HURON DAILY TRIBUNE, Bad Axe, Huron County, Michigan Local obituaries for the week beginning May 11, 2003 Contributed 2003 by Carol Morrison for use in the USGenWeb Archives. USGENWEB 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 USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. Sunday, May 11, 2003 D'Anne Bonneau-Aikins D'Anne L. Bonneau-Aikins, 51, of Lexington Mich., passed away on Friday, May 9, 2003, at her home with hospice care in Worth Township near Lexington. Funeral services will take place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 11, 2003, in the Ramsey Funeral Home, Harbor Beach, with burial in the Rock Falls Cemetery. Rev. Theresa Cutler will officiate. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until the time of service today at the funeral home. Eleanor (Leona) Grates Leona Grates, 94, of Port Austin, passed away on Friday, May 9, 2003, at the home of her son, Douglas, in Sand Point. She was born on Jan. 23, 1909 in Star Junction, Pa. She and Ernest Grates were married in 1936 in Detroit. Leona was a member of the St. Michael's Catholic Church in Port Austin. She loved to spend time with her family and friends. Leona is survived by seven children: Jerome Grates, and his special friend, Sandra Miller, of St. Clair, Patty Ditta and her husband, Ben, of Gainsville, Ga., Sharon Radlinski and her special friend, Bud Isel, of Bad Axe, Susan Kustra and her husband, Josip, of New Rochelle, N.Y., Douglas Grates and his wife, Susan, of Sand Point, Pam Grates and her special friend, Jay Barth, of Ann Arbor, and Mary Grates and David Nehr, of Orion; 23 grandchildren, Steve, Sandra, Kirk, Jennifer, Ernie, Angela, Elizabeth, Nick, Pam, Sherill, Steven, Ante, Ammie, Joe, Mara, Mike, Mary Rose, Hannah, Nathan, David, Bethany, Tim, Olivia; seven great-grandchildren, Ashley, Yanni, Lindsey, Madison, Spencer, Audrey, Millie; a daughter-in-law, Donna Grates, of New Port Richey, Fla. She was preceded in death by two sons, Ernie and Robert Grates; one son- in-law, Jerry Radlinski. Funeral mass will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 12, 2003, at the St. Michael's Catholic Church in Port Austin. Officiating will be Rev. Ken Yaroch. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 2 to 9 p.m. today and from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Monday at the Knoblock Funeral Home in Kinde. The Holy Rosary Sodality led the rosary which took place on Saturday. There will be a Parrish Rosary at 7:30 tonight at the funeral home. Minnie Hearit Minnie C. Hearit, 85, of Harbor Beach, passed away on Friday evening, May 9, 2003, at Courtney Manor Nursing Center in Bad Axe. She was born in Port Hope on March 27, 1918, the daughter of the late Herman and Hannah (Nickel) Pleiness. On Feb. 19, 1938, she was united in marriage to Herbert Hearit in Bloomfield Lutheran Church. He preceded her in death on June 13, 1980. Minnie was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church, Harbor Beach, the Quilting Ladies and Ladies Aid of Zion. She is survived by her children; Marilyn Scott and her husband, William, of Harbor Beach, Melvin Hearit, of Columbus Township; five grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, two brothers, Walter Pleiness, of Harbor Beach, Harold Pleiness and his wife, Joyce, of Port Hope; two sisters, Bertha Lange and her husband, Ted, of Port Hope, Dorothy Roberts, of Harbor Beach. She was preceded in death by a son, Herman Hearit in 1940, and by two brothers, Herman and August Pleiness. Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 12, 2003, at Zion Lutheran Church in Harbor Beach with the Rev. Mark Girardin, pastor, officiating. A scripture service will take place tonight at 7:30 in the Ramsey Funeral Home, Harbor Beach. Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home, and from 10 a.m. until the time of service on Monday at the church. Beatrice Leppek Mrs. Beatrice Leppek, 83, of Ubly, passed away on Friday, May 9, 2003, at Huron Medical Center in Bad Axe. Beatrice was born June 26, 1919 in Paris Township to the late Peter and Anna (Pollum) Danielski. She married Alfred B. Leppek on April 23, 1938 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Parisville. He preceded her in death on May 25, 1973. Beatrice attended the MacMillen Country Rural School. She was a housekeeper for 10 years at St. Joseph rectory in Rapson. She was a former parishioner at St. Mary Catholic Church of Parisville and St. Joseph Catholic Church of Rapson. She has been a parishioner at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Ubly since 1984. She was a member of St. Ann's Mother's Club of Rapson for 10 years and a member of St. Mary's Rosary Sodality of Parisville. She loved to work with her flowers, on the lawn and taking care of her home. Beatrice is survived by two sons, LaVerne Leppek and his wife, Marie, of Oxford, and Ron Leppek and his wife, Diane, of Bad Axe; 10 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren, three sisters-in-law, Selma, Marge and Gert Danielski; several nieces and nephews. Beatrice was preceded in death by three brothers, Clemens, Ernest, and Raymond Danielski; two sisters, Irene Trepkowski and Isabella Partaka; one brother- in-law, John Partaka. Funeral mass will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 13, 2003, at St. John Catholic Church of Ubly. The Most Rev. Roger Gries, O.S.B. Auxiliary Bishop of the Cleveland Dioceses, will officiate. Burial will be at the St. Mary Cemetery in Parisville. Visitation will be from 6:30 to 9:30 tonight and from 1 to 9:30 p.m. on Monday, and from 9 to 10 a.m. on Tuesday at the Zinger-Smigielski Funeral Home in Ubly. There will be a joint rosary at 8 tonight by the St. Mary's Rosary Sodality and St. Ann's Mother's Club of Rapson. There will be a parish vigil service at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. Both services will be at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Benedictine Monastery in Cleveland, Ohio. Kathryn Lesoski Kathryn L. Lesoski, 45, of Bay Port, went home to be with her Lord on Friday, May 9, 2003, at I.H.S. of Michigan at Riverbend in Grand Blanc from injuries she sustained in a automobile accident near Sebewaing nine weeks ago. She was born Sept. 28, 1957 in Petoskey, daughter of the late Howard F. and Geraldine (Leist) Thompson. She was united in marriage to Robert C. Lesoski on Feb. 14, 1984 in Bad Axe. Kathryn was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church in Caseville. She enjoyed knitting, sewing and aerobics and especially spending time with her family. Surviving besides her husband, Robert, are two daughters, three sons and their spouses; Tracey Carson and her husband, Dan, of Sebewaing, Jessica Beatty and her husband, Mel, of Jacksonville, Fla.; Matthew R., Steven M. and Joshua R. Lesoski, all at home; three grandchildren, Abigail, Jonah and Benjamin; one sister, Lillian Boesch and her husband, Leroy, of Sebewaing; five brothers, Lyle Thompson and his wife, Evelyn, of Tecumseh, Larry Thompson and his wife, Judy, of Vassar, Verlin Thompson and his wife, Dorothy, of Boyne City, Norman Thompson and his wife, Joyce, of Clarkston, Richard Thompson and his wife, Doris, of Wetumpka, Al.; several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 12, 2003, at the First Baptist Church, 1145 West Center Road, in Essexville. Rev. Mike Goforth will officiate with burial in the New Bay Port Cemetery. Visitation will be at the Dinkel-Juengel Funeral Home in Sebewaing from 1 to 9 p.m. today. She will lie in state at the church from 9 a.m. Monday until the service time. Sylvester Paionk Sylvester P. Paionk, 90, of Bad Axe, passed away Friday, May 9, 2003, at his home. Sylvester was born on Feb. 17, 1913 in Tyre to the late Anthony and Mary (Osentoski) Paionk. He never married. Sylvester attend Detroit area schools. He farmed in Sanilac County. He logged in the Upper Peninsula from 1930 to 1941. He served in the U.S. Army in WWII from 1941-1943. He was a fireman for Great Lakes Ships from 1948 to 1959. He then lived in the Detroit area until he moved to Huron County in 1979. He was a parishioner at St. John Catholic Church in Ubly since 1979. He was a life member of the Sandusky Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter No. 75. Sylvester is survived by several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Stella Micklash and Katherine Bukoski; one sister-in-law, Irene Paionk; four brothers, Frank, Joseph, Edward and Harry Paionk. Funeral mass will be at 10 a.m. on Monday, May, 12, 2003, at St. John Catholic Church of Ubly. Military honors will be provided by the Thumb Veterans Organizations. