Curtis D. Morris, 63 of Morley died Thursday, June 1, 2017 at Spectrum Health – Butterworth Campus. Curt was born October 9, 1953 in Grand Rapids, Michigan the son of Billy and Wanda (Parker) Morris. He worked for Elston-Richards for 23 years and loved hunting, fishing and mushroom hunting. Surviving are his significant other, Julie Berry; children, Michael Morris and fiancee, Christina Perkins, Vivian Berry and Billy Vincent; granddaughter, Kadense; mother, Wanda Morris; sisters, Ann (Larry) Cornell, Charlene Fifield; nieces and nephews, Nutasha (Sid) Tolsma, Jon (Jinger) Fifield, Theresa (Jesse) Koomen, Brett (Heather) Fifield, Katelyn Fifield, Laurissa Cornell. He was preceded in death by his father and a brother-in-law, William Fifield. The family received friends Sunday, June 4^th at the Bliss-Witters & Pike Funeral Home, Cedar Springs where the service was held Monday, June 5^th. Pastor Gilbert Morris officiating. Interment Solon Township Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart or Diabetes Associations.

Arrangements by Bliss-Witters & Pike Funeral Home, Cedar Springs

Esther M. Heiss, 87, of Cedar Springs, died Monday, January 25, 2016 at her home. Mrs. Heiss was born March 3, 1928 in Sand Lake, Michigan the daughter of Lee and Leona (Bremmer) Parker. She was a homemaker and along with her husband worked the farm and logging. She enjoyed reading, gardening and her flowers. She was a lifelong attender of the Solon Center Wesleyan Church. She loved her family and was a treasure for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Surviving are her children, Tracy Hawley, Trudy (Jerold) Bryant, Terry Leversay, Randy (Sandy) Heiss, Roy (Alicia) Heiss; 13 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandson; several step grandchildren and great-grandchildren; brothers, Max Parker, Ken (Sue) Parker; sisters, Wanda Morris, Doris Martin, Edith (Dale) Johnson, Lois (Curt) Phillips; brother-in-law, David Newton; sister-in-law, Elaine Pyard; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray in 2005; son-in-law, Randy Leversay; great grandson, David Schlinz; brothers, L. B., Wyman, and Ronald “Barney” Parker; sisters, Kathleen Parker and Donna Newton. The family will greet friends Thursday from 2-4 and 6-8 pm at the Bliss-Witters & Pike Funeral Home, Cedar Springs where the service will be held Friday 11:00 am. Chaplain Daniel Pflug officiating. Interment Crandall Cemetery, Ensley Township. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Arrangements by Bliss-Witters & Pike Funeral Home

Happy Anniversary to three couples in the same family that share the same anniversary!

By coincidence or design these three couples can celebrate their anniversaries on the same day and no doubt the day is sweeter because they do.

BOB SR. & KAREN (Hammer) ROBINSON
June 22, 1968

BOB JR. & JULIE (Parker) ROBINSON
June 22, 2002

Julie’s parents:
DEAN & DEB (Schalk) PARKER
June 22, 1974

Record rainfall in West Michigan caused mass flooding in the area last week, including the City of Cedar Springs.
Cedar Creek overflowed its banks Thursday morning, April 18. According to DPW Director Tom Stressman, they closed Main St. between Oak and Pine St. about 7 a.m. Water flowed across the intersection at Main and Pine as well. Fifth Street between Pine and Cherry was also closed, as was access to the White Pine Trail. The roads were reopened later in the evening after the water receded.
Stressman said that he has been here 24 years, and that was the first time he’s seen it flood. He said others told him the last time was 1987. (However, Grand Rapids had almost 12 inches of rain in 1986, so it could have been that year.)
Doug Durst said he remembers that. “We lived on Third Street across from the football field in 1987 when the flood came. I remember watching as 4 cord of my wood floated across 17 Mile. I also remember our neighbor, George Waite coming over in a canoe to check on us!”
The Cedar Springs Story also tells of a flood, in 1905 or 1906 that washed out the wooden bridge across Main Street, and the cement sidewalks. It was reportedly two to three feet deep, and people used rowboats to get up and down Main Street.
It wasn’t only the city that saw flooding last week. Area townships did, too. Ron Parker, of Courtland Township, sent us a photo of a portion of 15 Mile near Stout that crumbled where a culvert runs underneath. He said that normally you would see fields on either side of the road with just a small pool of water on the south side and a small trickle of water on the north side of the road. But that was not the case Friday—it was more like a fast flowing creek. He said that a portion of the road actually crumbled while he was standing there. This was the second time in the last few years that this has happened. The road remains closed.
Meanwhile, Kent County declared a state of Emergency. There was widespread flash flooding, and the Grand River flooded many areas in Grand Rapids, even causing evacuation of buildings and the closing of bridges. The Grand River in Grand Rapids crested at 21.85 feet, a new record.
If you have any memories of past floods and when they were, send them to us at news@cedarspringspost.com.

Ron Parker, of Courtland Township, sent us these photos of a downy woodpecker eating from his hummingbird feeder.
“Maybe other folks have seen this happen, but it is a first for our feeders,” he said.
It’s true—while woodpeckers love to eat insects, nuts, berries, suet and sunflower seeds, they also love the sugar water in hummingbird feeders. Thanks, Ron!
Send your wildlife or plant photos to news@cedarspringspost.com.

Nathan and Nicholas Robinson would like to announce the birth of their baby brother, Tyler J. Tyler was born May 12, 2011 at 7:52 pm at St. Mary’s Hospital. He weighed 9 pounds and was 22 inches long.Proud parents are Bob and Julie Robinson. Proud grandparents and great-grandparents are Dean and Deb Parker, Bob and Karen Robinson, Otto and Winnie Ford, Dr. Lawrence and Wilma Schalk and Dorcus Jenson.

Photo by Ron Parker.

We have been getting reports of robin sightings this week. Does that mean spring is around the corner?

This picture was taken on the lawn of Martin Haack on Shaner Ave. just north of 15 Mile Rd. “Marty wanted some pictures of this big guy to prove that Spring is on the way!” said photographer Ron Parker.

Ranger Steve Mueller told the Post last year that some robins actually never leave during the winter, but live in area swamplands over the winter. We asked him this week if we can tell which ones stay and which ones leave. He said, no, but one can tell when they are beginning to move. “People start seeing them in places they have not been seeing them,” he explained. He noted that the ones here in the winter probably are from further north, and the ones from here shift to the south.