Obituaries

Local Obituaries for Families in Ontonagon and Bruce Crossing, MI

Gene Blanksvard

Gene Blanksvard

Feb 2, 2015

Gene "Binks" Blanksvard 72, of Greenland passed away Monday, February 2, 2015 at the Aspirus Ontonagon Long Term Care Unit.

Gene was born in Ontonagon to William and Ellen (Jussila) Blanksvard on September 5th 1942. He graduated from Mass High School in 1960. He worked as a mechanic for Baullinger-Chevrolet-Olds (later Courtesy-Chevy-Olds). He also delivered fuel...

Edith Trousil

Edith Trousil

Jan 26, 2015

Edith Ann Trousil, 96, of Ewen, passed away on January 26, 2015 at her home in Ewen.

Edith Trousil (Lorendo) was born Oct. 17,1918 in Ewen. She graduated from Ewen High School in 1937. She worked in a logging camp before marrying Theodore Trousil on June 27, 1938. They started farming in 1943. She was a...

Mary Jo Livingston

Mary Jo Livingston

Jan 24, 2015

Mary Jo Livingston of Bruce Crossing, MI (resident of Three Rivers, MI until 2006) passed away on January 24, 2015 at St. Joseph Medical Hospital in Marshfield, WI after a courageous battle with cancer.

She was born in Kalamazoo County, MI on March 23, 1940 to the late Elmer and Hilma Houts. Mary Jo married her...

Betty Zimmer

Betty Zimmer

Jan 22, 2015

Betty D. Zimmer, age 92, of Ontonagon, Michigan, passed away on January 22, 2015, at Aspirus Long Term Care Facility in Ontonagon. She was born April 9, 1922 in Ontonagon, daughter of the late James and Anna (Chenette) Zimmer.

She graduated from Ontonagon High School with the class of 1940. After graduation, she attended the St....

James "Jim" Arthur Holmes

James "Jim" Arthur Holmes

Jan 13, 2015

James Arthur Holmes, 68, passed away on January 13, 2015. Jim was born to Robert and "Mike" Holmes on January 5, 1947 in Ontonagon.

He joined the United States Navy in February of 1964, retiring as a Master Chief Boiler Technician in July of 1986. During his Navy career, he served on several ships and shore...

Nicholas Clifford Yakovich

Nicholas Clifford Yakovich

Jan 13, 2015

Nicholas Clifford Yakovich, 29, of Ontonagon, passed away unexpectedly on January 13, 2015 in Adrian, MI.

Nicky was born in Ontonagon to Sue Picotte and Dennis Gougeon on January 11, 1986. He was adopted by Paul Yakovich when he married Sue in 1988. He went to school in Ontonagon and he enjoyed spending time playing video...

Harry "Kayo" Pollard

Harry "Kayo" Pollard

Jan 8, 2015

Harry "Kayo" Pollard, age 84, of Ontonagon, passed away on January 8, 2015 at the Aspirus Ontonagon Hospital.

Kayo was born in Greenland, Michigan to Charles and Minnie (Perryman) Pollard on December 15, 1930. In 1951, at the age of 20, he was drafted into the U.S. Marine Corp. He was a veteran of the Korean...

Stella Light

Stella Light

Jan 4, 2015

Stella Light, 85 of Bruce Crossing passed away Sunday, January 4, 2015 in Wichita, Kansas.

She was born February 12, 1929 in Paynesville to George and Mary (Nayback) Nurkkala. She worked as a bookkeeper for the Co-op Creamery, and married Donald Light on September 15, 1962 in Bruce Crossing, where they made their home.

...

Evelyn M. Olson

Evelyn M. Olson

Jan 2, 2015

Evelyn Marie (Toivonen) Olson, 80, of Mass City, passed away on January 2, 2015 following a brief illness.

Evelyn was born on January 17th, 1934 to Kaarlo and Eva (Kaurala) Toivonen. She spent her childhood on the family farm, graduated from Mass High School in 1951, and married Irving Olson on March 8th, 1952. They lived...

Elizabeth A. "Betty" Engberg

Elizabeth A. "Betty" Engberg

Dec 31, 2014

Elizabeth Ann (Gauthier) Engberg

Elizabeth, better known as Betty, was born in Ontonagon to George and Elizabeth Gauthier on September 16, 1922. Her childhood was spent between Ontonagon and Detroit spanning the years of the Depression where she gathered many stories of both hope and loss. She graduated from Ontonagon High School in 1940.

