HURON DAILY TRIBUNE, Bad Axe, Huron County, Michigan Copyright © 2001 by Carol Morrison. This copy contributed for use in the MIGenWeb Archives. MIGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed MIGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the MIGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. Local obituaries for the week beginning July 14, 2002 Sunday, July 14, 2002 Walter Willey Walter Lee Willey, 75, of Kinde died Thursday, July 11, 2002, at his home. He was born Nov. 13, 1926, in St. Clair Shores to the late Horrace and Hulda (Grozinski) Willey. Walter married Margaret Vernier July 31, 1965. She survives him. Walter enjoyed fishing, hunting, playing cards, and trap shooting. He was an avid sports fan and a St. Clair Shores Sportsman Association life member. He is survived by his wife, Margaret; a son, Steven and his wife, Theresa, of Garden City; a daughter, Christine of Clinton Township; a brother-in-law, Bud Vernier and his wife, Irene, of Clinton Township; 11 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. Walter was preceded in death by two brothers, Bill and Clyde; and a sister, Shirley. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, July 15, 2002, at MacAlpine Funeral Home - Gage Chapel in Kinde. Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. today and from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. Memorials may be offered to the Family Discretionary Fund. Monday, July 15, 2002 Loretta Yaroch Loretta A. Yaroch, beloved wife of Thomas J. Yaroch, died Saturday, July 13, 2002 at Courtney Manor in Bad Axe. She was the treasured mother of five daughters and their husbands, Ann and Marty Shuey, Jean and Michael Cottick, Kay and Dale Eddinger, Gail and Joe Reinert, and the late Joyce Yaroch. The memory of this kind and gentle spirit will also be treasured by five grandchildren and their spouses, Michael and Susan Cottick, Kirk Cumming, Matthew and Lauren Cottick, Loretta Eddinger, and Ethan Eddinger; one great-granddaughter, Sara Cottick; five surviving brothers, one surviving sister, and countless friends and acquaintances whose life she has touched. Services will take place at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 17, 2002, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Bad Axe. The Rev. John Weis will officiate. Private burial will follow in St. Michael's Cemetery, Port Austin. A scripture service will be conducted by Fr. Weis at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the H.W. Weitenberner Funeral Home, Bad Axe, and from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Memorials may be made to the Sacred Heart Organ Fund, the Bad Axe Public Library, or St. Edwards Altar Sodality. Donna Parker Donna Jean Parker, 76, of Cass City died Sunday, July 14, 2002 in Tendercare Nursing Facility, Cass City. Funeral services will take place at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 17, 2002, at Kranz Funeral Home, Cass City. The Rev. Scott Tysick and the Rev. Jim Fader will officiate. Interment is in Indianfields Township Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association or the Alzheimers Association of Mid-Michigan. Tuesday, July 16, 2002 Ernest Hobkirk Ernest (Ernie) Hobkirk, 60, of Odessa, Fla. passed away Sunday, July 14, 2002, at Hospice Care Center in New Port Richey, Fla. He was born December 21, 1941, in Bad Axe to Ella Hobkirk and the late Walter Hobkirk. Ernie married Gail Tacey. He is survived by his wife Gail; three sons, James of Glendale, Ariz., Kenneth of Reese, and Paul of Odessa, Fla.; his mother; and three brothers, James and his wife, Bernice, of Houston, Texas, Donald and his wife, Charlene, of Saline, and Glenn and his wife, Linda, of Westerly, R.I.; sister-in-law Carole of Bad Axe; five grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. Ernie was preceded in death by his father, Walter; brother, Robert; and sister, Alice Gasta. Cremation took place. Janet von Oeyen Janet A. von Oeyen, 85, of Harbor Beach and Redford passed away Friday, July 12, 2002, at the Harbor Beach Community Hospital. Born in Detroit on June 17, 1917, she was the daughter of the late Harry and Sarah Dorothy (Lamont) Robertson. Janet graduated from Eastern High School in Detroit and attended Cass Tech for an art degree and also attended the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago for Christian education. On Aug. 28, 1943, Janet married the Rev. Robert R. von Oeyen in Covenant Presbyterian Church in Detroit. Together they ministered in various Presbyterian churches in Michigan including White Lake, Bedford, Ubly, Fraser, and Marlette. Robert preceded her in death on Dec. 9, 1999. Janet was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Harbor Beach and a resident of the Presbyterian Village in Redford. She is survived by her children: the Rev. Robert von Oeyen Jr. and his wife, Sherry, of Staunton, Va., David von Oeyen and his wife, Nancy, of Malibu, Calif., Dr. Paul von Oeyen and his wife, Cynthia, of Bloomfield Hills, Richard von Oeyen and his wife, Cindy, of Lee, N.H., Barbara von Oeyen of Grand Rapids and Peter von Oeyen of Harbor Beach; and 11 grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Hugh Robertson and George Robertson. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. on Thursday, July 18, 2002, in the First Presbyterian Church in Harbor Beach with the Rev. Theresa Cutler, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church and Janet's son, the Rev. Robert von Oeyen Jr., officiating. Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Ramsey Funeral Home in Harbor Beach, and from noon until the time of services Thursday at the church. Memorial donations may be given to the memorial fund of the First Presbyterian Church or the Harbor Beach Community Hospital. Wednesday, July 17, 2002 – None Thursday, July 18, 2002 Janet Hill Janet L. Hill, 56, of Cass City died unexpectedly Monday, July 15, 2002, in her home. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, July 19, 2002, at Kranz Funeral Home in Cass City. Interment is in Evergreen Township Cemetery. Visitation is 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Family Discretionary Fund. Friday, July 19, 2002 Marion Comment Mrs. Marion Elizabeth Comment, 80, of Gagetown passed away Tuesday, July 16, 2002, at her residence. She was born on Sept. 4, 1921, daughter of the late George F. and Mary E. (Gulick) Collins. She married Garfield Turner who preceded her in death in 1974. She then married Eugene Comment on June 18, 1983, in Pinconning. Marion was a member of St. Agatha Catholic Church in Gagetown and its altar society. Surviving along with her husband, Eugene are their children, James G. Turner and his wife, Joyce, of Cass City, Richard L. Turner and his wife, Jane, of North Branch, Ronald Turner and his wife, Karen, of Cass City, Kathleen Charles and her husband, George, of Conyers, GA, John Comment of Essexville, Patricia Arvoy and her husband, John, of Owosso, and Sherry Woodard and her husband, Wylie, of Grapevine, Texas; grandchildren Laura, Kristi, Nicholas, Heather, Shannon and Courtney Turner, Rachel Dyk and her husband, Scott, and Todd Diebel; and brothers James Collins and his wife, Gloria, of Flint and Alvin Collins and her husband, Ruth, of Prudenville. Marion was preceded in death by a grandson, Troy Diebel; and brothers, Charles and Harold Collins. A mass of Christian burial was celebrated at 11 a.m. today July 19, 2002 at St. Agatha Catholic Church with the Rev. Steve Filion officiating. Interment will be in Indianfields Cemetery in Caro. Memorials may be directed to St. Agatha Catholic Church. Ronald Fox Ronald E. Fox, 93, of Cass City died Wednesday, July 17, 2002, in Northwood Meadows Dementia Care in Cass City. Private memorial services will be at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to Northwood Meadows Dementia Care in Cass City. Mildred Frakes Mildred K. "Ma" Frakes, 91, of Caro passed away Wednesday, July 17, 2002, in Tuscola County Medical Care Facility in Caro. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 20, 2002, at Kranz Funeral Home in Cass City with the Rev. J.T. Mabe of Mizpah Missionary Church officiating. Interment is in Novesta Township Cemetery. Visitation is from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Tuscola County Medical Care Facility. 1