Calvin Wadsworth Gray
Calvin Gray, 61, of Beverly Hills, died Aug. 20, 2002 at home. He was born Feb. 25, 1941 in Portland, Maine.
Mr. Gray graduated from the University of Maine and the University of Connecticut. He was a retired executive from Metal Forming Technologies, Inc. He was former president of Crescive Tool & Die. Mr. Gray was an avid golfer and a member of S.A.E. (Society of Automotive Engineers)
He is survived by wife, Vera; son, Sterling (Wendy) of Austin, Texas; grandchildren, Austin Matthew and Connor Michael; mother, Celia of Hampden, Maine; and siblings, Bernard (Judy) of Coral Springs, Fla. and Linda (Dewey) Martin of Hampden, Maine.
Funeral arrangements were handled by A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Home in Troy. Memorial tributes may be sent to Karmanos Cancer Institute, 24601 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield, Mich. 48075.
Stanley Sobotka
Stanley Sobotka, 59, died August 26, 2002 at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. He was born July 20, 1943, in Rutland, Vt.
Mr. Sobotka graduated from Royal Oak Kimball High School and Northern Michigan University. He was a teacher and middle school counselor for Warren Consolidated Schools for 35 years.
He was an avid fan of the Detroit Lions, snd as a boy he would take a bus to see them play at Briggs Stadium. He believed one day they will win the Super Bowl.
He is survived by wife, Marjorie; daughters, Stacy and Suzanne; father, Stanley; grandmother, Lena; siblings David and Sharon Logsdon; two nephews and a niece.
Funeral services were handled by Lynch & Sons Funeral Home in Clawson. Interment
at White Chapel Cemetery.
Patricia Ellen Kitchen
Patricia Kitchen, 71, of Oscoda, formerly of Birmingham, died August 23, 2002 in Tawas General Hospital. She was born Feb. 5, 1931, in Birmingham.
Mrs. Kitchen graduated from Mercy College with a bachelor of science and nursing degree. She was a registered nurse for many years. She also served for 20 years as a crossing guard for the Birmingham Police Department. Her hobbies included a love for wildlife, flowers and gardening.
She is survived by children, Mary (Tim) Short of South Carolina, Christopher of Oscoda and Sarah (David) Lickey of Harrisville; eight grandchildren; sisters, Marvel (Curt) Adamy of Grand Rapids and Connie (Dan) Maddox of Dayton, Ohio; several nieces and nephews and friends.
Private services were arranged through Buresh-Bennett Funeral Homes, Inc. of Oscoda. Interment
at Acacia Park Cemetery in Birmingham. Memorial tributes may be made to the Heart Disease Research Foundation, Nation Office, 50 Court Street-306A, Brooklyn, New York 11201-4801.
Urledine Hopkinson
Urledine Hopkinson, 102, of Birmingham, died Aug. 27, 2002 in Clawson. She was born September 3, 1899 in Ontario, Canada.
She is survived by sons, James and Stanley. She was a loving grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Lynch & Sons Funeral Home in Clawson. Interment
at Roseland Park Cemetery in Berkley.
Raymond Benner
Raymond Benner, 76, of Pleasant Ridge, died Aug. 25, 2002. He was born in Philadelphia in 1926.
Mr. Benner graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music. He served two years in the U.S. Navy Band and went on to play in the National, New Orleans, Houston and Cleveland Orchestras before coming to Detroit. He was a former assistant principal bassist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He founded Bach at Cranbrook, Bach for a Buck and the Fairlane Music Series. He was innovator of the moldable silicone earplug (Mack's Earplugs). His company, McKeon Products Inc., continues under the leadership of his sons.
Mr. Benner is survived by wife, Cecilia; children, Amy Willetts, Devin and Peter; grandchildren, Chloe, Mason, Kara and Avery.
A Memorial Service will be held at the Birmingham Unitarian Church at Lone Pine and Woodward Avenue, at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 9. Memorial tributes may be made to Common Ground, 44590 Woodward Avenue, Pontiac, Mich. 48341 or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, N.Y., N.Y. 10163.
Donald R. Lynch
Donald R. Lynch, 80, of Beverly Hills, died Aug. 28, 2002 at William Beaumont Hospital. He was born Dec. 3, 1944, in Buffalo, New York.
