HURON DAILY TRIBUNE, Bad Axe, Huron County, Michigan

Local obituaries for the week beginning July 6, 2003


Contributed 2003 by Carol Morrison for use in the USGenWeb Archives.

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Sunday, July 6, 2003


Robert A. Franzel 
Mr. Robert Anthony Franzel, Sr., "Big Bob Franzel," 69, of Ubly, passed away 
Wednesday, July 3, 2003, at Covenant Harrison in Saginaw.   Bob was born on Oct. 20, 
1933 in Ubly to the late John and Annie (Geiger) Franzel.  He married Dorothy Lake on 
Sept. 6, 1958 in Argyle.  Bob was a graduate of Ubly High School. He worked for 
Pontiac Motor Division for 38 years before retiring in 1991. He loved to farm and work 
on tractors. He enjoyed his weekly trips to the stockyards for lunch with his friends.  He 
loved spending time with his grandchildren, especially his Angel. He loved Bear, a 
special canine companion and friend who never left his side.   Bob is survived by his 
former wife, Dorothy Taylor, of Davison; four sons, Robert Franzel, Jr. and his wife, 
Connie, of Belleville, Kevin Franzel, of Tacoma, Wash., Greg Franzel and his wife, 
Carrie, of Marlette, and Curt Franzel and his wife, Jennifer, of Lapeer; two daughters, 
Terry House and Dick Lawrence, of Lapeer, and Jill Schmitt and her husband, Scott, of 
Davison; 16 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; one brother, Cornelius Franzel, of 
Snover; two sisters, Ruth Ann Stanley and her husband, John, of Hazel Park and Marie 
Younglove, of Bad Axe; special nephew, Justin Faber, of Ubly; several nieces and 
nephews.   Bob was preceded in death by his parents; seven brothers, Martin Lincoln, 
Edward, Michael, Frank, Earnest, Henry, and Steven Meno "Baldy" Franzel; two sisters, 
Cecelia Pearson and Stella Peters.   The funeral mass will be 11 a.m. Monday, July 7, 
2003, at St. Ignatius Catholic Church of Freiburg. The Rev. Brian Spencer will officiate. 
Burial will be in St. Ignatius Cemetery with full military honors. There will be a parish 
vigil service at 3 p.m. today and a rosary at 8 p.m. at the Zinger-Smigielski Funeral Home 
of Ubly.   Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. today and from 9 to 10 a.m. Monday at the 
funeral home.   Memorials can be made to the St. Jude's Children's Hospital. 

Earl L. Miller 
Earl L. Miller, 95, of Pigeon, and formerly of Midland, passed away Thursday evening, 
July 3, 2003, at Scheurer Hospital Long Term Care after a long illness.   He was born on 
Oct. 10, 1907 in Topeka, Ind., son of the late Abraham and Catherine (Baer) Miller.  On 
April 12, 1933, he was united in marriage to Martha Rachel Long in Midland.  She 
preceded him in death on Dec. 28, 1996.   Mr. Miller retired in 1978 at 71 from the 
Bullock Creek Public Schools, where he had worked as a custodian and a school bus 
driver. He and his wife moved to Pigeon in December 1989.  Mr. Miller enjoyed 
woodworking after his retirement. He was a member of the Pigeon River Mennonite 
Church.   He is survived by three children, Lowell Miller and his wife, Sue, of Knoxville, 
Tenn., Maxine Kauffman and her husband, Clayton, of Pigeon, and Leland Miller and his 
wife, Dorothy, of Goshen, Ind.; nine grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two sisters, 
Ina Miller and Louella Garrett, both of Indiana; and several nieces and nephews.   He was 
preceded in death by two brothers, Perry and Martin Miller; a sister, Amanda Mast; two 
half-brothers, Dan and David Miller; and a half-sister, Ida Hostetler.   Funeral services 
will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 7, 2003, at the Pigeon River Mennonite 
Church with the Rev. Tom Beachy, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the church 
cemetery.   Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. today at the Meyersieck-Bussema Funeral 
Home, Pigeon, and from 10 a.m. until the time of service Monday at the church.   
Memorial contributions may be made to the Pigeon River Mennonite Church. 

