John S. Masson Jr., age 94 of Holly died March 19. Beloved husband of the late Mary; dear father of Diana (Charles) Curtis, John Masson, the late James Masson, Robert Masson, Karol (Bart) Wellnitz, and Karen (Robert) Zacharski; 19 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren. He was a loving father and was a war hero who served in the US Army during WWII. Services 1 PM Mon. Dryer Funeral Home, Holly. Interment Great Lakes National Cemetery, Holly. Visitation 2-9 PM Sat.
Lloyd L."Jim" Auten, age 90 of Holly died Mon. March 17, 2008 at home. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thurs. March 20, 2008 at the Dryer Funeral Home, Holly with Pastor Hal Phillips officiating. Burial will be in Lakeside Cemetery, Holly. Visitation will be from 2-9 P.M. Wednesday. Military honors will be under the auspices of Hulet-Bravender Post #5587 VFW and Amel Schwartz Post #149 American Legion. Mr. Auten was born in Fenton on Aug. 19, 1917. He was a veteran of WWII, serving in the US Army. He retired from GM Fisher Body after over 30 years of service. Surviving are his wife Vivian; 3 children, Darlene Ostrom of Holly, Darrel Auten of Nadeau Twp., and Dale (Janice) Auten of Holly; 7 grandchildren, Jim Ostrom of Fenton, Renee Ostrom of Holly, Bill Auten of Holly, Amy Mazurek of Fenton, Andrea Hilton of Ortonville, Katie Auten of Lapeer, and Cody Auten of Nadeau Twp.; and 5 great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Halsey United Methodist Church or Genesys Hospice.
Gilbert Allen Ruiz, age 44 of Waterford died Sun. March 2, 2008. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thurs. March 6, 2008 at the Dryer Funeral Home, Holly with Pastor Glen Siemer officiating. Military honors and burial will be at Great Lakes National Cemetery, Holly. Visitation will be from 2-9 PM Wednesday. Mr. Ruiz was born in Detroit on February 18, 1964 the son of Gilbert and Marie (O'Neill) Ruiz. He served in the US Navy during the Desert Strom and Persian Gulf conflicts. He was a member of the Lakecrest Baptist Church of Waterford. Surviving are his 3 children, Denina, Tiffani, and Andres; parents Gilbert and Marie Ruiz of Waterford; 2 brothers Michael Ruiz of Waterford and Christopher Ruiz of Rochester; and grandmother Sophie O'Neill of Davison. Memorial donations may be given to the family. www.dryerfuneralhome.com
Dawn Marie Cole, age 39 of Holly died Sun. Feb. 24, 2008 at home. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Fri., Feb. 29, 2008 at the Dryer Funeral Home, Holly with Pastor Ed Pedley officiating. Burial will be in Lakeside Cemetery, Holly. Visitation will be from 5-9 PM Wed and 2-5 and 7-9 PM Thurs. Dawn was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin on Oct. 15, 1968. She was a former employee of Wal-Mart of Grand Blanc. She was devoted to the cause of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer with the American Cancer Society. Surviving are her husband Chad; 4 children, Cassandra Majeskie of Holly, Brandon Cole of NC, Daniel Ward of Holly, and Justin Cole of Holly; parents Loran and Marilyn Lenhart of WI; step-father Don McIntire of WI; brothers and sisters, Janice Keesler of WI, Curtis Lenhart of OH, Paul Lenhart of WI, Mark Lenhart of NV, Daniel Lenhart of WI, Connie Downing of WI, Brian Lemoine of WI, and Michael Lemoine of WI; mother-in-law Reta (Michael) Plude of Holly and father-in-law James (Barbara) Cole of FL. She was preceded in death by her mother Lila. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or to her family for her children's education. .
Kenneth Virgil Keener, age 85 of Holly died Sun. Feb. 17, 2008. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thurs. Feb. 21, 2008 at the Dryer Funeral Home, Holly with Pastor Jim Combs officiating. Burial will be in Lakeside Cemetery, Holly. Military honors will be under the auspices of Hulet-Bravender Post #5587 VFW and Amel Schwartz Post #149 American Legion. Visitation will be from 2-9 P.M. Tues. and Wed. A Masonic Memorial service will be held at 7:00 P.M. Wed. Mr. Keener was born in Burton Twp. on Aug. 10, 1922 the son of Francis and Laverna (Kline) Keener. He was a veteran of WWII, serving in the Army Air Corp. He retired from the Automobile Club of Michigan in 1982. He was a member of Hulet-Bravender Post #5587 VFW, Amel Schwartz Post #149 American Legion, Holly Lodge #134 F&AM, the Bay City Consistory, and the Elf Khurafeh Shrine. He is survived by his wife Barbara; daughter Kim (John) Phillips of Holly; 4 grandchildren, Kenneth (Katie), Danielle (A.J.), Jeff (Loretta), and Tim (Janelle); 7 great-grandchildren, Braylen, Lance, Austin, Paige, Breanna, Luke, and Ainsley; 3 sisters, June Montgomery, Marian Freeman, and Elinor Hill; and sister-in-law Marilyn Keener. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Robert Keener. www.dryerfuneralhome.com
Harold E. Lutz, age 84 of Holly died Fri. Feb. 8, 2008. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, Feb. 11, 2008 at the Dryer Funeral Home, Holly with Pastor Timothy Evans officiating. Military honors and burial will be in Great Lakes National Cemetery, Holly. Visitation will be from 3-9 PM Sunday. Mr. Lutz was born in Holly on March 22, 1923 the son of Jacob and Pearl (Bernard) Lutz. He was a veteran of WWII, serving in the US Army in the European Theater as a Medic. He was a Carpentry Contractor for many years. He was a lifelong member of the Holly Seventh-Day Adventist Church and was a member of the OCR Club. He is survived by his wife Evelyn; 1 daughter Cheri (Kris) Lindsted of Cherry Valley, CA; 3 grandchildren, Kjeld (Ashley) Lindsted and Kjartran Lindsted both of Cherry Valley, and Kersti Lindsted of Denver, CO; 1 great-grandson, Jacob Aeden Lindsted and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his brother Delmar Lutz. Memorial donations may be made to the Adelphian Junior Academy.