Mr. Lynch was a graduate of the University of Detroit. He served in the U.S. Army-Air Force during world War II. He owned his own automotive supply business, Mark VII Industries in Fraser and he worked for Cadillac Products of Troy for eight years until his retirement in 1991. He was a longtime member of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church in Beverly Hills.
He is survived by wife, Mary Lou; daughters, Kathleen (Kevin) Koch, Marianne Gervais, Maureen Giammara and Linda (Jay Joyner) Lynch; grandchildren, Jackie, Ben, Asher, Michael, Donald, Gregory and Charles.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Lynch & Sons Funeral Home in Clawson. Interment
at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield. Memorial tributes may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 88-541, Chicago, Illinois 60680-1541.
Timothy John Messner
Timothy Messner, 42, of Hilton Head Island, S.C., formerly of Birmingham, died August 29, 2002, at Hilton Head Medical Center and Clinics. He was born February 3, 1959 in Philadelphia.
Mr. Messner attended Groves High School, Eastern Michigan University and graduated from Nevada Career Institute. He was an accomplished surgical technician. He was a scuba diver, dive master and member of the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI). He had an extensive stamp collection and numerous glass and ceramic fish from around the world.
He is survived by parents, Dolores Ann and Russell James of Hilton Head Island, S.C.; siblings, Cathleen Messner (James) Badalamenti of Birmingham, Mary Ellen Messner of Chicago; nephew, Jake and niece, Anna.
Funeral arrangements were handled by The Island Funeral Home & Crematory in S.C. Interment
at St. Francis Catholic Church Columbarium, Hilton Head Island. Memorial tributes may be sent to The Gift of Life Trust Fund, P.O. Box 1214, Newberry, S.C. 29108.
Fred Hopkinson
Fred Hopkinson, 77, died Aug. 31, 2002, in Royal Oak. He was born Jan. 7, 1925, in Tillsonberg, Ontario.
Mr. Hopkinson was an honored World War II veteran and a P.O.W. survivor. He was a past member of the American Legion of Royal Oak.
He is survived by step-daughter, Bertie Lou Hacker; three step-grandchildren; brother, Stanley; nephews, Timothy and Wayne; five great-nephews and nieces; and three great-great-nieces.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Lynch & Sons Funeral Home in Clawson. Memorial tributes may be sent to the American Cancer Society, 18505 West 12 Mile Road, Southfield 48076.
Virginia Elizabeth Bratton "Bette"
Bette Bratton, 85, of Florida, formerly Bloomfield Village and Bloomfield Hills, died August 25, 2002 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Mrs. Bratton is survived by husband, Robert E.; daughters, Marilyn Altemus of Kissimmee, Fla., Virginia (Thea) Crosier of Lakeland, Fla. and Barbara Grimm of Pottstown, Pa.; and granddaughters, Shannon Gipson and Alicia Crosier in Florida.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Baird-Case/Jordan-Fannin Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Interment
at White Chapel Cemetery in Troy.
Alice Newhall Fiesselmann "Alec"
Alec Fiesselmann, 73, of Birmingham, died Aug. 13, 2002, nine days after her husband of 54 years, Fritz. She was born in Dayton, Ohio.
Mrs. Fiesselmann graduated from Kingswood School Cranbrook, Michigan State University and Wayne State University. She was a teacher in the Highland Park School District, a substitute teacher to art teacher at Brookside School Cranbrook, and finally as an assistant professor supervising MSU student teachers in north Oakland county schools. She later joined her husband in the family business, Production Machinery Sales Co., of Detroit.
She had a gift for costume design and sewing and was part of a team of designers who worked for Cranbrook Theater School and volunteered for St. Dunstan's Theater in the '60's and '70's. She was a docent for the art museum at Cranbrook, explaining art to children. She was an early and longtime member of The Village Club and had a lifelong association with Alpha Gamma Delta. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the '70's
Mrs. Fiesselmann is survived by children, Lorie Dietz of Troy, Lisa Gleeson of Troy and Lydia Moul of Houston, Texas; grandchildren, Kristin, Karin, Jonathan, David and Brendan; sister, Nancy Rutherford Bryant of Bloomington, Ind.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m.. Saturday, Sept. 7 at Thornlea, 700 Cranbrook Road, Bloomfield Hills. Parking at Brookside School. Memorial tributes may be sent to St. Dunstan's, Cranbrook Educational Community and Alpha Gamma Delta National Sorority. Private burial services were arranged by Wm. R. Hamilton, Birmingham.
