HURON DAILY TRIBUNE, Bad Axe, Huron County, Michigan Local obituaries for the week beginning December 26, 2004 Contributed 2004 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 represent- ative 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, December 26, 2004 – No obituaries reported Monday, December 27, 2004 Roger K. Baerwolf Local businessman and radio station owner, Roger K. Baerwolf died unexpectedly Tuesday, December 23, 2004, of an apparent heart attack. Roger Keith Baerwolf was born July 4, 1939 in Sandusky, the son of Meldrum G. and Dorothy E. (Elsholz) Baerwolf. He grew up in Pigeon, where he graduated from Pigeon High School. He attended Central Michigan University. He served with the U.S. Army from 1963 to 1969. He was first married on June 18, 1967 to Judith Korthals and she preceded him in death. On June 12, 1988, he married Lynn Botimer and she survives. Roger was owner of Lake Michigan Broadcasting stations, WKLA, WMTE and Z95. He was active in the community, where he was past president of the Ludington Area Chamber of Commerce. He was on the board of the United Way, the Foundation Board of West Shore Community College and was instrumental in founding the Director's Circle at West Shore Community College. Through his business, he supported the Gus Macker Tournament and the Toys for Tots program. He was an avid golfer, belonging to Hemlock Golf Course and Manistee National Golf & Resort. He also loved to sail. Roger was proud of all his children and spent many enjoyable hours with his grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by his wife, Lynn; his children, Michael F. Baerwolf and his wife, Wendy, of Ludington, Michele L. Brown and her husband, Martin, of Battle Creek, Sarah M. Sosa and Justin D. Baerwolf, both of Ludington; one brother, Delton Baerwolf and his wife, Pat, of Detroit; and his five grandchildren, Megan, Cole, Morgan, Gavin, and Madison. The funeral for Roger K. Baerwolf will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, December 28, 2004, at Trinity Evangelical Free Church with the Rev. Kurt Trucksess officiating. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Dorrell Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be directed to a college fund at West Shore Community College for Roger's son, Justin. The Baerwolf family is being served by the Dorrell Funeral Home. Charles Frederick Clark Charles Frederick Clark, 77, of Harbor Beach, passed away on Tuesday, December 21, 2004, at his home with hospice and his family at his side. Born in Berlin Township of St. Clair County on December 24, 1926, he was the son of the late Ward and Esther (Smith) Clark. On July 28, 1965, Fred was united in marriage to Violet Brown in Capac. She preceded him in death on March 18, 2000. Fred was a reservist in the Army National Guard and a member of the Zion Lutheran Church in Harbor Beach. He was the former owner of the Wilson Hotel from 1965 to 1975, former owner of the Melody Lounge in Harbor Beach. He was a former employee of the National Twist Tool in Rochester, Bischer Farms and was a long time bus driver for the Harbor Beach Community Schools. Fred and Vi enjoyed traveling and were a member of the Good Sam Club. He also was an avid motorcycle fan, owning his own bikes and enjoyed his John Deer tractors and was a member of the Two Cycle Club. Surviving are his children, Cynthia Kluger and her husband, Frank, of Bad Axe, Dennis Clark and his wife, Kim, of Harbor Beach, Melody Clark, of Bad Axe, Larry Gottschalk and his wife, Nancy, of Gaylord, Dennis Gottschalk and his wife, Barb, of Capac, Dawn Wolschleger and her husband, Mark, of Harbor Beach, Cindy Schubring and her husband, James, of Milan; 15 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Esther Kegler, of Capac, and Doris (Al) Malin, of Marion. Fred was preceded in death by a sister, Eileen Nickolous. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, December 28, 2004, in Zion Lutheran Church, Harbor Beach, with the Rev. Mark Girardin, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the Rock Falls Cemetery. A scripture service will be at 7:30 p.m. today at the Ramsey Funeral Home, Harbor Beach, where visitation will be from 1 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. today. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of services on Tuesday at the church. Magdalain Mary Kranz Magdalain Mary Kranz, 93, of Colfax Township, passed away on Saturday, December 25, 2004, at her residence. She was born August 25, 1911 to the late Henry and Helen Messing in Helena. Magdalain Messing and George Kranz were united in marriage on June 13, 1932 at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Helena. George preceded her in death on June 22, 1986. