Albert Edward Horn 4/27/2002
Interment will be Monday at 4 p.m. in the Leelanau Township Cemetery for Traverse City resident Albert Edward Horn, who died April 27 at Southridge Assisted Living. He was 86.
Mr. Horn was born on May 25, 1913, in Gills Pier, the son of Fredrick and Alma Margaret (Homlestad) Horn. In 1945 in Lake Leelanau, he married Odile Plamondon, who preceded him in death in 1991.
Mr. Horn took over the family farm at the age of 22 following his father’s death, helping his mother who was still caring for three minor children. He continued working the farm until his retirement, after which he moved to Northport. He was a lifelong member of Bethany Lutheran Church. He moved to Traverse City last July.
Surviving are a daughter, Kathleen McGowan of Independence, Mo.; sisters Nattie Horn of Traverse City and Alfreda Horn LaCross of Lake Leelanau; brothers Orville (Beatrice) Horn of Traverse City and Fredrick Gilbert Horn of Grand Rapids; two grandsons; and one great granddaughter. He was also preceded in death by four brothers, Melvin, Walter, William and Carl.
Funeral services were conducted Tuesday at Bethany Lutheran Church. Memorials may be made to the church or to Grand Traverse Area Hospice.
Jeannette G. Bannon 5/19/2002
Funeral services have been conducted at Pine Grove Church of God for Traverse City resident Jeannette Georgia Bannon, who died April 19 at her Traverse City home.
Mrs. Bannon was born in Suttons Bay, the daughter of Fred R. and Mildred E. (Hartman) Thoreson. On May 19, 1938, in Traverse City, she married C. Dale Bannon, who preceded her in death on April 12, 1964.
Mrs. Bannon worked for Standard Oil Company in Ludington and for Milliken’s Department Store starting in 1964. She was skilled in knitting and crocheting, and donated hundreds of afghans to local nursing homes. She was a member of RSVP of Traverse City, the Traverse City Senior Center Kitchen Band, and Pine Grove Church of God.
Surviving are four children, C. Dale (Marilyn) Bannon of Ludington, Elizabeth (Eb) Aldridge, Patricia Bannon and Sandra (Thom) Wressell, all of Traverse City; a stepdaughter, Elda (Robert) Soneral of Cadillac; six grandchildren; and one great-grandson. She was also preceded in death by her brother, Arthur Thoreson; sister, Alice Thoreson Riskey; and a grandson.
Memorials may be made to Pine Grove Church of God, Traverse City Senior Center or a charity of one’s choice.
Floyd Donald Skinner 11/28/2002
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. May 11 at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church for Glen Arbor summer resident Floyd Donald Skinner, who died Nov. 28 at his vacation residence in Gulf Shores, Ala. He was 83.
Mr. Skinner was born in Detroit on July 15, 1918, the son of Ada (Bellamy) and Earl Skinner. Surviving is his wife of 58 years, Hope.
Mr. Skinner graduated with an MBA from the University of Michigan, and was a Navy officer aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise during World War II. He pursued an accounting career in private and public sectors.
Mrs. Skinner was a member of Lions and Elks clubs, and volunteered at the Pensacola Naval Museum lecturing about the Enterprise and World War II. An avid reader, he loved his family dearly and was a member of St. Phillip Neri Parish.
Also surviving are three daughters, Nadine (Terry) Byrne, Karen (Gene) Szukalski and Denise Doherty; a son, James; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a brother, Jerry.
Janice L. Koetje 4/6/2002
Janice L. Koetje died April 6 in Kalamazoo. She was 79.
Mrs. Koetje was born on Sept. 9, 1922 in Kalamazoo, the daughter of Orville Sr. and Muriel (Smith) Shetterly. She worked for 11 years at Western Michigan University, and was a frequent visitor to her daughter’s home in Leelanau County.
Preceding her in death was her first husband, Robert R. Mursch Sr. in 1963. On June 10, 1983, she married Ronald J. Koetje, who survives. Also surviving are four children, Robert R. (Ausma) Murch Jr. of Mineola, N.Y., Marsha (Jonathon) Mursch Nardone of Plymouth and formerly of Lake Leelanau, David (Kay) Mursch of Richland and John B. (Cindi) Mursch of Delton; three grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
Julian A. Reicha 4/22/2002
A funeral Mass was held yesterday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church for Lake Leelanau resident Julian A. Reicha, who died April 22 at Munson Medical Center. He was 91.
Mr. Reicha was born in Gills Pier on Oct. 18, 1910, the son of Julius and Christina (Schaub) Reicha. On May 11, 1946, at St. Mary’s, he married Dorothy Schaub, who survives.
Mr. Reicha served in the Red Arrow Division of the Army during World War II, and received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with one leaf. He worked for more than 30 years as a millwright at Union Camp Paper Co. in Monroe. He was an avid gardener and tinker.
Also surviving are five children, Diane (Miko) Gyarmati, Ronnie (Sandy) Reicha, Walter Reicha, Arlene VanWagner and Janice (Robert) Wark; a sister, Geraldine Korson; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Arthur, Otto, Joseph and Anthony; and five sisters, Viola, Lorretta, Florence, Irene and Emily.
