JOHN D. VAN HEMEL
Services for John Van Hemel, 72, of Plymouth will be held June 24 at the chapel of L.J. Griffin Funeral Home.
Mr. Van Hemel was born Feb. 22, 1930 in Detroit and died June 20 at Heartland Nursing Home in Ann Arbor. He worked for AT&T.
Survivors include wife, Rose (Mirolla); son, David (Marie); son, Donald (Debra); daughter, Jean (Andrew) Bliscik; daughter, Janet (Chris) Steinle; step-children, Mark Morin and Cheryl (Jerry) Fuhr; and four grandchildren.
Arrangements made by L.J. Griffin Funeral Home.
ALEKSANDER POUCH
Services for Aleksander Pouch, 75, of Canton Township will be held June 24 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church with the Rev. Andy Webster officiating.
Mr. Pouch was born May 1, 1926 in Polesie, Poland and died June 20 in Plymouth. He was a retired tool maker from Detroit Diesel. He came to the Canton community in 1977 from Detroit. He was a member of St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Canton. He loved working with furniture, was very dedicated to his job and was a loving husband, father and brother.
He was preceded in death by his son, Richard Pouch.
Survivors include wife, Krystyna Pouch of Canton; son, John Pouch of Twinsburg, Ohio; sisters, Eugene of White Russia and Antosia of Poland; and brother, Gregorz of Poland.
Arrangements made by Schrader-Howell Funeral Home.
RITA THERESA ZAMESNIK
Services for Rita Zamesnik, 78, of Canton were held June 15 at St. Thomas a'Becket Catholic Church with burial at Knollwood Cemetery in Canton.
Mrs. Zamesnik was born Dec. 29, 1923 in Medford, Wis. and died June 8 in Ann Arbor. She was a retired registered nurse at St. Mary's Hospital in Livonia. She previously had worked at Providence Hospital. She was a graduate of Providence Hospital School of Nursing in 1946. She loved painting, knitting and cooking. She was a member of the Nurse's Alumni Association.
Her husband of 55 years, Norman Charles Zamesnik, died June 15.
Survivors include sons, James Norman Zamesnik and Michael Eugene Zamesnik; daughter Carolyn Marie Krushinski; brother, Milo Paquet; sister, Cora Hazell; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Arrangements made by McCabe Funeral Home Canton Chapel.
NORMAN CHARLES ZAMESNIK
Services for Norman Zamesnik, 82, of Canton were held June 19 at St. Thomas a'Becket Catholic Church with burial at Knollwood Cemetery in Canton.
Mr. Zamesnik was born May 11, 1920 in Detroit and died June 15 in Ann Arbor. He was a retired Ford Motor Company executive in Dearborn. He previously had worked for Ternstedt Company, Nash-Kelvinator, and Strathmoor Company. He was a graduate of St. Theresa's High School. He loved travel, bowling, baseball and snorkeling. He was a member of the American Legion. He served with the 506th Fighter Group in Iwo Jima during World War II. He was a member of the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1941-1945.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Rita Zamesnik.
Survivors include son, James Norman Zamesnik and Michael Eugene Zamesnik; daughter, Carolyn Marie Krushinski; brother, Michael Zamesnik; sisters, Cora Hazell and Trudy Rimer; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Arrangements made by McCabe Funeral Home Canton Chapel.
KEVIN ALAN JOHNSON
Services for Kevin Johnson, 48, of Plymouth were held June 18 at Ward Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Paul Clough officiating. Burial was at Parkview Memorial Cemetery in Livonia.
Mr. Johnson was born Sept. 22, 1953 in Highland Park and died June 13 in Ann Arbor. He was an operating engineer for Edward C. Levy Company in Riverview. He came to the Howell community in 1978 from Livonia. He moved to Plymouth from Howell in 1999. He was a member of the I.U.O.E. Local No. 324. He also was a member of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles. He had an excellent work ethic and lived for his family. He loved to work with remote-controlled airplanes.
Survivors include daughters, Sherise Lynn Johnson of Howell and Ashley Lauren Johnson of Howell; parents; George and Marcia Kokones of Plymouth; brothers, Gary R. (Kathy) Johnson of Howell, Darrell D. (Donna) Johnson of Berkley, and Nicholas Kokones of California; nieces, Jacobi A. Johnson, Autumn M. Johnson and Stacey (Richard) Griffin; and great-nephew, James R. Griffin.
Memorial contributions may be made to Ward Presbyterian Church or St. Andrew's Episcopal Church.
Arrangements made by Schrader-Howell Funeral Home.
JAMES A. MILLS
Services for James Mills, 71, of Canton were held June 17 at Vermeulen Funeral Home with the Rev. David Bevington officiating. Burial was at Michigan Memorial Park in Brownstown Township.
Mr. Mills was born April 17, 1931 in Walker County, Ala., and died June 13 in Canton. He was a press operator for Chrysler Corporation.
Survivors include son, James A. (Silvia) Mills, Jr. of Fayetteville, N.C.; daughter, Teresa Richardson of Canton; daughter, Cheryl L. (Jack) York of Hartland; son, Stephen "Mike" (Lisa) Mills of Howell; son, Kerry V. (Amy) Mills of Canton; daughter, Beverly A. (Marvin) Brafford of Whitmore Lake; brother, Paul Mills of Plymouth; brothers James Oliver Mills of Romulus and Robert Mills of Aurora, Colo.; sisters, Nellie Jo Mills-Hadder, Betty Jo Wright and Carolyn Wells, all of Alabama; and 20 grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Angela Hospice, 14100 Newburg Road, Livonia, MI 48154-5010.
Arrangements made by Vermeulen Funeral Home.