Roger A. Hack "Chief"
Roger Hack, 74, of Beverly Hills and Bellaire, Mich., died Sept. 12, 2002, at Wm. Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. He was born Nov. 25, 1927, in Detroit.
Mr. Hack was a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard. He attended the University of Detroit. He retired in 1993 from General Motors after 42 years as an engineer, where he was a founding team member of engineers that developed the Saturn Division. He also held several manufacturing patents with General Motors. He was a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers; past president of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Dad's Club. He enjoyed golf, sailing, fishing, boating, skiing and Northern Michigan.
Mr. Hack is survived by wife, Florida F.; son, Randall A. (Kimberly); granddaughter, Madelaine A.; and siblings, Milton, Beverly and Arden.
Funeral arrangements were handled by A. J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Home in Royal Oak. Interment
at Lakeview Cemetery in Bellaire, Mich. Memorial tributes may be made to the American Red Cross or St. Jude Children's Hospital.
Shirley H. Geddes
Shirley Geddes, of Williamsburg, Va., formerly of Bloomfield Hills, died Sept. 14, 2002.
Mrs. Geddes was a homemaker who enjoyed spending time with her family. She was an active and participating member of Cranbrook Institute and the P.E.O. during her life. She and her husband of 51 years retired to Virginia 15 years ago.
She is survived by husband, Allan; children, Nancy L. Geddes of Williamsburg, John H. of Plantation, Fla., Brian P. of Shelby Township and William W. of Birmingham; granddaughters, Kathleen Leupold and Brittany Geddes; mother, Eleanor W. Hughes and brother, William K. Hughes, both of Corning, N.Y.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Nelsen Funeral Home in Williamsburg, Va. Interment
at Grace Episcopal Church Cemetery in Yorktown. Memorial tributes may be made to the charity of your choice.
Sylvenia Estalee Leoni
Sylvenia Leoni, 85, of Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, died Sept. 11, 2002 in Rochester Hills. She was born Sept. 5, 1917, in Thompsonville, Ill.
Mrs. Leoni attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill. She was a homemaker.
She is survived by children, Suzanne (Patrick) Farrell of Rochester Hills and Albert A., Jr. (Verna) of of Independence Township; nine grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and sister, Emma Waller Clark of Rochester.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Price Funeral Home in Troy. Interment
at White Chapel Memorial Cemetery in Troy. Memorial tributes may be sent to American Lung Association.
Lorene D. Rever
Lorene Rever, 77, of Birmingham, died September 12, 2002 at William Beaumont Hospital. She was born Jan. 19, 1925 in Detroit.
Mrs. Rever graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit. She received her master's degree from Wayne State University in 1965. She was employed as a teacher and counselor at Cooley High School in Detroit for 25 years until her retirement in 1989. She was a member of the Birmingham Unitarian Church and board member of B.U.C. Alliance; past president of the Detroit Historical Society Guild; member of A.A.U.W. and W.A.N.D.
Mrs. Rever is survived by children, Carol (Robert) Cramer of Troy, Charles L., Jr. of Wixom; grandchildren, Andrea and Matthew; and sister, Eleanor Froehlich of Rochester Hills.
Funeral arrangements were handled by The Wm. R. Hamilton Co. in Birmingham. Interment
at White Chapel Memorial Cemetery in Troy. Memorial tributes may be made to The Detroit Historical Society, 5401 Woodward, Detroit, 48202, or The Birmingham Unitarian Church, 38651 Woodward, Bloomfield Hills, Mich 48304.
Henry F. "Pat" Johnson
Pat Johnson, 92, of Seminole, Florida, formerly of Birmingham, died September 12, 2002, at Sun Coast Hospital, Largo, Fla. He was born January 13, 1910 in Owensboro, Kentucky.
Mr. Johnson was a retired banker for Standard Federal Bank. He was a former president of Wayne County and Home Savings Bank in Detroit; a life member of Masonic Lodge 44 F. & A.M., Birmingham; Rotary Club of Birmingham; The Suncoast Scandinavian Club of Pinellas Pk, Fla.; and a member of Lake Seminole Presbyterian Church.
He is survived by wife, Ruth E.; stepson Robert A. Davis of Largo, Fla., and sister, Beatrice Duncan, also of Largo, Fla.
Funeral arrangements were handled by The Wm R. Hamilton Co. in Birmingham. Interment
at White Chapel Cemetery in Troy.