Burial was at St. Mary’s Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to St. Mary’s School or to Mass intentions.
Donald W. Miller 4/18/2002
A funeral Mass was celebrated Saturday at St. Michael’s Catholic Church for Northport resident Donald W. Miller, who died April 18 at Leelanau Memorial Care Center. He was 78.
Mr. Miller was born in Detroit on Sept. 20, 1923, the son of Rudolph W. and Mary Catherine (Bielawski) Miller. On Aug. 21, 1948, he married Phyllis Jean Holmes, who preceded him in death on March 25, 1976. On July 29, 1978 in Royal Oak, he married Hildegard Shader, who survives.
Mr. Miller was a 1941 graduate of Melvindale High School, and received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Detroit. He served as a technical sergeant in the Army with the 478th Military Police Criminal Investigation Detachment, and walked across Europe during World War II.
He retired from Mobil Oil Company in 1980, becoming a winter resident of Sebring, Fla., and a summer resident of Suttons Bay. He was a parishioner at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, a member of the Knights of Columbus in Lincoln Park and an avid golfer.
Also surviving are his children, Linda (Joel) Engel of Muskegon, Barbara Duvall of Lake Leelanau, Thomas (Jan) Miller of Grand Haven and Brian (Kay) Miller of Hudsonville; stepchildren Dr. Jack (Judy) Shader of Clarkston and Lori (Ronan) Shader-Patterson of East Lansing; sisters Helen Glinski of Palmetto, Fla. and Dorothy Gurgul of Bradenton, Fla.; brothers Gerald (Corky) Miller of Wixom and Bernard (Valerie) Miller of Livonia; and 14 grandchildren.
Burial was Monday in Memorial Park in Flat Rock. Memorials may be directed to Leelanau Memorial Care Center of ShareCare of Leelanau County.
Charlotte Marie Gossett 4/16/2002
Funeral services were held Friday at Merritt Butterfield United Methodist Church for Charlotte Marie Gossett, who died April 16 at her Suttons Bay home. She was 69.
Mrs. Gossett was born in Northport on May 10, 1932, the daughter of Mitchell and Susan (Agosa Hall) Paul. She married Melvin Gerald Gossett Sr., who preceded her in death in 1991.
Mrs. Gossett was a member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. She enjoyed classes making bead and leather crafts with her Elders, gardening, raising roses, and country and gospel music. She loved her grandchildren and family very much.
Surviving are her son, Mel (Donna) Gossett of McBain; four daughters, Carolyn (Vince) Fochtman of Northport, Mary (Ron) Watson of Lake City, Paula (Michael) Williams of Cadillac and Peggy Sue Gossett of Northport; a brother, Jerome P. Hall of Cadillac; two sisters, Pauline Robinson of Suttons Bay and Julia S. Hall of Rapid City; 13 grandchildren; and two great grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were two sisters, Margaret Grose and Dorothy Anewieski; and a daughter, June Smith.
Burial was in Star City Cemetery in West Branch Township.
Theresa Marie Dudley 4/17/2002
Funeral services were held Monday for Theresa Marie Dudley, who died April 17 at her home at Perrins Landing, Solon Township. She was 42.
Mrs. Dudley was born in Detroit on March 7, 1960, the daughter of Myatt and Dorothy (Avery) Dudley.
Surviving are her mother; a son, Jeremiah; a brother, Roger (Denise) Dudley; and two sisters, Cheryl (James) Bastick and Mary (Joe) Francis. She was preceded in death by her father.
Memorials may be directed to the Women’s Resource Center.
George Witkowski 4/14/2002
A memorial Mass will be held Friday at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Plymouth for George Witkowski, who died April 14 at his Bingham Township home. He was 80.
Mr. Witkowski was born in Detroit on Aug. 30, 1921, the son of Frank and Valentina (Bugalska) Witkowski. On Dec. 31, 1944, in Detroit, he married Helen T. Hodorek, who preceded him in death on Oct. 31, 2001.
Mr. Witkowski received his associate’s degree from Wayne County Community College, and served as a medical corpsman with the Navy. He owned and operated the Plymouth Dental Lab from 1946-62. He served on the Wayne County Board of Supervisors, and was a cottage supervisor at the Wayne County Child Development Center. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, former parishioner of Our Lady of Good Counsel of Plymouth, and was a parishioner of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Traverse City.
The Witkowskis have been residents of the Traverse City area since 1989. Mr. Witkowski enjoyed woodworking, gardening and dancing with his wife.
Surviving are a son, George Witkowski II of Bingham Township; a daughter-in-law, Roxanne Vanderveer of Traverse City; two sisters, Dolores (Harold) Michnal of Livonia and Virginia Peters of South Lyon. He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Mitchell, Alfred “Hank,” Edward and Casimer.
Cremation has taken place. A wake will immediately follow the service. Memorials may be directed to the George Witkowski Memorial Fund in care of his son.