Monday, July 07, 2003


Otto Engler 
Otto William Engler, 80, resident of Bad Axe, died Friday, July 4, 2003, at his home.   
He was born in Bad Axe on March 18, 1923 to the late Hans and Lousie (Zebell) Engler.   
He married Stella Krolikowski on April 14, 1945.  She preceded him in death.   Otto was 
an aviation mechanic for many years. He was the airport manager at Huron Memorial 
Airport.  He owned Engler Aero Marine for 20 years. He also worked as a farmer, a 
machinist for Red Martin and a welder at Bomer's.  Mr. Engler was a member of Our 
Savior Lutheran Church of Bad Axe. He served in the United States Navy during World 
War II.  He was a member of Huron Aviation, the Ubly Fox Hunter's Club, and the Civil 
Air Patrol.  Otto was one of the founders of Huron Aviation, which is now Huron County 
Memorial Airport.  He retired in 1976.   Otto is survived by four daughters, Nancy Quirk 
and her husband, Richard, of Palm Harbor, Fla., Louise Nyquist and her husband, Steve, 
of St. Paul, Minn., Jeannie Serching, of Kingston, N.Y., Cathy Ozorowicz and her 
husband, Andrew, of Cass City; seven sons, Alan Engler and his wife, Ellen, of Bad Axe, 
William Engler, of Filion, Eric Engler and his wife, Linda, of Cass City, Brian Engler, of 
Bad Axe, Herb Engler, of Bad Axe, Andrew Engler, of Bad Axe, and Edward Engler, of 
Farmington Hills; one brother, Fritz Engler and his wife, Beatrice, of Saginaw; two 
sisters, Anita Pagels, of Kenosha, Ill., Erna Ritter, of Bad Axe; 18 grandchildren; and 
four great-grandchildren.   He was preceded in death by a son, Kenneth Engler; a brother, 
Robert Engler; and an infant grandchild.   Funeral services will take place Tuesday, July 
8, 2003, at MacAlpine Funeral Home in Bad Axe. The Rev. Kenneth Lueke will officiate. 
Burial will be in Colfax Township Cemetery.   Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 
to 9 p.m. today and from 10 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home.   Memorials may 
be offered to Our Savior Lutheran Church building fund. 

Virginia Fuhrman 
Virginia E. (Chamberlain) Fuhrman, 77, of Sandusky, and formerly of Harbor Beach, 
passed away Thursday, July 3, 2003, in Port Huron Hospital.   Born in Harbor Beach on 
Oct. 16, 1925, she was the daughter of the late Theodore and Matilda (Schewe) Fuhrman.   
Virginia attended the Detroit Business Institute and was a retired employee of the Sanilac 
County Mental Health Office in Sandusky. She retired in 1989. She was a member of the 
Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church in Sandusky and a former member of the Port Sanilac 
Choral Club and the Sandusky Library Board. Virginia enjoyed singing and music, and 
being with her family.   She is survived by her daughter: Jo Ann Dundas, of Port Huron; a 
son, Don F. Chamberlain and his wife, Julie, of East Lansing; four grandchildren, 
Kristopher Dundas, Travis Dundas, Meghan Chamberlain, Melanie Chamberlain; two 
great-grandchildren, Audra Dundas and Jasdin Dundas.   Virginia was preceded in death 
by a sister, Shirley Rapson.   Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be at 
1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9, 2003, in the Sandusky Presbyterian Church of Sandusky 
with the Rev. Mark Morningstar, pastor, officiating. Interment will take place in the Rock 
Falls Cemetery of Harbor Beach.   Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the service time at 
1 p.m. on Wednesday in the church.   In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to 
the Zion Lutheran Church or School in Harbor Beach or to the church of the donor's 
choice in Virginia's memory.   Ramsey Funeral Home of Harbor Beach is handling 
arrangements. 

