dillian, Alex, and Sammie, who will forever hold onto the lessons of kindness and joy she imparted. Jane is also survived by her siblings, Christopher Morse, Beatrice Kurtz, Carmella (Randal) Kleinschmidt, and Philip Morse.

After graduating from Fowlerville High School, Jane pursued a noble calling in healthcare, blossoming into a compassionate Licensed Practical Nurse Supervisor at McPherson Hospital from 1972-1987. She bore the responsibility of nurturing future generations of nurses with grace and expertise before she answered another vocational calling. Continuing her educational journey at Michigan State University, Jane attained her bachelor’s degree in education, a testament to her belief in lifelong learning. She then transitioned into a treasured role as a middle school teacher for Fowlerville Community Schools, where she was not only an educator but a mentor, guiding her students with a gentle hand and an open heart.The classroom was Jane's stage, where she brought learning to life with intelligence and generosity. Her dedication to educating and inspiring young minds was evident in every lesson she crafted and every child she encouraged. Jane taught more than just the curriculum; she taught her students how to be better human beings. In every aspect of life, Jane's personality shone as brightly as her nickname "piglet" suggested—a whimsical spirit wrapped in love and dedication to her family. Infamous for her purse, which was always at her side, stocked with a miraculous array of necessities, she was ever-ready to resolve any predicament with a twinkle in her eye. Jane was an avid collector of all things cows, perhaps as a reflection of her own nurturing nature and her love for all creatures. The animal lover in her found kinship with every living being, embracing them with the same warmth she offered to her family and friends.

A teacher at heart, Jane never ceased to impart wisdom, whether in a classroom or during simple family gatherings. Her legacy is one of unwavering support and boundless love, provided to every student who had the privilege of calling her their teacher. She believed in the potential of every individual and continuously strived to uplift those around her. Above all, Jane loved her family intensely. Her influence will echo through generations, inspiring her family to embody the extraordinary traits she exemplified.

The family received friends for visitation on Monday, December 9th, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Watkins Brothers Funeral Homes - MacDonald Chapel. 315 N. Michigan Avenue, Howell. Funeral service was held on Tuesday, December 10th, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home, with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m.. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Jane Turner FJHS Student Need Fund.

 Donna Mae (Ackerman) St. Charles

Surrounded by her loving family, Donna St. Charles of Byron, formerly of Fowlerville, was called home by the Lord on December 4th, 2024. She was born on June 13,1938 in Fenton, Michigan to Earl and Harriett Ackerman. She was preceded in death by her husband Richard (Dick) St. Charles, parents and five brothers and sisters, and a granddaughter Diona St. Charles. She is survived by her seven children: Renee (Fred) Koch, Ric (Cindy) St. Charles, Rob (Jenny) St. Charles, Rod (Sharon) St. Charles, Roxy (Wayne) Parkhurst, Shelley (Brian) Culbertson, and Ryan (Michelle) St. Charles, fifteen grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren.

Mom (Grandma Donna) will be greatly missed by all who knew her kind and loving heart. She touched so many lives throughout her own. Also surviving are her sisters Helen House, Kathryn Birch, Carol Ann Cox and many nieces and nephews.

She loved her family more than anything in the world and devoted her life to them. She enjoyed family parties and decades of keeping the scorebook and watching her children and grandchildren playing softball. She also loved going to the casino, having dinner and playing Keno at the Perry Sports Bar, playing cards and watching her favorite college team, the Michigan Wolverines.

A celebration of life will be held on January 4, 2025, at Noon at the Fowlerville VFW Hall. Arrangements entrusted to Herrmann Funeral Home. Online condolences may be expressed at pjherrmannfuneralhome.com

 Lee Michael Hoppe

Lee Michael Hoppe went to his heavenly home on November 25, 2024 after a lengthy illness. He was born May 6, 1938 to Frederick and Anna (Hoffer) Hoppe in Wilson Township, Alpena County, Michigan.

He married Phyllis Ann Schultz on June 16, 1963. They were blessed with many years together.

After graduating from Michigan State University, he worked in tractor sales. Later, he worked in Ford vehicle sales and management in Howell, Michigan. After selling Ford vehicles for over 30 years, he was forced to retire due to health issues.

During his retirement years, Lee enjoyed repairing and restoring farm toys for himself and others. He enjoyed being a member of the All Color Antique Tractor Club.