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. today at the Zinger-Smigielski Funeral Home of Ubly, and from 9 to 10 a.m. Monday at the church. Larry Shuff Larry W. Shuff passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2003. Funeral services for Larry were conducted on Saturday, May 10, 2003 at the Riverside Cemetery in Elkton. Friends may sign the guest book at www.CFCelkton.com. Richard VanValkenburgh Richard "Rick" Lee VanValkenburgh, 41, passed away Thursday evening, May 8, 2003, at University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor after a three-year battle with leukemia. He was born April 6, 1962 in Howell to Evelyn (Perkins) VanValkenburgh and the late James VanValkenburgh. Rick moved to the Pinnebog area with his parents when he was a child and went to school at Elkton-Pigeon-Bay-Port Lakers. He was united in marriage to Linda J. King in Bad Axe. He became a residential carpenter working with the family business, "VanValkenburgh Brothers," and also Goretski Builders in Port Austin, but was forced to retire recently for health reasons. Rick continued with his carpentry skills by building birdhouses and feeders, and other woodcrafts. He was an avid fisherman both on the water and the ice. He also enjoyed hunting deer and small game. Surviving are his wife, Linda; two sons, Brandon Sammarco of Warren, and Ray, who lives at home; his daughter, Crystal Sammarco of Bad Axe; two grandchildren, Dominick and Jasmine; his mother, Evelyn Morin, of Pinnebog; also surviving are nine brothers, Robert, of Pinnebog, Randy and his wife, Lori, of Port Austin, Tom and his wife, Carol, of Dectour, Texas, Ray and his wife, Dawn, of Elkton, Doug, of Filion, Steve, of Pinnebog, Mike and his wife, Tammy, of Deckerville, Jim, of Pinnebog, and John and his wife, Gina, of Caseville; six sisters, Judy Bannister and her husband, Lewis, of Snover, Bobbie Churchill and her husband, Skip, of Cass City, Laura Stauffer and her husband, Jim, of Pinnebog, Linda Wood and her husband, Ken, of Pigeon, Chris Swartzendruber and her husband, Marv, of Pigeon, Kathy Birchfield, of Elkton; two step-brothers, Jim and Ervin; a step-sister, Janet VanValkenburgh, all of Pigeon; and 58 nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 12, 2003, at the Champagne Funeral Chapel in Elkton. Burial will be in the Chandler Township Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2 to 9 p.m. today and from 10 a.m. until the service time on Monday. Friends may sign the guest book at www.CFCelkton.com Monday, May 12, 2003 – No obituaries reported Tuesday, May 13, 2003 Joseph Lewandowski Joseph Gary Lewandowski, 47, resident of Port Austin, died Sunday, May 11, 2003, in his home. He was born March 19, 1956 in Detroit to the late Joseph and Anne (Vyzamal) Lewandowski. He was a 1974 graduate of Port Austin High School. Joseph appreciated the outdoors and enjoyed gardening and chopping wood. He liked reading, cooking, visiting with family and friends, calligraphy, and guitar jam sessions with David. Joseph is survived by three sisters, Carol Wajnarowicz and her husband, Ardel, of Melvin, Denise Hagle and her husband, Harvey, of Kinde, Connie Shepherd and her husband, Ronald, of Warren; seven nieces and nephews, Anthony Wojnarowicz and his fiance', Gina, of Yale, Jamie Gutierrez and her husband, Eric, of Virginia Beach, Rebecca Smeckert and her husband, Alan, of Warren, Jeffry Wojnarowicz and his wife, Misty, of Lexington, Ronald Shepherd and his fiance', Tina, of Roseville, Justin "Juddy" Hagle, of Kinde, Alicia