...

John C. Roehm

John C. Roehm

Dec 31, 2014

John C. Roehm 66 of Ontonagon passed away unexpectedly at his home on December 31, 2014.

He was the son of the late Jack and Dorothy Roehm and grandson of the late Charles and Sally Roehm. John was born July 01, 1948 in Ontonagon. He graduated with the class of 1966 from Ontonagon Area High School....

Donald Edwin Pokela

Donald Edwin Pokela

Dec 28, 2014

Donald Edwin Pokela, 94 of Ewen, passed away Sunday, December 28, 2014 at the Aspirus Ontonagon Long Term Care Unit.

He was born September 7, 1920 in Wakefield to John and Fannie Marie (Niemi) Pokela. Donald lived most of his life in Ewen, where he worked as a farmer.

He was preceded in death...

Irene Edith Hokens

Irene Edith Hokens

Dec 26, 2014

Irene Edith Hokens, 104, of Old M-28, Matchwood Township, died in peace Friday, December 26, 2014, at Marquette General Hospital after suffering a broken hip several days earlier. She was born August 26, 1910 in Matchwood, daughter of the late Leon and Maggie (Heinz) Osier.

Irene is survived by two daughters, Marguerite Barthels and Audrey Wagner...

Donna M. Davison

Donna M. Davison

Dec 19, 2014

Donna M. Davison, 86 of Ontonagon, passed away Friday, December 19, 2014 at the Aspirus Ontonagon Hospital Long Term Care Unit.

She was born on May 30, 1928 in Ontonagon to Robert Davison, Sr. and Esther (Jones) Davison, who precede her in death. She is also preceded in death by brothers Chester, Robert Jr., and William;...

Albert A. Haapala

Albert A. Haapala

Dec 15, 2014

Albert A. Haapala, 95 of Bruce Crossing, passed away December 15, 2014 at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain.

Albert was born on November 29, 1919 in Paynesville to Henry and Sofia (Morti) Haapala. Albert served in the US Army during WWII as a light truck driver, and also worked as a...

Michael Toivo Uotila

Michael Toivo Uotila

Dec 12, 2014

Michael Toivo Uotila, 69, went to the special place prepared for him in Heaven on December 12, 2014. Born in Hancock, Michigan to Donald and Mary (Latvis) Uotila on November 21 1945, it seems fitting that one of his favorite birthday activities was staying out at deer camp. He didn't do much shooting as he said they were...

Paul Emil Kariainen

Paul Emil Kariainen

Nov 22, 2014

Paul Kariainen, 92 of Trout Creek, passed away November 22, 2014 at Westgate Nursing Home in Ironwood.

Paul was born December 15, 1921 in Agate to the late Charles and Amelia (Jauhiainen) Kariainen. He served in the US Army during WWII, and was a member of the American Legion Post 494. On April 16, 1948, he...

Sylvia Jezuit

Sylvia Jezuit

Nov 9, 2014

Sylvia Jezuit, 89 of Ontonagon (formerly of Ewen) passed away Sunday, November 9, 2014 at the Aspirus Ontonagon Hospital Long Term Care Unit.

She was born on October 29, 1925 in Ramsay, MI to Thomas and Helen (Sallman) Anderson. Sylvia was a homemaker who loved cooking, sewing, visiting friends and coffee klatching, and making all types...

Barbara A. Wolfe

Barbara A. Wolfe

Nov 5, 2014

Barbara A. Wolfe, 62 of Bergland, passed away Wednesday, November 5, 2014 at Aspirus Grand View Hospital in Ironwood.

She was born on June 10, 1952 to Edwin and Margaret Schabow. Both precede her in death. On September 2, 1972, Barb married Louis A. Wolfe, Jr. Together they raised two sons in Bergland.

Barb...

Helen Hoefferle

Helen Hoefferle

Nov 2, 2014

Helen Hoefferle, beloved mother of seven, wife of George Hoefferle (deceased), sister to eight, and daughter of Frank, Sr. and Mary Domitrovich (deceased) died at her home in Ontonagon early Sunday morning after a long battle with ovarian cancer.

She was born August 18th, 1936 in Ontonagon and lived most of her life there. She graduated...