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bad Axe. She was a member of the "50 and Over Club" at Sacred Heart. Magdalain farmed with her husband and lived on the farm in Colfax Township for 60 years. She loved playing cards, bingo, gardening, attending the meal site and visiting with her family and friends. She is survived by four sons, Wayne Kranz and his wife, Janet, of Bad Axe, Richard Kranz, of Jean, Nevada, Alvin Kranz and his special friend, Ann, of Aquanga, California, and Kenneth Kranz and his wife, Jean, of Bad Axe; two daughters, Rita Essenmacher, of Carsonville, and Marlene Smithers and her husband, Robert, of Bad Axe; 15 grandchildren, Valeria Kreher, Marilyn Kettenstock, Lonnie Kranz, Jessica Kranz, Nicki Kranz, Theresa Wright, Kris Kranz, Brenda Nelson, Denise Place, Amy Keillor, Keith Essenmacher, Lynnette Essenmacher, Lesa Ellicott, Dana Smithers, and Darren Smithers; 21 great-grandchildren, Brandon Kreher, Chandler Wright, Hazel Wright, Hanna Wright, Magdalain Kranz, Victor Kranz, Adam Nelson, Eric Nelson, Alex Nelson, Andrew Place, Sean Place, Emily Keillor, Erica Keillor, Lindsey Ellicott, Sarah Ellicott, Elizabeth Essenmacher, Jennifer Essenmacher, Jeremy Smithers, Kaitlyn Smithers, Nicholas Smithers, and Blake Smithers; two brothers, Andrew Messing, and Leonard Messing and his wife, Theresa, all of Bad Axe; two sisters, Dorothy Roggenbuck, of Helena, and Anna Essenmacher, of Bad Axe. She was preceded in death by one son, Donald Kranz; one son-in-law, Alvin Essenmacher; one granddaughter, Margie Essenmacher; four brothers, Leo Messing, Walter Messing, Arthur Messing and Laurence Messing; four sisters, Cora Clor, Helen Kirsh, Elenor Adler and Irene Samulski. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. on Thursday, December 30, 2004, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bad Axe. Fr. James Carlson will officiate. Burial will take place at St. Anthony's Cemetery, Helena. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday at MacAlpine Funeral Home, Bad Axe. There will be a parish scripture service at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, at the funeral home. Memorials may be offered to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bad Axe, St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Helena, or to the Family Discretionary Fund. George Edward Matelski George Edward Matelski, 61, of Hume Township, died Thursday, December 23, 2004, at Scheurer Hospital in Pigeon. He was born on December 28, 1942 in Kinde to the late Charley and Rose (Rice) Matelski. George Matelski and Venice Bolda were united in marriage on November 2, 1968. He was a member of St. Edward's Catholic Church, Kinde. He worked at Tower Automotive for 42 years. George enjoyed horses, the outdoors, gardening, playing cards and hunting. He especially enjoyed visiting with his family and friends. He is survived by his wife, Venice Matelski; one son, Greg Matelski and his wife, Rhonda, of Bad Axe; two daughters, Shelly Baranski and her husband, Fred, of Port Austin, Tammy Marentette and her special friend, Tom Morell, of Bad Axe; two brothers, Leonard Matelski and his wife, Marlene, of Kinde, Richard Matelski, of Kinde; eight sisters, Beatrice Dobson, of Bad Axe, Irene Strozeski, of Port Austin, Delores Matelski, of Kinde, Mary Matelski, of Kinde, Josephine Rheel, of Bad Axe, Rita Williams and her husband, Ervin, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Marge Harris and her husband, Fred, of Kinde, and Michalene Champagne and her husband, Gerald, of Bad Axe; five grandchildren, Amanda Matelski, of Bad Axe, Lauren Leonard, of Bad Axe, Justin Leonard and his wife, Jessica, of Berkley, California, Chaning and Casey Baranski, of Port Austin; one great-grandson, Joseph Forester Leonard; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a son, Jeffery Matelski; one grandchild, Bianca Matelski; three brothers-in-law, Joseph Dobson, Harry Strozeski and Martin Rheel. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 29, 2004, at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Kinde with Fr. Robert Pare officiating. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday and from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday at the MacAlpine Funeral Home-Gage Chapel, Kinde. Cremation will take place after the service and burial will be at a later date. A scripture service will be at 7 p.m. followed by a rosary prayer at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Memorials may be offered to St. Edward's Catholic Church, Kinde. Margaret Emma Nieschulz Margaret Emma Nieschulz, 80, of Pigeon, passed away on Christmas, Saturday, December 25, 2004, at Home Sweet Home Retirement Manor in Pigeon. She was born in Winsor Township near Kilmanagh on March 2, 1924, daughter of the late Otto and Elsa (Armbruster) Volz. She attended the St. John Lutheran School in Kilmanagh. On