Michael J. Zdanowicz, age 87 of Fenton died Tues. Feb. 5, 2008. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 A.M. Sat. Feb. 9, 2008 at St. John Catholic Church, Fenton with Father David Harvey, Celebrant. Burial and military honors will be at Lakeside Cemetery, Holly. Visitation will be from 2-9 PM Thurs. and Fri. and a Rosary will be prayed at 7PM Fri. at the Dryer Funeral Home, Holly. Mr. Zdanowicz was born in Detroit on Sept. 29, 1920 the son of Stefan and Wladylawa Zdanowicz. He was a veteran of WWII, serving in the US Army. He was retired from Chrysler and is one of 4 generations of his family in skilled trades during the Post 100 years. He was a member of St. John Catholic Church and a member of American Legion Post #225. Surviving are his wife Donna; 7 children, Nancy (Tom) Hirsch of AZ, Steve Zdanowicz of Midland, Russ (Susan) Stidham of Fenton, Charles Stidham of Fenton, Jim (Kellie) Stidham of KY, Thomas (Rachel) Zdanowicz of Lake Fenton, and Michele (Paul) Morrow of Linden; 17 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; sister Helen Rivas of Southgate; sister-in-law Betty Zdanowicz; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his first wife Jeannie; sons David and Steve Stidham; brother Henry Zdanowicz; and many Zdanowicz cousins. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Charles M. (Chuck) Downing, age 78, died following a long illness on Feb. 1, 2008 in McLean, Virginia. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Sun. Feb. 10, 2008 at the Dryer Funeral Home, Holly. Burial will be in Rose Center Cemetery. Visitation will be from 11 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. before the service Sunday. Mr. Downing was a 1947 graduate of Holly High School. He served in the US Navy and he received an Engineering Degree from Michigan State University. He then became a world traveler as Chief Engineer for the United Nations Food & Agricultural Organization and as a World Bank Representative to the Far East and Central and South America. He and his wife of 55 years, Laura (Berg) Downing and his family lived in South America, Africa, and Italy. He is survived by his wife Laura; three children, Tina (Norman) Wilson of Elgin, TX, Reina Downing of Great Falls, Virginia, and Brant Downing of Raleigh, North Carolina; four grandchildren, Steve and Dan Wilson of Elgin, Texas, and Elias and Preston Downing of VanBuren Twp., Michigan; brother George L. (Mary) Downing of Holly, Michigan and sister Kathleen (Robert) Horton of Fenton, Michigan.
Shirley K. Erickson, age 82 formerly of Holly died Mon. Jan. 28, 2008 at West Hickory Haven.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Sun. Feb. 3, 2008 at the Dryer Funeral Home, Holly. Private burial will be in Beebe Cemetery, Holly. Visitation will be from 5-8 Sat. Mrs. Erickson was born in Calumet on Dec. 4, 1925 the daughter of John and Emma (Soronen) Lampela. Surviving are her son Dan Erickson, daughter Connie (Robert) Owen; grandchildren Jessica, Joseph, Jeremy, Joshua; great-grandchildren Sarah, Hannah, J. D.; sisters Lila Liimatta, Rita Tervo, Leona Ryynanen and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Ronald Erickson. Memorial donations may be made to the Commerce United Methodist Church, Childrens Ministry at 1155 N. Commerce Rd. Commerce Twp., MI 48382
Elizabeth M. Langley, age 81 formerly of Holly died Sat. Jan. 19, 2008 at West Hickory Haven. A Memorial service will be held at a later date. Mrs. Langley was born in Clarkston on June 19, 1926. She was a bookkeeper with Holly Schools for 30 years. She is survived by 3 sons Michael Langley of Dallas, TX, Richard (Michelle) Langley of Holly, and Robert (Pam) Langley of Highland; 4 grandchildren, William, Richard Jr., Katherine, and Autumn; 1 great-great-grandson, Richard III; 2 sisters Sarah and Mary; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Hoyt Langley. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