Alexander Napier
Alexander Napier, 95, died Sept. 15, 2002 at Oakland Hospital in Madison Heights.
Mr. Napier was very proud of his Scottish heritage. He was an international terrier judge and the former owner of Napier Kennel Shop in Birmingham.
He is survived by children, James and Thelma, William and Gloria of Windsor, Sarah and Maurice Boa and Matthew and Shirley of Maui, Hawaii; 14 grandchildren and several great and great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements were handled by the Walter D. Kelly Funeral Home and Cremation Center of Windsor. Interment
at Greenlawn Memorial Cemetery. Memorial tributes may be made to the Hospice of Windsor.
Paul W. Trimmer, D.O.
Paul Trimmer, 83, of Birmingham, died Sept. 18, 2002. He was born August 25, 1919 in Carlisle, Pa.
Dr. Trimmer served in the U.S. Navy during World War II reaching rank of Lieutenant. He graduated from Carlisle High School in Pa.; Gettysburg College in Pa., involved in Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity; Kirksville College of Osteopathy in Missouri, involved in Sigma Sigma Phi Honorary Society, and president of student body; Internship at Detroit Osteopathic Hospital; surgical residency, also at Detroit Osteopathic Hospital.
He had a private surgical practice for 42 years in Southeastern Michigan. (Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties) Dr. Trimmer was a member of the American Osteopathic Association; American College of Osteopathic Surgeons; Oakland County Osteopathic Association; Michigan Association of Osteopathic Physicians; Kirk in the Hills Church, as an elder and former member of the board of Trustees; Oakland Hill Country Club; Detroit Athletic Club; and member and former member of the board of governors of the Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club, Boca Raton, Fla. He enjoyed golf and traveling.
Dr. Trimmer is survived by wife, Lydia M.; children, P. Jeffrey of Birmingham, Karen E. Nebel of Seattle, Wash., J.Kevin of Bloomfield Hills and Tamara T. Bammel of Wichita, Kan.; stepdaughter, Dawn Reaume of Livonia; seven grandchildren and three step-grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Lynch & Sons Funeral Directors of Clawson. A Memorial Service will be held, Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 11 a.m. at Kirk in the Hills, 1340 West Long Lake in Bloomfield Hills. Memorial tributes may be sent to POH Medical Center, 50 North Perry Street, Pontiac, Mich. 48342 or Kirk in the Hills Church, 1340 West Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Township, Mich. 48302.
Joseph John Mannino, Sr.
Joseph Mannino, Sr., 66, of Bloomfield Hills, died Sept. 16, 2002. He was born Oct. 15, 1935, in Detroit.
Mr. Mannino was proprietor of Joseph Mannino & Sons Produce for 30 years, serving some of Detroit's legendary restaurant establishments. He is remembered for pioneering the Original Romano's Pizzeria in Farmington and West Bloomfield. With his family, Mr. Mannino established The Original Romano's as the "most asked for" pizza on the west side.
He was an avid fan of all sports, especially baseball and golf. He coached baseball in the North Farmington/West Bloomfield Little League. He enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren play hockey. He was a member of the Italian Club of Livonia and the Shrine of the Little Flower Church in Royal Oak.
Mr. Mannino is survived by wife, Pietrina; children, Sam, Peter, Dr. Thomas, Joseph, Jr., Justina Cracchiolo and Antonia Feldman; fourteen grandchildren; siblings, Josephine Lafata, Sam and Christopher; sister-in-law, Rose Misuraca; and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral arrangements were handled by The Wm. R. Hamilton Co. in Birmingham.
Harry Osburn Smart
Harry Smart, 83, of Farmington Hills and Lighthouse Point, Fla. formerly a 30-year resident ofBirmingham, died Sept. 15, 2002. He was born in Detroit Aug. 22, 1919.
Mr. Smart attended the University of Alabama. While an officer in the Army Air Force, he completed an Engineering Science and Management training course at Harvard University. He also is a graduate of the Purdue University in Life Insurance Marketing and Agency Management program.
Mr. Smart owned and operated Smart Radio on South Woodward in Birmingham. His hobby was amateur radio and he was an avid woodworker, fisherman and boater. He retired at age 57 and built his own home at Northport on Grand Traverse Bay.