December 19, 1952, she was united in marriage to Emil Water Robert Nieschulz at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church parsonage in Berne. Mrs. Nieschulz retired as a head cook from the Pigeon Elementary School where she had worked for 22 years. She was a member and past president of the VFW Pigeon Post No. 2236 Auxiliary as well as a member of the Caseville Senior Citizens. She enjoyed painting birds which her husband Emil carved. She also enjoyed painting china. She loved to fish, especially for perch. She was a member of the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Berne. She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Emil Nieschulz, of Pigeon; two sons, Mark Nieschulz and his wife, Joyce, of Essexville, and Jim Nieschulz and his wife, Kay, of Pigeon; a daughter, Debra Bitzer and her husband, Kim, of Gagetown; 17 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; her twin sister, Marian Einhardt and her husband, Adolph, of Pigeon; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a son, Wayne Douglas, on December 7, 2002, and two brothers, Walter and Donald Volz. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, December 28, 2004, at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Berne, with Rev. James A. Gorsegner, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and from 10 a.m. until the time of service on Tuesday at the church. Memorials for Mrs. Nieschulz may be made to the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran School Scholarships. Roland "Slim" Thrushman Roland "Slim" Thrushman, 76, of Port Austin, died Friday, December 24, 2004, at the Huron County Medical Care Facility in Bad Axe. He was born October 18, 1928 to the late Barney and Lillian (Beggs) Thrushman near Huron City. He was united in marriage to Helen Stummer on February 5, 1955 at Olivet Presbyterian Church, Detroit. Mr. Thrushman was employed as a carpenter foreman for 35 years. He was a member of the Port Austin Conservation Club. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, cards, and gardening. Slim especially loved his family and life in general. He is survived by his wife, Helen Thrushman, of Port Austin; one son, Michael Thrushman and his wife, Mary, of Bad Axe; three daughters, Nancy Felts and her husband, George, of Ferndale, Kathy Klastorin and her husband, Bruce, of Ambler, Pennsylvania, and Susan Gauthier and her husband, Philip, of Togo, Minnesota; three brothers, Chuck Thrushman and his wife, Loretta, of Port Huron, Barney Thrushman and his wife, Gertrude, of Marysville, Leland Thrushman and his wife, Virginia, of Royal Oak; six sisters, Iva Maynard, of Harbor Beach, Violet Julka and her husband, Walt, of New Port Richey, Florida, Ann Schubring and her husband, Barney, of Port Hope, Clara Koglin and her husband, Frank, of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, Eleanor Nowiski and her husband, Erwin, of Bayonet Point, Florida, and Mary Ellen Odoerfer and her husband, Barney, of Macombe; one sister-in-law, Ilene Thrushman, of Grindstone City; seven grandchildren, Clayton Gauthier, Kyle Thrushman, Reed Thrushman, Kari Fabyan, Angela Fabyan, Chad Felts and Kristin Felts; one great-grandchild, Hannah Felts. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Glen Thrushman, and William Thrushman, and a sister, Pearl Thrushman. Services will be conducted at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, December 28, 2004, at the MacAlpine Funeral Home- Gage Chapel in Kinde. Officiating will be the Rev. Greg Eilers, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church, Port Hope. Visitation will be from 2 to 9 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. until the time of service on Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be at New River Cemetery, Port Austin. Memorials may be offered to Heartland Hospice of Bad Axe or the Huron County Medical Care Facility. Tuesday, December 28, 2004 Kenneth McGarvey Ligon II Surrounded by his family, Kenneth M. Ligon II, lovingly known as "Pa", passed away on Thursday, December 23, 2004. He was 71. Ken was born on August 29, 1933 in Detroit. He served in the USAF during the Korean War. While stationed in California, he met and married his sweetheart and lifelong companion, Theresa Von Fluee. They raised their family in Michigan for 17 years before moving to Vero Beach, Florida in 1974. Early on in his career, he worked for Ligon Brothers, a tool and dye plant. A fervent entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-found several manufacturing companies, including Bad Axe Products. These companies ultimately produced 100,000 seat belts per day for Ford and GM and were eventually acquired by Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. Later, he and his cousin, Bob Ligon, purchased Avion