He is survived by his wife Phyllis, and children: Rene` Hoppe and Joseph Hoppe, daughter in-law Valorie Hoppe, and grandchildren: Ciara (Brian) Cheney, Kurtis (Jorden Holscher) Cooley, Joseph (Skye Jones) Hoppe, Anna (Tobias Edgett) Hoppe.

He is also survived by nieces and nephews. He was proud of them and loved them all, especially his great grandson, Theodore Cheney.

Preceding him in death are his parents, his son Michael Hoppe, his sister Shirley (Hoppe) Domke, and his brother Charles Hoppe.

Lee served the Lord through working on various boards and positions in church.

He bravely dealt with many health issues through the years. They included polio, cancer, and heart complications.

There will be a memorial service held at Memorial Lutheran Church, 1022 West Grand River Ave., Williamston, MI 48895 on January 11, 2025 at 11am with a luncheon to follow at noon.

In lieu of floral memorials, contributions may be made to Memorial Lutheran Church of Williamston or a charity of your choice.

 Spagnuolo Candy Store 100-year Anniversary being celebrated at

Good Deeds Coffee Shop on Dec. 19th

By Angela Denby

This Dec. 19, 2024 will commemorate 100 years since George (Mr. Spag) and Ellen Spagnuolo opened their Fowlerville candy and ice cream business in the building we now call home for Good Deeds Coffee.

Lenore Spagnuolo, daughter to George and Ellen, came into the coffee shop a year ago on the 99th anniversary. She sat at one of the front tables with friend and local historian/author, Marion Cornett. They captured my attention as I walked through. Lenore said, "this is the anniversary of when my parents opened the candy shop here!"

Then she looked at a huge group of holiday baskets we had just prepared for a custom order and she said, "My dad would have loved all of these baskets. He really loved holiday baskets."

I sat down at the table with them, and she went on to reminisce and share beautiful stories of those years and her parents. I have personally gotten to know some of their grandchildren and great grandchildren over the years, and I've met even more of them since we opened the coffee shop. As local entrepreneurs go, they are iconic in this town.

Lenore told me about this idea she had to celebrate the 100th year in this building...to welcome the public, offer complimentary cake, view some old family photos, and share stories.

Yes, yes, yes! What a wonderful idea!

So, over the course of the past year, we met up to finalize plans for a very lovely event which will be held this Dec. 19th. Tessa is all ready to create an amazing cake for the occasion. We have a special coffee roast which will be available that week as well as specialty drinks named after the family. We are so excited!

Public welcome. Lenore and all will be at the open house from 11 am until 6 pm, Dec. 19. So please come and be a part of the celebration.

So, come one, come all to share some cake and stories of the first Fowlerville Spagnuolo's candy shop that started here 100 years ago.

 Michigan DNR offers Do’s & Don’ts of Bird Feeding

Blue Jays, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and Northern Cardinals are just a few of the many winter birds that provide a burst of color and activity across a stark winter landscape. Bird feeders can help attract birds to your space during the winter when natural food sources might be buried beneath snow or limited in supply. Keeping your feeders up into the spring can help support birds on their long migrations north.

Here are some tips on how best to feed birds this winter:

Use tube feeders: These feeders are best for black oil sunflower, mixed seed, safflower seed, or peanuts, which attract chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, goldfinches, siskins, purple and house finches.

Use hopper feeders: These feeders are best for safflower and sunflower seeds or cracked corn and, which attract all the species that visit tube feeders plus larger birds like Cardinals, jays, grackles, and Red-winged Blackbirds.

Use suet feeders: Suet attracts woodpeckers, titmice, nuthatches, chickadees as well as the occasional wren, creeper, and warbler.

Don’t place seed directly on the ground or use platform feeders, which tend to attract deer and other unwanted guests. Mess-free birdseed options are available to purchase at stores, which can help keep the ground clean.

Fence in your feeders, if possible, to prevent deer from accessing them. This is particularly important in combatting Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

It’s also incredibly important to provide water to birds during the winter, especially when there is no snow. Use a sturdy birdbath that can withstand freezing and place it in a sunny area so it remains visible to birds and stands a better chance at remaining liquid. Heated birdbaths can also be purchased at stores.

Remember to keep your bird feeders and birdbaths fresh and clean for your feathered friends throughout winter. Freshen the water every other day, if possible. Clean your feeders once every 2 weeks in a solution that is 9 parts water and 1 part bleach, scrubbing away any debris. Dry the feeder before refilling. Clean bird baths with a scrub-brush in a solution that is 9 parts water and 1 part vinegar.

You can also provide shelter to birds from winter storms in the form of brush piles or bird nest boxes, which can double as winter roosting boxes.