All Obituaries

AuTrain          Cynda “Cyndy” Brown, age 66, of AuTrain, died Saturday, January 18, 2020, at her home following an unexpected illness. She was born in Marquette on March 14, 1953, to the late Marvel and Louise (Hylo) Wing. Cyndy grew up in Christmas and graduated from Wm. G. Mather High School in Munising in 1971. She began employment at Kimberly-Clark on February 21, 1972, as an Accounting Clerk in the Financial Services Department. Cyndy progressed...

Rhoda Jean Wills, age 73, of Munising and formerly of Gwinn, died early Saturday morning, January 11, 2020 at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan following an unexpected illness.  She was born on December 25, 1946 in Danville, Illinois to John and Rosemary (Gunn) Cronk.  Rhoda moved to Superior, Wisconsin as a young girl and graduated from Central High School in 1965.  She then went to UW Stout and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education in 1969.  Rhoda...

Ronald Earl Fulcher, age 83, of Munising, died at the Jacobetti Home for Veterans on Saturday, January 4, 2020.  He was born on February 24, 1936 in Munising to Trueman “Doc” and Mary Louise (Chartier) Fulcher, the oldest of 11 children.  Ron was raised in Munising and graduated from Sacred Heart School and then attended Wm. G. Mather High School.  During his senior year, Ron left school and joined the U.S. Army.  He served from May 4, 1954 until May...

   Ruth M. Holmquist, age 96, of Rapid River, died on Friday afternoon, January 3, 2020 at the Pinecrest Medical Care Facility in Powers, Michigan. Ruth, the daughter of Victor and Hilja (Tuomi) Niemi, was born on October 17, 1923 in North Delta County at the home where she lived her entire life. She attended elementary school in North Delta and then graduated as valedictorian of the Rapid River High School Class of 1940. Ruth and her friends, Angela Bartol and Molly Oberstar,...

Munising             Walter H. “Vodge” Wapienik, age 91, of Munising, passed away on Thursday evening, January 2, 2020 at the D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans in Marquette.  He was born in Chicago on September 15, 1928 to John and Karolina Wapienik.  He graduated from Sacred Heart and then Wm. G. Mather High School in 1948.  Vodge proudly served his country during the Korean War from 1951 until 1953 in the...

Loyola Martha Masters passed into eternal life on Sunday, December 29th, 2019, in Butte, Montana.  She was 94.  Loyola was born on June 30th, 1925, to Valentine and Elizabeth Saam in Hastings, Minnesota.  She was baptized at Saint Boniface Catholic Church that summer. Much of Loyola’s childhood was living on a farm raising livestock and crops with her parents and 3 siblings.  Before starting high school, the family moved to Rochester, Minnesota.  At 14 she...

            Julia Carol Beatty, age 81, of Munising, died Saturday morning, December 28, 2019 at the Brookridge Heights Assisted Living and Memory Care Home in Marquette following a lengthy illness.  She was born on June 17, 1938 in Munising to Edwin and Pearl (Morgan) Severson.  Julia grew up in Munising and graduated from Wm. G. Mather High School in 1956.  She married her high school sweetheart, Joseph Russell Beatty,...

            William E. “Bill” Chatt, age 85, of Johnson Creek, Wisconsin and formerly of Munising, died Sunday, December 22, 2019 at the Wm. Middleton V.A. Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin following an unexpected illness.  He was born in Detroit, Michigan on February 17, 1934 to William and Nelda (Alban) Chatt.  Bill grew up in Centerline and at the age of seventeen, enlisted into the U.S. Air Force.  He served in Texas, Illinois, and...

Munising / Melstrand             Shirley Martindale, age 88, of Munising and formerly of Melstrand, died early Sunday morning, December 22, 2019 at Medilodge of Munising.  She was born on April 16, 1931 in Gaylord, Michigan to the late Edward and Lina (Frayley) Madox. Shirley married Everett Martindale on December 7, 1946 and together raised their two children in Melstrand.  She was a wonderful homemaker who made everything...

            Elizabeth “Betty” Rousseau, age 92, of Munising, died Saturday morning, December 21, 2019 at the Whispering Pines Adult Care Facility in Chatham.   She was born on February 14, 1927 in Royal Oak, Michigan to Raymond and Myrtle (Barteau) Marentette.  Betty graduated from St. James Parochial High School in Ferndale in 1945.  The family moved to the Upper Peninsula and Betty waitressed for her parents’ business, The...