Tuesday, July 8, 2003


Ruth Johnson 
Ruth (Steele) Johnson, 87, of the Heritage of Huntington, Ind. and formerly of DeMotte, 
Ind., died Saturday, July 5, 2003, at 11:40 p.m. at the Heritage of Huntington, Ind.   Mrs. 
Johnson was born on July 7, 1915 in Bay Port to Judson and Dora (Ehmke) Steele.  Her 
parents preceded her in death.   She married Carl E. Johnson on Feb. 11, 1945 in Bay 
Port.  He died March 24, 1999.   Mrs. Johnson was a registered nurse and a homemaker. 
She was a member of the DeMotte United Methodist Church and the Indiana Harbor 
United Methodist Church.   She is survived by one son, Joel Johnson, of Celestine, Ind.; 
two daughters, Carla Rae Johnson, of Peekskill, N.Y., and Trudi Godfroy and her 
husband, Tony, of Huntington, Ind.; two brothers, Charles W. Steele, of Bay Port, and 
Jack D. Steele, of Virginia Beach, Va.; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren.   She 
was preceded in death by one brother, Judson Grant Steele; two sisters, Ethyle Steele and 
Dora Lenore Schwanitz.   Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 19, 2003, 
at The Heritage of Huntington Chapel, 1180 W. 500 N. Huntington, IN 46750.   
Interment will be private.   Memorials can be made in lieu of flowers to United Methodist 
Memorial Home Trust Fund C/O The Heritage of Huntington 1180 W. 500 N. 
Huntington, IN 46750.   McElhaney-Hart Funeral Home, 715 N. Jefferson St., 
Huntington, Ind. is in charge of arrangements. 

Wednesday, July 9, 2003


Genevieve Jenks 
Genevieve Capling Jenks, 81, a three-year resident of Marietta, Ga., passed away 
Tuesday, March 11, 2003.   Born in Harbor Beach on July 8, 1921, she was the daughter 
of the late Walter and Anna (McKinnon) Capling.   Genevieve lived in Harbor Beach for 
many years prior to moving to St. Petersburg, Fla. where she resided for over 40 years.   
She is survived by her daughter, Judy J. Jenks, of Mableton, Ga.; her son, Bela Walton 
Jenks IV, of Griffin, Ga.; three grandchildren, Jessica Blish, Jordan Jenks, and Maegan 
Jenks; three sisters, Lucille Keating, of Southgate, Anne Humphries, of Plymouth, and 
Rosemary Wolschleger, of Harbor Beach.   Genevieve was preceded in death by a son, 
Jeffery Walton Jenks; a sister, Hilda Capling; four brothers, John, Leo, Kenneth and 
Joseph Capling.   Cremation has taken place and a memorial mass will take place at 
10:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 12, 2003, at Our Lady of Lake Huron Church with Fr. Brian 
Spencer officiating. Interment will follow in the Rock Falls Cemetery, Harbor Beach.   
Visitation will be at 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday in the church.   
Memorials may be given to the Harbor Beach Community Hospital.   Ramsey Funeral 
Home in Harbor Beach is handling arrangements. 

Dorothy Flint 
Dorothy P. Flint, 82, of Bay Port, passed away Tuesday, July 1, 2003, at Huron Medical 
Care Facility near Bad Axe.   Cremation has taken place and the committal service will 
be Sunday, July 13, at 1 p.m. at New Bay Port Cemetery, Fair Haven Township.  The 
Rev. Alger T. Lewis will officiate.   Arrangements are by Meyersieck-Bussema Funeral 
Home in Pigeon. 

Thursday, July 10, 2003


Mary Harper 
Mary Jane Harper, 61, of Alvin, Texas, and formerly of Deckerville, died Monday, July 
7, 2003, in Houston Texas at the Cornerstone Hospital.   She was born in Croswell on 
March 9, 1942 to the late William and Elma Westley.   She was a member of VFW Aux 
and Seventh Day Adventist Church.   She is survived by her children, Kathy Kibort, of 
Alvin, Texas; Jill Mahoney and her husband, Daniel, of Marquette; two grandchildren; 
sisters, Leona Ledbetter, Sally Szulborski, Anna Deaton, Laura Mater, Sue Bobcock; and 
brothers, Robert Westley and Gerald Westley.   She was preceded in death by her 
husband, George, in 1988; sisters, Audrey Agar, Minnie Granger, Geraldine Westley and 
Tressa Westley; and brothers, Bill and Al Westley.   Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. 
on Saturday, July 12, 2003, at the Downing Cemetery in Deckerville.  Apsey Funeral 
Home of Deckerville is handling arrangements. 