KATHLEEN B. GELARDI
Services for Kathleen Gelardi, 54, of Canton were held June 19 at Northville Christian Assembly with the Rev. Otis T. Buchan officiating. Burial was at Glen Eden Memorial Park in Livonia.
Mrs. Gelardi was born Dec. 30, 1947 in Detroit and died June 15 at Angela Hospice. She was an insurance executive. She was a member of Northville Christian Assembly.
Survivors include daughter, Tina Gelardi of Canton; mother, Theresa Baltes; brothers, John (Sunny) Baltes of Howell, David (Joan) Baltes of Orlando, Fla., Larry (Pearl) Baltes of Milford; sisters, Nancy (Ray) Tyler of Tenn., Terri Bates of East Tawas, Ruth Gelardi of Farmington Hills, Linda (Steve) Smith of Ann Arbor, Bette Sue (Bob) MacIsaac of Northville, Robin Ballard; and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to Northville Christian Assembly-Mission c/o Northville Christian Assembly, 41355 W. Six Mile Road, Northville, MI 48187.
Arrangements made by Vermeulen Funeral Home.
PAULINE PARDY
Services for Pauline Pardy, 93, of Westland will be held June 21, 2002 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church with the Rev. George Charnley officiating.
Mrs. Pardy was born Dec. 22, 1908 in Malta and died June 18 at the Westland Convelescent Home. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include children, Carrie (John) Saliba, Frank (Joann), Grace (Harry) Bugeja, Sylvia (Anthony) Saliba, and Mary (Michael) Simone; 18 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; sister, Maria Daria; and brother Sam Pace.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Capuchins or the Alzheimers Association.
Arrangements made by the Neely-Turowski Funeral Home Canton Chapel.
EDNA M. EASTMAN
Services for Edna Eastman, 61, of Romulus were held June 15 at Timothy Lutheran Church.
Mrs. Eastman was born July 13, 1940 in Ferndale and died June 10. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include husband, Kenneth M. Eastman of Romulus; daughter, Beth Tumminello of Canton; son, James (Sheryl) Eastman of Milan; daughter, Catherine (Richard) Montour of Howell; and daughter, Karon (James) Finch of Romulus.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Michigan Metro Girl Scouts.
Arrangements made by Vermeulen Funeral Home.
ELIZABETH KRAUSE
Services for Elizabeth Krause, 79, of Plymouth Township were held June 14 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church with the Rev. Andy Webster officiating. Burial was at United Memorial Garden in Plymouth.
Mrs. Krause was born Nov. 19, 1922 in Germany and died June 11 at home. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include children, Theodora and Arno (Catherine); grandchildren, Amanda and Katelynn; and siblings, Ria, Erna, Louise, and Herbert.
Arrangements made by Neely-Turowski Funeral Home in Canton.
VIRGINIA JUSTINE ERICSON
Services for Virginia Ericson, 81, of Canton were held June 14 at Resurrection Catholic Church with the Rev. Richard A. Perfetto officiating. Burial was at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield.
Mrs. Ericson was born Jan. 6, 1921 in Detroit and died June 10 in Canton. She was a homemaker.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John Ericson.
Survivors include son, Dennis J. (Lynda) Ericson of Canton; grandsons, John (Kari) Ericson of Livonia and Craig Ericson of Chicago; granddaughter, Kelly (Craig) Hoffman of Rockford; and great-grandchildren, Chelsea, Madison, Grant, Cady Lynne, and Aidan.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association of Michigan, 26555 Evergreen, Ste. 375, Southfield, MI. 48076.
Arrangements made by Vermeulen Funeral Home.
JAN WOJTYS
Services for Jan Wojtys, 82, of Plymouth were held privately June 14 at Riverside Cemetery.
Mr. Wojtys was born Dec. 1, 1919 in Poland and died June 12 in Plymouth. He worked as a baker for the Hostess Bakery and retired in 1984. He served in World War II in the Polish Army. They joined forces with the English Command and he served in the Military Police. He and wife, Anna, came to the U.S. in 1952 and settled in Detroit and moved to Plymouth in 1988. He has been a resident at West Trail Nursing Home for three years.
Says his daughter, Diane, "Dad was the kind of person who would work a 10-hr. shift and then come home and work on one of our cars so we could get to school or work. He was a good provider with simple needs and a sense of humor. One of his mottos was 'this is my castle' when referring to our home., He will live forever in our hearts. He was husband to our mother, our father and grandfather, and we will love him always."
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Anna of Plymouth; daughters, Diane Delaney of Plymouth and Jeannette (Burton) Scouten of Mountain Top, Pa.; son, John (Mary) Wojtys of New Hudson; and grandchildren, Jenna Delaney, Lacey Scouten, Evan Wojtys and Jessica Wojtys.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Metro Detroit and Southeastern Michigan Chapter, 24359 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 225, Southfield, MI. 48075.
Arrangements made by Schrader-Howell Funeral Home.
Robert Rzepecki
A memorial service was conducted Sept. 5 in Las Vegas, Nev., for Robert Rzepecki, 67, formerly of Livonia.
Mr. Rzepecki died Sept. 3. He was born March 13, 1935 in Detroit. He was a member of St. Aidan's Catholic Church in Livonia before moving to Las Vegas in 1996.
Survivors include wife, Carol; sons, Glenn of Powell, Ohio and Mark of Belleville; grandchildren Ryan and Rachel of Powell Ohio; brothers, Richard of Plymouth Township, Donald of Dearborn and William of Tucson, Ariz.
He was preceded in death by his parents, the late Andrew and Stella Rzepecki of Dearborn.
Mr. Rzepecki served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1957. He sold background music for Martin & Snyder and then with Comcast. The family requests memorials to the charity of the donor's choice.