Shepherd, of Warren; and many great-nieces and great-nephews. He was preceded in death by a nephew, Douglas Hagle. There will be a memorial service at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2003, at MacAlpine Funeral Home in Gage Chapel in Kinde. Fr. John Weis will officiate. There will be a rosary service at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at 1 p.m. at the funeral home. Cremation has taken place. Cremation burial will take place at Port Austin Township Cemetery at a later date. Maxwell Ross Maxwell Lee Ross died on Feb. 1, 2003 in Florida. A graveside committal service will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, 2003, at Colfax Township Cemetery in Bad Axe by the Tom Shupe family, long-time friends. Following the service, friends and family are invited to share memories of Lee over refreshments at the Evangel Life Assembly of God Church, 1365 S. Van Dyke Rd., Bad Axe. Wednesday, May 14, 2003 Woodrow Armstrong Woodrow Gratton "Jake" Armstrong, 88, of Fort Myers, Fla., passed away Sunday, May 11, 2003. He was born on July 30, 1915 in Filion, son of the late Hebert and Evelyn (Gratton) Armstrong. He was united in marriage to Nellie Dunlop on Sept. 26, 1933. He worked at Murphy's Bakery and Brinker Lumber Company before beginning his own business in the retail lumber yards as Armstrong Lumber Company and Lincoln Lumber Yard in Minden City. After retiring, he lived in various areas of Florida and settled in Fort Myers. He is survived by his wife, Nellie, of Fort Myers; two sons, Donald Paul and his wife, Gloria, of Cape Coral, Fla., David and his wife, Janet, of Bad Axe; four grandchildren, Linda Severino and her husband, James, of Des Moines, Iowa, Sharon Armstrong, of Bad Axe, Mark Armstrong, of Bad Axe, and Dean Armstrong, of Bad Axe; two step-grandchildren, Mike Baker, of Cape Coral, Fla., Linda (Baker) Chumbler, of Harbor Springs; two nieces, Evelyn (McVety) Bronson, of California, and Rosemary (Ballagh) Hill, of Essexville. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Phyllis McVety and Lorene Ballagh; one infant brother, Leonard Armstrong; two brothers-in-law, George McVety and Morgan Ballagh. Cremation has taken place. Graveside services will take place at a later date. Hanlon Sears Hanlon Sears, 83, of Caseville, died on April 7, 2003. A memorial service will be conducted at noon on Saturday, May 17, 2003, at the Champagne Funeral Chapel in Caseville by Verona-Huron Lodge No. 365 F. and A.M. and the Caseville FOE Aerie No. 3690. Burial will be on Monday in Silver Lake Cemetery in Wolverine. Thursday, May 15, 2003 – No obituaries reported Friday, May 16, 2003 Beatrice Mitch Beatrice B. Mitch, 86, of Port Austin, died Wednesday, May 14, 2003, at Huron Medical Center in Bad Axe. She was born on Oct. 28, 1916 in Parisville, daughter of the late Anthony and Martha (Kowalski) Kucharczyk. She and Joseph Mitch were married Jan. 4, 1962 at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Port Austin. Bea moved to Port Austin with her husband, F. Clayton Minnick, in 1945 and ran the Lakeside Inn Hotel with the Minnick family. Clayton preceded her in death in 1950. She continued to operate the business and remarried Ted McMahon in 1952. They purchased Sam's Bar in 1953. Ted preceded her in death in 1959. Bea then married Joseph "Steamline" Mitch in 1962 and together they continued to operate Sam's Bar, which they renamed B-Line Bar, until 1981. Bea was a member of the American Legion Frank Horetski Post 499 Ladies Auxiliary, the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association, and of St. Michael's Catholic Church in Port Austin. She enjoyed playing the piano and the organ since she was a little girl. She also loved to dance, read and bake bread. Bea is survived by her husband, Joseph; two children, Thomas Minnick and his wife, Kris, and Carol Lee and her husband, Earl; five grandchildren, Robert Minnick, Joseph Minnick, Sheri Pelletier, Frank Jacobs and his wife, Patti, and Kelly Draper and her husband, Tony; five great- grandchildren, Geoffrey, Gregory and Elise Pelletier and Meagan and Tyler Draper; brother, Art Cook; sisters-in-law, Leone Todd and Gernith Janos; brothers-in-law, George, Steve, and Albert Mitch. Funeral mass will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 17, 2003, at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Port Austin. Officiating will be the Rev. Robert Pare'. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. There will be a parish rosary at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Knoblock Funeral Home in Kinde. Visitation will be conducted from 2 to 9 p.m. today, and from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at the Knoblock Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Port Austin Library and the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan Inc. Ernst Regentin Ernst Regentin, 51, of Port Austin, died Tuesday, May 13, 2003, at his home. He was born on Feb. 14, 1952 in Delaware Township, son of Pauline (Moeller) and the late Edward Regentin. He developed an early interest in electronics and gained an engineering degree from DEVRY University in Chicago. He found his chosen field interesting and challenging his entire life. He was a member of Emmaus Lutheran Church in Hudson. Ernie loved the outdoors. He enjoyed nature's parade across his farm near Port Austin. He is survived by his mother, Pauline, of Oregon; his brothers, Curtis and his wife, Jeanne, of Harbor Springs, Trilbus, of Kinde and California, Frederick and his wife, Marilyn, of New Jersey and Theodore and his wife, Pam, of Oregon. Funeral service will be on Saturday, May 17, 2003, at the Knoblock Funeral Home in Kinde. The Rev. Tobin Pederson will officiate. Burial will follow in Port Austin Township cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight and from noon until 1 p.m. on Saturday at the funeral home. Ella Ziel Ella Marie Barbara Ziel, 89, of Sebewaing, passed away Wednesday, May 14, 2003, at the Huron Medical Care Facility in Bad Axe following a lingering illness. She was born in Owendale on Oct. 4, 1913, the daughter of the late Daniel and Adeline (Schmidt) Albrecht, and graduated from Brookfield School No. 4. On Jan. 22, 1935, she was united in marriage to Rudolf Ziel at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Linkville. He preceded her in death on Feb. 23, 1973. Mrs. Ziel was a lifetime homemaker and farmed along with her husband. She enjoyed both vegetable and flower gardening as well as quilting, and made each of her children and grandchildren a quilt. She was an active member of St. John Lutheran Church in Kilmanagh, where she was a member of the Ladies Aid, Lutheran Child and Family Services, the Widows Club, the Bible Class, and the Lutheran Women Missionary League. She is survived by five daughters and one son, Shirley Deering and her husband, Harold, of Pigeon, Delores Smith and her husband, James, of Sebewaing, Robert Ziel and his wife, Lucille, of Sebewaing, Ellen Tolloff and her husband, John, of Reese, Janet Deering and his wife, Ralph, of Bay Port, and Ruth Brenner and her husband, Doug, of Sebewaing; 18 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Beatrice Ziel, of Port Austin, and Marion Jahr, of Sebewaing; sister-in-law, Neva Albrecht, of Owendale; several nieces and nephews; and many special friends. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Sharon, in 1947; and a son, Roger, in 1956; and a brother. The funeral service will be conducted at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 17, 2003, at St. John Lutheran Church in Kilmanagh, with the Rev. Lee Wenskay officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery in Sebewaing. A scripture service will be at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Meyersieck-Bussema Funeral Home in Pigeon with the Rev. Wenskay officiating. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home and from 9 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday at the church. Memorials may be made to the St. John Lutheran Church Building Fund or the charity of the donor's choice. 1