HURON DAILY TRIBUNE Obituaries, 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. HURON DAILY TRIBUNE, Bad Axe, Huron County, Michigan Local Obituaries for the week of February 11, 2001 Monday, February 12, 2001 Orrin Wright Orrin Eldon Wright, 87, died Sunday, Feb. 11, 2001, in Alterra Facility in Grand Blanc. A funeral service will be conducted at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2001, at Kranz Funeral Home in Cass City with the Rev. Ellen Burns and Pastor John Heims of Argyle United Methodist Church officiating. Interment is in Elkland Township Cemetery in Cass City. Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. today and from 1 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday. Memorials may be made to Argyle United Methodist Church. Kranz Funeral Home in Cass City is handling the arrangements. Tuesday, February 13, 2001 Carl A. Forman Carl A. Forman, 57, of Caseville died Monday, Feb. 12, 2001, at home while under hospice care. He was born Dec. 4, 1943, in Bay Port at the home of his parents, the late Clarence and Zella (Minnick) Forman and moved to Caseville as an infant. On Feb. 8, 1964, he was united in marriage to Melva J. Nickerson at the Caseville United Methodist Church. Carl lived and worked in Caseville all his life. He was employed at Michigan Oven Company (MOC0) since 1962, retiring last year for health reasons. He enjoyed fishing, deer hunting and going to the casinos. He especially loved spending time with his family. Surviving are his wife, Melva; five children, Lorie Pennell and her husband, Kirk, of Rochester, Troy Forman and his wife, Lori, Tammy, Kyle and Chad Forman all of Caseville; five grandchildren, Carl, Miranda, Krissy, Izabelle and George; two sisters, Dawn Haag of Cass City and Myra Rathje and her husband, Mark, of Elkton; several nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death was his brother, Bill Forman. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, 2001, at the Champagne Funeral Chapel in Caseville. The Rev. Donald Cleaver, pastor of the Agape Christian Center will officiate with burial in the Caseville Township Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday and after 10 a.m. on Thursday. Memorials may be given to the family. William Gordon William Gordon, 60, resident of Verona Township died Monday morning, Feb. 12, 2001, following an extended illness. He was born Oct. 7, 1940, in Detroit to the late Vinton and Meryle (Gray) Gordon. Bill was a graduate of Bad Axe High School, class of 1958. On June 9, 1962, William Gordon and Judy Allen were untied in marriage. Bill served in the U.S. Army. He was a well-known rural mail carrier for 36 years and operated Poor Bill's Bee Farm for 20 years. Bill was a member and Senior Warden at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Bad Axe, the Verona-Huron Lodge #365, F&AM, and Verona School Board for more than 30 years. He also volunteered for the Toys for Tots program. Bill enjoyed beekeeping, fishing, hunting and bowling. Bill was an active blood donor and had donated a total of 89 pints of blood. He also supported the March of Dimes Walk-A-Thon. Surviving is his wife, Judy; three sons, Steve Gordon and his wife, Lisa, of Redford, Kirk Gordon of Ypsilanti and William "Billy" Gordon of Kalamazoo; two daughters, Lisa McKenzie and her husband, Hugh, of McKinney, Texas and Michelle "Mickey" Smalley and her husband, Mike, of Ubly; one brother, Arthur Gordon and his wife, Delores, of Brooklyn; one sister, Jeri Sharpe and her husband, Dennis, of Richmond; five grandchildren, Ryan McKenzie, Abby Gordon, Joe Gordon, Meghan Gordon and Madelyn Smalley; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2001, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Bad Axe, with the Rev. Elsa Pressentin officiating. Burial will be in Verona Cemetery. A Masonic service will be conducted at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001, by the Verona-Huron Lodge #365, F&AM. Visitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. today and 1 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday at the MacAlpine Funeral Home in Bad Axe and from 10 to 11 a.m. until the time of service on Thursday at the church. Memorials may be offered to St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 139 W. Huron Ave., Bad Axe, MI 48413. Wilbert Kramer Wilbert J. Kramer, 91, of Midland, formerly of Harbor Beach passed away Saturday, Feb. 10, 2001, in Alterra of Midland following a short illness. He was born in Sherman Township on Nov. 6, 1909, to the late John and Catherine (Siemen) Kramer. He and Clara Gentner were united in marriage on Nov. 16, 1938, in Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Ruth. Together they farmed in Sherman Township until their retirement. Clara preceded him in death on July 17, 1991. Wilbert was a member of Our Lady of Lake Huron Catholic Church in Harbor Beach and a former parishioner of St. Anthony's Church in Helena and he was a former Farm Bureau member. Surviving are his children: a daughter, Karen Cleary and her husband, Ralph, of Rochester Hills; a son, Gary Kramer and his wife, Ginny, of Mount Pleasant; two grandchildren, Brian Cleary and Denise Webber and her husband, Kevin; two sisters, Irma Groll of Littleton, Colo. and Margaret Pariseau of Plymouth. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Marcus, Norbert, Raymond and Frank Kramer and by three sisters, Mayme Mausolf, Leona Tschirhart and Cecelia O'Meara. A funeral mass will be at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001, at Our Lady of Lake Huron Catholic Church, Harbor Beach with Fr. Gerald Kukla officiating. Burial will be in the St. Anthony's Cemetery. A parish vigil service will be at 8 p.m. tonight in the Ramsey Funeral Home, Harbor Beach. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home and from 10 a.m. until the time of services on Wednesday at the church. Memorials may be given to Our Lady of Lake Huron or the local hospice. Dorothea Schuette Dorothea Sophia Schuette, 83, of Pigeon passed away Sunday, Feb. 11, 2001, at her home. She was born in Oliver Township on Oct. 26, 1916, daughter of the late August and Caroline (Boehner) Schuette. She graduated from Pigeon High School. From 1944- 1980, she worked at Parke-Davis in Detroit, and also taught Sunday School at Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Detroit. She was a member of Cross Lutheran Church in Pigeon and served on the Altar Guild. Dorothea loved to garden and care for her flowers and loved to travel. She is survived by her brother, Adolph Schuette and his wife, Gertrude, of Pigeon; two sisters-in-law, Ruth Schuette of Pigeon and Catharine Schuette of Pa.; eight nieces; Julie Geyer of Sterling Heights, Catharine Garcia of Ypsilanti, Miriam Belding of Norway, Margaret Schuette of Kalamazoo, Liz Tinker of Connecticut, Patricia Shaffer of Nashville, Tenn., Janice Schuette of Ann Arbor and Mary Caister of Grass Lake; three nephews, Kenneth Schuette of Pa., Herb Schuette of North Carolina and Paul Schuette of Pigeon. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Herta Frederick and Meta Schuette; and three brothers, Martin, Lawrence and Roland Schuette. The funeral service will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2001, at the Cross Lutheran Church in Pigeon with the Rev. Raymond E. Orth, pastor officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday and from 9 a.m. to noon at Meyersieck-Bussema Funeral Home. Also from 1 p.m. until the time of service at 2 p.m. on Thursday at Cross Lutheran Church. Memorials may be made to the Cross Lutheran Building Fund, Scheurer Hospital or United Hospice. Ray Zimmer Ray Joseph Zimmer, 84, died Thursday, Feb. 8, 2001, in Superior Township. He was born on March 25, 1916, in St. Clair to the late John and Teresa Zimmer. He was married first to the late Noreen Zimmer and then to Alice Zimmer. He graduated top of the class in New Baltimore. He worked at a bomber plant in Ypsilanti for two years before the World War II. In 1947, he went to work at Evans Products Co. in Plymouth. He retired in August 1977. Ray was a life member of VFW of Plymouth. Over the last 15 years, he enjoyed playing euchre two to three times a week where he met and fell in love with his second wife, Alice. It was his favorite card game with family members Joe McArdle and brothers Jack and Clarence Zimmer. He enjoyed playing cribbage with his son, John Zimmer, a master cribbage player. He is survived by two sons, David Zimmer and his wife, Sue, of Fenton and John J. Zimmer and his wife, Pamela, of Brighton; one step- daughter, Doris Rorabacher and her husband James, of Livonia; one sister, Violet Champagne of West Branch; one grandson, Sean Zimmer; two granddaughters, Brandy Harvey and Michelle Stone; two great-granddaughters, Breanna and Brittani Harvey; two great-grandsons, Dalton and Jeffrey Stone. He was preceded in death by two wives, Noreen Zimmer and Alice Zimmer; his father, John Zimmer and mother, Teresa Zimmer; one grandson, Tony Zimmer; one step-daughter, Elaine Schultz; and one step-son, Robert Moran. The funeral service was conducted at 11 a.m. yesterday, Feb. 12, 2001, at the Vermeulen Funeral Home in Plymouth. Memorials may be made to Angela Hospice, 14100 Newburg Road, Livonia, MI 48154-5010. Alice Marie Zimmer Alice Marie Zimmer, 86, of Plymouth Township died Friday, Feb. 9, 2001, of lung cancer. She was the wife of the late Ray Zimmer. Funeral service was conducted at 11 a.m. yesterday, Feb. 12, 2001, at the Vermeulen Funeral Home in Plymouth. Memorials may be made to Angela Hospice, 14100 Newburg Road, Livonia, MI 48154-5010. Wednesday, February 14, 2001 Jerome Leppek Jerome A. (Jerry) Leppek, 66, of Bay City passed away suddenly Monday morning, Feb. 12, 2001, at Bay Medical Center. He was born March 8, 1934, to the late Bernard and Elizabeth (Peruski) Leppek in Huron County. He married Mary Ellen Kosal on June 10, 1961. Jerome was an active member of St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church and its Ushers