He is survived by wife, Celesta; children, Stanton of Kalamazoo and Sylvia of West Bloomfield; four grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and brothers, Gerry of Ft. Meyers, Fla. and Arnold Thompson of Jamaica, West Indies.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Thayer-Rock Funeral Home in Farmington. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Michigan, 400 Mack Avenue, Detroit. 48201 or American Cancer Society, 18505 West 12 Mile Road, Southfield 48076.
Kathryn Mae Black
Kathryn Black, 94, of New Baltimore, formerly of Bloomfield Hills, died Sept. 17, 2002 at Presbyterian Village in New Baltimore. She was born April 29, 1908 in Dover, Ohio.
She graduated from Ohio University where she was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority. She played in the Dover Orchestra as an accomplished violinist. Mrs. Black was a longtime member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Detroit and active in Church Circles. She was an avid gardener, artist and reader and enjoyed visiting with her family and friends.
Mrs. Black is survived by children, Barbara Mercer of Poland, Ohio, and Charles of Fowlerville; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Funeral arrangements were handled by Wm. R. Hamilton Co. in Birmingham. Interment
at White Chapel Memorial Cemetery in Troy. Memorial tributes may be made to Alzheimer's Association, 919 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1100, Chicago, Ill. 60611-1676.
Ester L. Griffin
Ester Griffin, 76, of Birmingham, died Sept. 17, 2002, at home. She was born August 25, 1926 in Birmingham.
Mrs. Griffin was a cook for the Birmingham Schools for several years. She was a longtime member of Grace Baptist Church, Home of the Birmingham Bible Institute, where she was very active including Chief Cook and Sunday School Teacher for many years.
She is survived by husband, Richard J.; children, Judi of Holly, John of Birmingham and Jay of Birmingham; ten grandchildren,; nine great-grandchildren; brother, William (Doris) Masters of Glouchester, Ohio.
Funeral arrangements were handled by The Wm. R. Hamilton Co. in Birmingham. Interment
at White Chapel Memorial Cemetery in Troy. Memorial tributes may be sent to Beaumont Hospice Fund/ William Beaumont Hospital, 3601 West 13 Mile Road, Royal Oak, Mich. 48073-9952.
Denis P. Martin
Denis Martin, 80, of Birmingham, died Sep.18, 2002, in Saginaw. He was born Jan. 15, 1922, in Bay City.
Mr. Martin was a United States Army veteran of World War II. He was president of Denis Martin Home Improvement Co., which he founded in the 1940s. He was an usher and elder at Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Birmingham. He was also a member of the Birmingham Area Seniors Coordinating Council.
He is survived by wife, Patricia; sons, Gordon (Anne) and Paul (Lisa); eight grandchildren; siblings, Hazel Frezza, Madeline Simeon, Blanch Larson and Richard.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Lynch & Sons Funeral Home in Clawson. Interment
at Roseland Park Cemetery in Berkley. Memorial tributes may be sent to Michigan Parkinson Foundation, 30161 Southfield Road, Suite No. 119, Southfield 48076-9775.
Betty N. Usher
Betty Usher, 89, died Sept. 14, 2002, at home.
She is survived by daughter, Susan Nimmo of Southfield and son David of Ossineice.
Memorial tributes may be sent to American Heart Association or Hospice of Michigan.
David Fredric "Fritz" Myers
David Meyers, 66, of Vero Beach, Fla., formerly of Birmingham, died Sept. 17, 2002, at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, Fla. He was born Feb. 2, 1936 in Toledo, Ohio.
Mr. Myers was a fourth-generation University of Michigan graduate, where he was an NCAA swimming champion, and later received his master's degree in business administration. He was an executive with Outboard Marine Corporation and president of Polaris/E-Z-Go. Most recently he served as president and CEO of Superior Furniture in Belton, Texas. He also served as director of JSJ Corporation in Grand Haven for over 20 years.
Mr. Myers is survived by wife, Martha; children, David Jr. (Dee Dee) of Winnetka, Ill., Jane Myers Winch (John) of Dayton, Ohio and Amy Myers Peters (Rueben) of Telluride, Colo.; eight grandchildren; mother, Alison Tennant Myers of Ann Arbor and sister, Alison Myers Woodcock of Ann Arbor.
A private family interment
was at Christ Church Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills. A Memorial Service will be held in Winnetka, Ill. Memorial tributes may be made to Prostate Cancer Research, Brady Urological Center (Patrick Walsh), John Hopkins University, Reed Hall East 2nd Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.
