Denise A. LaCombe

Denise A. LaCombe, age 78, of Munising, died peacefully in her sleep at her home on Friday, December 26, 2025. She was born on February 14, 1947 in Marquette, Michigan to the late James and Patricia (Moore) LaCombe. Denise grew up in Munising and graduated from Wm. G. Mather High School in 1965. She married Gerald “Jerry” Micolichek in 1967 and together they had two children. Denise raised her family in Green Bay before moving to Door County. She was a great cook and never needed a recipe. She worked as a bartender and server at the “Little Brown Jug” in Little Sturgeon where she was known to many as “Stella”. Denise moved back to her hometown of Munising in 1997 and continued to work as a bartender and waitress at Sydney’s Shark Bay Bar. Whether you knew her as Denise, Neeser, or Stella, it didn’t matter because you knew her as the light of the party. She could make a room shine with kindness, caring, and that infectious laugh. Since she moved to the Lake Shore Manor, she gave a piece of her heart to many of her neighbors, along with love, support and friendship to anyone who needed her. Denise loved all kinds of music, whether she was singing folk songs about Lake Superior with the Grand Island Shanty Club or rocking out to a metal band at a festival in her 70’s the music moved her.

Denise is survived by her children – Pete (Deb) Micolichek of Fond du Lac, WI and Amy (John) Munn of Walnut Cove, NC; grandchildren – Alex, Craig, and Dallas Micolichek; great-grandson – Deklin; siblings – Peter (Irma) LaCombe, Greg LaCombe, Shelly (Joe) Benson, and Noel LaCombe; sisters-in-law – Patsy LaCombe and Barb LaCombe; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents – James and Patricia; and siblings – Mark LaCombe and Andrea Jensen.

A celebration of Denise’s life will be held at a later date.