Obituaries

David Scharphorn

David Scharphorn of Jackson, Michigan, formerly of Chelsea, Michigan, age 92 passed away Monday, August 24, 2026, at Legacy Assisted Living in Jackson. He was born on October 25, 1933, in Allendale, Michigan, the son of Joseph and Dena (Manning) Scharphorn.

David attended Zeeland High School. After graduation, he went on to attend Grand Rapids Junior College before transferring to the University of Michigan, where he obtained a Mechanical Engineering Degree. David worked on engines for several companies and was a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers. He was also a member of the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) and was a private pilot. Their farm included an airstrip and hanger, allowing them to make many trips across the United States and Canada in their private plane. David enjoyed farming, flying, and riding bicycles.

John Franklin Stafford

of Jackson, Michigan, formerly of Chelsea, Ann Arbor, and Grass Lake, age 88, passed away Saturday, August 22, 2026 at Henry Ford Hospital in Jackson. He was born October 13, 1937 in Marion, Illinois, the son of John Wesley Quayle Stafford and May Mamie Pedigo. In 1953, the Stafford family moved to the Ypsi/Ann Arbor area.

John graduated from Ypsilanti High School in 1956. In 1967, he created John Stafford Carpentry and served in the Ann Arbor area for more than 50 years. He always loved the City of Ann Arbor and specialized in the Old West Side. John was very artistic and creative, with a gentle, sweet spirit. He loved old cars and tractors, and was a member of the Jackson Tractor club. John took his Farmall tractor across the Mackinac bridge during the Mackinac Bridge Antique Tractor Crossing. His favorite TV shows were “bitchin’ rides” and old Westerns. John enjoyed his music, including Neil Diamond, Glen Campbell, and Hank Williams. He spent his last few years of retirement living with his love Nancy Layton, and his precious angel dog Maddie. John loved his children and grandchildren, along with his 1948 Chrysler, and 1988 Cadillac.

Ronald Vernon Satterthwaite

 Of Chelsea, Michigan, age 89, passed away Sunday, August 23, 2026, at his home in Chelsea. He was born May 20, 1937, in Chelsea, Michigan, the son of Vernon J. and Edna C. (Ortbring) Satterthwaite.

Sidney Ward Smith

Sid was born on June 6, 1939, in Fort Worth, Texas. He passed away on August 20, 2026, in Chelsea, Michigan, after a long illness. He was the first child born to Frank and Mary Smith. A few years later, the Smith family moved to California. Sid grew up in the Bay Area and graduated from Hillsdale High School in 1957. He began his college career at General Motors Institute. After a year, he decided to enlist in the U. S. Army in 1962. His three-year enlistment included a tour on duty in Sinop, Turkey. After his discharge, he returned to college and graduated from San Jose State University with a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering. After graduating, he found work at General Electric Nuclear in San Jose, California. He enjoyed his thirteen years at GE Nuclear, but decided to move to S. Levy, Inc., a nuclear consulting firm in Cupertino, California.