Martha Janderwski 
Martha V. Janderwski, 71, lifelong resident of Bad Axe, died Wednesday, July 9, 2003, 
at home.   She was born Nov. 21, 1931 in Bad Axe to the late Hiram and Viola (Hall) 
Toner.   She married Raymond Janderwski on July 9, 1949 in Pigeon. He survives her.   
Martha was a member of St. Edward's Catholic Church in Kinde. She also attended St. 
Columbkill in Cass City.  Mrs. Janderwski worked for the Kinde Telephone Company. 
She was a co-manager of the Light House Park in Port Hope. Martha enjoyed knitting, 
playing cards, gardening and visiting with her family and friends.   Mrs. Janderwski is 
survived by her husband, Raymond; one son, Robert Janderwski and his wife, Kathy, of 
Standish; two daughters, Pamela Kennedy and her husband, Alan, of Reese, Cindy 
Gucwa and her husband, Adam, of Bad Axe; one brother-in-law, Richard Miller, of 
Kinde; one sister-in-law, Virginia Toner, of Kinde; seven grandchildren; five great-
grandchildren; and three step-grandchildren.   She was preceded in death by one 
granddaughter, Emily Janderwski; one sister, Mary Jane Miller; one brother, Raymond 
Toner; and a infant sister.   After a private visitation, cremation will take place at Sunset 
Valley Crematory in Bay City. A memorial service will be conducted at a later date. 
MacAlpine Funeral Home of Bad Axe is handling the arrangements.   Memorials may be 
made to the American Cancer Society. 

James Ravel 
James "Jim" Ravel, 65, of Bad Axe, passed away on Wednesday, July 9, 2003, at his 
home following an extended illness.   He was born on Oct. 14, 1937 in Detroit, son of the 
late George and Louise (Kiekens) Ravel.   He married Anna Marie Affer on Sept. 20, 
1958 in Grosse Pointe. She preceded him in death on Feb. 25, 1996.  He married Adeline 
Woodworth on Aug. 17, 1996 in Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bad Axe.   He was 
employed by Detroit Edison Co. for 42 years as a sub-station operator, starting his career 
in Detroit and working throughout southeastern Michigan, spending the last 31 years 
working out of Bad Axe and covering the Thumb area.   He was a member of St. Paul's 
Episcopal Church in Bad Axe, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Bad Axe Lions Club 
from 1967 to 1972, and the Bad Axe School Board from 1974 to 1976. He served as 
chairman of the Board of Trustees at Our Savior Lutheran Church from 1973 to 1982, the 
Verona Township Board of Economic Development from 1976 to 1979, and as 
Commander of the Sebewaing Flotilla 1507 from 1987 to 1996. He received the Coast 
Guard Certification, including Vessel Examiner, Instructor, and Coxwain. He enjoyed 
boating, crossword puzzles, and the history of lighthouses and Great Lakes shipwrecks.   
He is survived by his wife, Adeline "Addie" Ravel, of Bad Axe; two sons, Kevin Ravel 
and his wife, Linda, of Bad Axe, Keith Ravel, of Imlay City; one daughter, Laura Fabyan 
and her husband, Peter, of Bad Axe; two stepsons, Robert Woodworth, of Ypsilanti, Tim 
Woodworth, of Bad Axe; two step-daughters, Tami Salens and her husband, Walter, of 
Bad Axe, Carolan O'Keefe and her husband, Christopher, of Belleville; 16 grandchildren; 
and three great-grandchildren.   Funeral services will be conducted on Friday, July 11, 
2003, at 11 a.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Bad Axe. Officiating will be the Rev. 
Elsa Pressentin. Burial will be in Colfax Cemetery.   Visitation will be from 1 to 5 p.m. 
and 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday at the Kaufman Funeral Home in Bad Axe and from 10 a.m. 
until the service time at 11 a.m. on Friday at the church.   Memorials may be offered to 
St. Paul's Episcopal Church. 

Friday, July 11, 2003


Glenn Krohn 
Glenn W. Krohn, 90, of Florissant (St. Louis), Mo., and formerly of Elkton, died 
Wednesday morning at his home.   He was born May 16, 1913 at the home of his parents, 
the late William and Ida (Moeler) Krohn in Oliver Township.   Mr. Krohn served in the 
U.S. Army during World War II.   On March 1, 1942, he was united in marriage to Esther 
Goske in Detroit.   They lived in the Charlevoix area where they both owned and 
operated the Style Beauty Shop for over 32 years retiring in 1979. After retiring, they 
began spending their winters in Arizona. More recently they moved to Missouri.   
Surviving are his wife of 61 years, Esther, and several nieces and nephews.   Funeral 
services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 14, 2003, at the Champagne 
Funeral Chapel, in Elkton. The Rev. DeWeerd Smith will officiate with burial in 
Caseville Township Cemetery.   Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. on Sunday and after 
10 a.m. on Monday.  Friends may sign the guest book at www.CFCelkton.com. 



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