Coach Corporation, a manufacturer of luxury travel trailers. This company was sold to Fleetwood Enterprises. Ken was very proud of the fact that he had two businesses that were acquired by Fortune 500 companies. After several years of living in Vero Beach, his passion for business inspired him to enter the investment industry. He and fellow partner, Dr. Ron Jaffe, formed Professional Advisory Services Inc., which today is one of the largest independent investment advisers in Florida. Pa was a man of many talents but he will be remembered best for his charismatic nature, quick wit and ability to connect with people. An avid sportsman, he was a past member of the Indian River Club, Bent Pine, John's Island, The Moorings, Rio Mar Bay Yacht Club and Verona Hills. He loved to travel and throughout the years was able to explore every corner of the globe. His other passions included reading, boating and music but his greatest passion was always his family, especially his grandchildren. He is survived by Theresa, his wife of 48 years; four children, Laurie Grigley and her husband, Roland, and their children, Carol, Rebecca, Ashley, Erin, Laila, Mikenzie, and Jacob; Kenneth M. Ligon III and his son, Brian; Carol Bieber and her husband, Andy, and their children, Jessa, Drew, Jordan and Lauren; and Jennifer Ligon. He is also survived by four great-grandchildren, Chloe, Cassidy, Caden, and Masen and by his brother, Donald Ligon. He will be greatly missed by his extended family and many friends. Ken was preceded in death by his father, Kenneth M. Ligon, mother, Ellen Poyhonen Ligon; sister, Mary Ellen Galardi and infant brother, Gary. A funeral service will be conducted at 10 a.m. on Thursday, December 30, 2004, at The Community Church, 1901 23rd Street, Vero Beach, Florida. Interment will follow at Crestlawn Cemetery. A celebration of Pa's life will be conducted at the family home at 521 Bay Drive, Vero Beach, Florida, after the services. Donations in Ken's memory may be made to VNA Hospice Foundation, 1111 36th Street, Vero Beach, Florida 32960. Arrangements are under the direction of Strunk Funeral Home, Vero Beach, Florida. Wednesday, December 29, 2004 Yvonne Y. Wilson Yvonne Yolanda Wilson, 56, of Port Austin, passed away on Monday, December 27, 2004, at the Huron Medical Care Facility near Bad Axe. Born in Hawaii on August 31, 1948, she was the daughter of the late Damaso and Rosita (Langtad) Somera, and graduated from Kaui High School. On January 17, 1982, she and Charles Wilson were married in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Yvonne worked at the Bad Axe Wal-Mart for over 14 years. She enjoyed sailing and boating with her husband, Charlie, and they were members at the Huron Yacht Club in Caseville. She was dedicated to her family 100%, especially her grandchildren, and made each of them baby blankets and quilts. She also enjoyed collecting frog knickknacks. A celebration of Yvonne's life will take place at 4 p.m. on Sunday, January 2, 2005, at the Meyersieck-Bussema Funeral Home, Pigeon. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until the time of service on Sunday at the funeral home. Thursday, December 30, 2004 Jack Roncka Jack Roncka, 68, of Bad Axe, died Wednesday, December 29, 2004, at Saginaw St. Mary's Hospital after an eight month battle with cancer. He was born December 4, 1936 in Omaha, Nebraska, son of the late John and Eva (Casper) Roncka. Jack Roncka and Suzanne Cavanaugh were married October 31, 1963 in Detroit. Jack was a parishioner at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Bad Axe, an employee of Thumb Office Supply, a U.S. Navy veteran, and a member and past president of the Bad Axe Lions Club. He loved woodworking, cards, and spending time with his family. Surviving are his wife, Sue; two sons, John and his wife, Cori, of Grandville, and Mike and his wife, Melissa, of Chesterfield Township; two daughters, Kathy Szczesny and her husband, Steve, of Hudsonville, and Jean Gonsalves and her husband, J.J., of Valley Springs, California; 10 grandchildren, Alyssa, Danny, Lynn, Sam, Tylor, Haley, Jacob, Shawn, Sydney, and Paige; and two sisters, Jeanne Grier and her husband, Tom, of Carlsbad, California, and Judy Eisele and her husband, Bob, of Oceanside, California. At Jack's request, cremation has been conducted. Friends may visit with the family from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 1, 2005, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Bad Axe, where a Memorial Funeral Mass will be conducted at 11 a.m. The Rev. James Carlson, pastor, will officiate. Private cremation burial services will follow. Arrangements are being directed through the H. W. Weitenberner Funeral Home, Bad Axe. Memorials may be made to the Bad Axe Lions Club. Friday, December 31, 2004 – No obituaries reported 1