Dorothy C. Ransom

Dorothy C. Ransom, 80, of St. Joseph, passed away April 24, 2005 at Golden Place, St. Joseph. Visitation will be held from 5:00pm to 8:00pm Friday, April 29th at Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Funeral services will be held at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, 404 E. Glenlord Rd, St. Joseph at 10:00am Saturday, April 30th with graveside services following at North Shore Memory Gardens, 5027 N. M-63, Coloma. Donations may be made to Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, St. Joseph or Hospice at Home, Stevensville, MI. Those wishing to send a condolence message or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com Dorothy was born July 15, 1924 in Benton Harbor, Michigan, to August and Wanda (Frederick) Koern. She worked for Michigan Bell Telephone as an operator and later as Clerical Supervisor at Berrien County Health Department from where she retired in 1989. On October 4, 1941 she married Elwyn ?Al? Ransom, who preceded her in death in 1974. She also is preceded in death by her brothers, Ervin, Robert, Arnold and Donald Koern; sister and brother-in-law Emma and Oscar Wedde; sister, Sandra Guzzo; sister-in-law Carla Koern; brother-in-law, Wilbur Kuball; and grandson, Sheldon Burnside. She was an active member of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in St. Joseph, serving on the Altar Guild and Ladies Guild. She was active in Organization of Wisconsin Lutheran Seniors (OWLS) and attended Bible Study regularly. She was a volunteer at Lakeland Hospital. She enjoyed her many friends, playing pinochle and bridge, reading, visiting her grandchildren and traveling around the United States, Mexico and Europe. She was a fan of the Cubs, Bulls and University of Michigan football. She also enjoyed riding motorcycles and four-wheeling with her husband, Al. She is survived by her children Glenn Dewey (Jackie) Ransom of Benton Harbor, Douglas Ransom of Grand Haven, Rebecca (Dan) Bowden of Walhonding, Ohio and Paulette (Don) Burnside of Olivet, Michigan; her sister Helen ?Kay? Kuball of St. Joseph and her brother Harold Koern of Coloma; her aunt Elsa Mischke of St. Joseph; sisters-in-law Lorraine Koern of St. Joseph, Terry Koern of Sodus and Marie Koern of Berrien Springs; and brother-in-law Ben Guzzo of Northlake, IL; 9 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.