Fallen Spartans Archive

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Former Michigan State All-American center Dick Tamburo passed away on Monday, Feb. 24. He was 90 (1930-2020). A three-year letterwinner (1950-52) under Hall of Fame Coach Biggie Munn, Tamburo earned first-team All-America honors and was named the team MVP as a senior in 1952 after leading the Spartans to the National Championship...

George Perles, who coached Michigan State to two Big Ten titles and a Rose Bowl victory in 1988 and was an assistant for the dominant Pittsburgh Steelers teams of the 1970s, died on Tuesday at his home in East Lansing, Mich. He was 85. The university announced his death. He had been treated for Parkinson’s...

(Born Jan. 24, 1934, in Scranton, Pa.; died Nov. 24, 2019, in Haslett, Mich.) For 85 years, Bullough was his name. Football was his game. And those who knew him will never be the same. He was known as “The Doctor of Defense,” “Hurricane Hank,” “True Grit” and “The Patriarch.” But the names that meant...

Thornton has produced more than its share of dominant two-sport athletes. LaMarr Thomas ranks near the top of the list. Thomas, a 1966 Thornton graduate who starred in football and basketball, died Wednesday at age 70. He is survived by his wife, Christine. Thomas had been battling cancer in recent years. It was one of...

Extremely popular and well respected for leading the reemergence of Iconic Marine’s three brands—Fountain, Baja and Donzi—32-year marine industry veteran Joe Curran passed away yesterday after a short and hard fought battle with stomach cancer. In his role as Chief Operating Officer, Curran was part of Iconic’s original management team and providedleadership, vision and unmatched...

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Former Michigan State All-American halfback Walt Kowalczyk passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 7. He was 83. A three-year letterwinner (1955-57) under Hall of Fame Coach Duffy Daugherty, Kowalczyk earned consensus first-team All-America honors as a senior in 1957 after leading the Spartans to a share of the National Championship, picking up...

Mike Labinjo, a former standout Michigan State linebacker who went on to play in both the NFL and CFL, has died. He was 38 years old. Labinjo’s death was announced Saturday evening by his former CFL team, the Calgary Stampeders. The cause of death was not announced. “We are deeply saddened to learn of Mike’s...

Mr. John E. Demmer passed away in his Harbor Springs, Michigan home on July 14, 2018.  John and his wife Marnie moved from Lansing to reside in Harbor Springs full time in 2008.  The Demmer’s found a beautiful community and the community gained a beautiful couple. John was born in Saginaw, Michigan in 1920, graduating...

Kenneth Stockwell passed away on April 21, 2018. Funeral Home Services for Kenneth are being provided by Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes of East Lansing, MI. Visitations: April 28, 2018 at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes located at 1730 East Grand River Avenue, East Lansing, Michigan from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. April 29, 2018 at The Peoples...

Dorne Dibble, a Michigan State All-American who won two championships with the Lions in the 1950s, has died. He was 88. The Adrian native died Thursday night of pneumonia at his home in Northville, according to attorney Jim Acho, who represented Dibble and other NFL players in their concussion lawsuit against the league. Dibble was...