Club and Knights of Columbus St. Stephens Council No. 4102. He retired from Mistequay Group in Saginaw as a machinist. He was a loving, caring, special person to all of us and everyone he met. Jerome enjoyed carpentry, gardening and the outdoors with the love of watching birds. He will be sadly missed by his loving wife, children and grandchildren. He is survived by his beloved wife, Mary Ellen; five loving children, Judy Summers and her husband, Ed, of Auburn, Steven Leppek and his wife, Barb, Jeanette Rudy and her husband, Gary, Roger Leppek and his special friend, Sandy Sheridan, all of Bay City and Colleen Rosenbrock and her husband, Jeremy, of Midland; nine special grandchildren, Lindsey, Breanna and Nathan Summers, Stephen, Danelle and Michelle Leppek, and Kayla Matthew and Erica Rudy; two brothers and two sisters-in- law, Raymond Leppek and his wife, Shirley, of Bad Axe, and Paul Leppek and his wife, Bernice, of Coleman; one sister, Grace Richmond of Warren; and many other in-laws, nieces, nephews and special friends. The funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2001, at St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church in Bay City. Celebrant will be the Rev. Fr. Robert J. Meissner with the Rite of Committal following in St. Anthony's Catholic Cemetery in Fisherville. The Parish Vigil Service will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday followed by the Bible Presentation by the Knights of Columbus St. Stephens Council No. 4102 at Gephart Funeral Home, Inc., 201 W. Midland St., Bay City. Visitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, from 2 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home, and from 9 a.m. until the time of services Saturday at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to the family wishes. Stanley Homola Stanley Homola, 72, of Gagetown died Monday, Feb. 12, 2001, at Hills and Dales General Hospital in Cass City. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2001, at Kranz Funeral Home in Cass City with Dr. Philip Rice of Cass City United Methodist Church officiating. Interment is in Elkland Township Cemetery. Visitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the charity of the donor's choice. Thursday, February 15, 2001 Ida Geyer Ida L. Geyer, 89, of Palms passed away Wednesday morning, Feb. 14, 2001, in Mercy Hospital of Port Huron. She was born July 11, 1911, in Delaware Township to the late Otto and Linda (Gebhardt) Erdman. She married William H. Geyer on July 16, 1932, in Minden City. He preceded her in death on May 29, 1996. She attended Linwood Elementary School and was a parishioner of Trinity Lutheran Church in Forestville. She farmed all her life with her husband. She was a member of the Farm Bureau, like Tiger Baseball, watching game shows, playing cards and camping with her family. She is survived by two daughters: Marilyn Lautner and her husband, Robert, of Bad Axe, and Shirley Geiger and her husband, Gerald, of Palms; 11 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; 2 great great grandchildren; eight step-grandchildren, ten step-great grandchildren; one sister-in-law, Agnes Erdman of Sandusky. She was preceded in death by her husband, William; her son, Roger; two brothers, Arthur and Harold Erdman; one sister, Evelyn Klaus; one grandson, Timothy Hanselman; and one son-in-law, Melvin Hanselman. Funeral services for Ida Geyer will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2001, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Forestville. The Rev. Richard G. Wilson, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in the East Delaware Township Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday at the Smigielski Funeral Home on Cass Avenue in Minden City and from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday at the church. Elmer Kretzschmer Elmer C. Kretzschmer, 91, of Naperville, Ill., died Monday, Feb. 12, 2001, at Edward Hospital, Naperville, Ill. He was born on Sept. 9, 1909, in Pigeon to the late Herman and Catherine (Finkbeiner) Kretzschmer. Mr. Kretzschmer grew up in Pigeon. He graduated from Alma College with a degree in chemistry. He began his career with Jewel Tea Co., Detroit, and moved to Dow Chemical Co. in Detroit during World War II. After the war, Elmer was a salesman for Household Paper Products Co. in Detroit. During this time, he lived in Sycamore and Harvard, Ill., where he was active in community organizations such as the Lion's Club. Mr. Kretzschmer later bought Household Paper Co. and renamed it Key Products and managed it until age 75. He then retired to Bad Axe and remained active serving as an interim pastor for a Detroit Baptist Church which was being revitalized in the mid-1970s. He also enjoyed golfing, bowling and fishing. Mr. Kretzschmer then moved to Naperville in 1995 to live with his daughter, Karen. Mr. Kretzschmer is survived by a daughter, Karen Sutherland of Desert Hills, Ariz.; two grandchildren, Clayton Sutherland and his wife, Debbie, of Desert Hills, Ariz. and David Sutherland of Westford, Mass.; two great-grandchildren, Clayton and Courtney Sutherland of Desert Hills, Ariz. He was preceded in death by three wives, Maurine Belding Kretzschmer, Margaret Hereford Kretzschmer and Irene Davis Kretzschmer; his parents, Herman and Catherine (Finkbeiner) Kretzschmer; and four siblings, Doris Jensen, Walter, Raymond and Wesley Kretzschmer. A memorial service was conducted on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001, at Meadowbrook Manor of Naperville, Ill. A private interment was conducted at Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Harvard, Ill. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Mr. Kretzschmer's name may be made to F.I.S.H., c/o Harris Bank, 503 N. Washington St., Naperville, IL 60540. Arrangements were handled by the Friedrich Funeral Home. Friday, February 16, 2001 Arthur Duke Arthur Duke, 89, of Port Austin and formerly of Royal Oak and Spring Hill, Fla., died Thursday, Feb. 15, 2001, at his home following a long illness. He was born on Feb. 12, 1912, in Oakbrook, Ill., to the late Julios and Suzanne Wudzke. Mr. Duke retired in 1974 from Jamesburg Corp. of Worcester, Mass., as district sales manager for the state of Michigan. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen (Kay) Duke; his brother-in-law, Bert Kirby and his wife, Rita, of Port Austin; his sister-in-law, Lillian Kirby White of St. Petersburg Beach, Fla.; nine nieces and nephews; and 17 great-nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be conducted at 10 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 19, 2001, at the Knoblock Funeral Home in Kinde. The Rev. Kenneth Kirby, nephew, will officiate. Memorials can be made to Huron Memorial Hospice of Bad Axe. Berneice Kiehl Berneice B. Kiehl, 91, of Owendale passed away Thursday, Feb. 15, 2001, at her home. She was born in Pigeon on Jan. 24, 1910, to the late Edmund and Louise E. (Niebel) Pedler. On June 6, 1930, she was united in marriage to Morris Ricker in Owendale. He preceded her in death on Nov. 21, 1976. She was then married to John Kiehl in Bad Axe on Feb. 13, 1979. He passed away Feb. 14, 1992. Berneice worked in the automotive industries for many years, retiring at the age 65. She previously attended the Owendale United Methodist Church. She is survived by a daughter, Gail Anderson and her husband, Bruce, of Pigeon; a son, Robert Ricker and his wife, Katherine, of Owendale; two stepdaughters, Joann Roggenbuck and her husband, Herbert, and Mary Sageman and her husband, Joseph, of Bad Axe; six stepsons, William Kiehl and his wife, Sharon, Robert Kiehl and his wife, Jean, Daniel Kiehl and his wife, Marie, Richard Kiehl and his wife, Joyce, and Edward Kiehl and his wife, Mary, all of Bad Axe, and John Kiehl and his wife, Betty, of Caro; six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; five great-great grandchildren; several step-grandchildren, step-great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Elizabeth Anderson; a brother, Morris Pedler; and a sister, Jacqualine Artcliff. The funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, 2001, at the Caseville United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Michael Quayle, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Grant Township Cemetery. Visitation is from 1 to 9 p.m. today at Meyersieck-Bussema Funeral Home, A Golden Rule Funeral Home, in Pigeon and from 10 a.m. until the time of service at 11 a.m. Saturday at the church. Memorials may be made to the Easter Seal Society. Alice Stomack Alice J. Stomack, 75, of Minden City died Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001, in Autumnwood of Deckerville. She was born July 7, 1925, in Minden Township to the late Peter and Lucy (Maikrzek) Stomack. She was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church, Parisville. She is survived by two brothers, Clarence Stomack and Peter Stomack, both of Minden City; three sisters, Marie Zulka of Hamtramck, Theresa Bailey of St. Charles and Lucy Daykin of Midland; several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by one sister, Jo Ann Grates in 1979. Funeral mass will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, 2001, in St. Mary Catholic Church, Parisville. Fr. Charles Hammond will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery in the spring. Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Friday in the Apsey Funeral Home in Deckerville and from 10 a.m. until the time of services at 11 a.m. at church. Luann Baerwolf Luann Baerwolf, 45, of Sandusky died peacefully Thursday, Feb. 15, 2001, in her home. Services will be conducted at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2001, in Christ the King Lutheran Church in Kingston with Fred Mutart officiating. Interment will be in Watertown Cemetery. Visitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Kranz Funeral Home, Kingston, and from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the church. Memorials may be made to the Family Discretionary Fund. 1