Christopher F. Machir

Died February 23, 2014

 Christopher Franklin Machir, 54, of Northport, passed away on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014.

  Chris was born on February 9, 1960 in Athens, Ohio to Evonda (McMillen) and Daniel Machir, (U.S. Navy, Ret.).

  Being a “military brat”, Chris attended schools in Washington D.C., San Diego, CA, Guam, Annapolis, MD, Philadelphia, PA, and Norfolk, VA. While his father was stationed in Guam, the family enjoyed a two-week vacation in Japan. Chris often spoke fondly of the posting in Guam. He graduated from Wayne State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.

  Chris was a passionate man. Eventually, he followed his passion for the sea, and graduated from the Great Lakes Maritime Academy as an Engineering Officer. He spent a number of years sailing freighters throughout the Great Lakes.

  Chris is survived by his sons, Ian Machir and Dustin Machir; his stepson, Erik Nielsen; stepdaughter, Nicole Nielsen; and their mother, Linda (Posie) Spears-Machir. He loved his children passionately.   He is also survived by his parents and his sisters, Cindy Lee Machir-Lansky and Chaye Ann Machir.

  Chris was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Ilo and Earl Machir; his maternal grandparents, Devona and Frederick McMillen; and the beloved family dog, Maggie.

  A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, March 1, 2014 at Martinson Funeral Home, Suttons Bay, MI. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Ian and Dustin Machir Education Fund at Huntington National Bank or online at their guestbook at http://chrismachirmemorialpage.blogspot.com/.

  Arrangements are with the Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay/www.martinson.info.

 

Virginia A. Rude

Died Feb. 20, 2014

SUTTONS BAY – Virginia Ann Rude, 81, of Suttons Bay, passed away on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014 at the Traverse Victorian Manor with her loving niece (Marge) by her side.

  Virginia was born May 1, 1932 in Leland Township the daughter of Roy and Martha (Anderson) Johnson.  On Aug. 23, 1958 at the First Lutheran Church of Suttons Bay she married Robert Rude who preceded her in death on Dec. 13, 1979.

  Virginia attended kindergarten at the Star School and then attended Leland Public School graduating in 1950.  Virginia helped on her family farm and after marrying her sweetheart, Bob, worked on their farm milking dairy cows and helping in the cherry orchards.  From 1964 to 1990 she was employed as a data processor at the College of American Pathologists computer center (CAP Computer) in Traverse City.  She formed life-long friends with many of her co-workers with her decades of work at CAP Computer.

  She was the past treasurer of the Ladies Society at First Lutheran Church of which she was a life-long member.  Virginia was the current president of the Swedish Mission Cemetery of Good Harbor.

  Virginia loved all animals, especially her cats; and she always took care of the strays.  She will be remembered as a caring and kind person who never complained even with her many health issues.  She enjoyed spending time with family and friends.  She was a special aunt to all and a second mother to Allen & Marjorie (Marge) who lived with and took care of her since January 2011. 

  Virginia is survived by a brother in law Ralph Steimel, niece Kathy (Craig) Omo, nephews Allen (Marjorie) Steimel and Mark (Rochelle) Steimel; a sister in law Mary Holt and nephews Tim, Rob and Jack along with the Baughman nephews and nieces Lynne, Tom, Becky, Elizabeth and Martin.  She will also be greatly missed by her special grandnieces and grandnephews Amy, Dan, Megan, Nick and Jason.

  She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Eleanor Mae Steimel, a brother in law, Karl Holt, brother and sister in law, Ed and Betty Baughman.

  Visitation will be held on from 1 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at the Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay.  The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday Feb. 27 also at the funeral home.  Burial in the Lutheran Cemetery of Suttons Bay will be announced in the spring.  Reverend Paul Fetzer will officiate.

  Memorials may be directed to First Lutheran Church, PO Box 159, Suttons Bay, MI 49682, Cherryland Humane Society, 1750 Ahlberg Road, Traverse City, MI 49686 and/or AC Paw, PO Box 94, Acme, MI, 49610.

  Please share memories with Virginia’s family online obituary at www.martinson.info.

  Arrangements are with the Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay.

Lilah M. E. Baker

Died February 15, 2014

SUTTONS BAY – Lilah Marlene Elaine Baker, 4 months, of Suttons Bay, passed away on February 15, 2014 at DeVos Children’s Hospital.
  Lilah was born on Sept. 27, 2013 in Traverse City, the infant daughter of Travis and Rebecca (Girdham) Baker.
 Lilah blessed her parents with four amazing months of joy, smiles, and love. Lilah was a very loved child and may have a record for being held by so many different people between the families, friends, LAVC volleyball club, and Leland school sporting events.
 During those frustrating sleepless nights Lilah would put a big smile on her face knowing that her parents wouldn’t be able to do anything but laugh and smile with her. She was truly a blessing and will forever be missed by those who loved her.
 In addition to her parents, Lilah is survived by her maternal grandparents, Don and Dawn Girdham of Hillsdale; paternal grandparents, Judy Baker and Craig Baumgartener of Jerome; maternal great-grandparents, Bob and Ruth Waterbury of Osseo; paternal great-grandmother, Maxine Miller of North Adams; paternal aunt, Megan (Dustin) Lige; paternal uncle, Dan Welsh; maternal uncle, Curtis (Whitney Schuette) Girdham; first cousin, Nellie Lige; and many loving great aunts, great uncles, and cousins.
  Lilah was predeceased by her maternal great-grandmother, Joyce Waterbury, paternal great-grandparents, Thomas and Lilah Girdham; paternal great-grandfather, Paul Miller.
  Visitation will be held on Friday, Feb. 21 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay.  The funeral service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. with visitation one hour prior to the service at the Leland High School Gymnasium.  The Reverend Doctor Daniel Pann will officiate.
  Memorials may be directed to a children’s charity of one’s choice and/or to Cherryland Humane Society, 1750 Ahlberg Road, Traverse City, MI 49686.
  Please share condolences with Lilah’s family at www.martinson.info.
  Arrangements are with the Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay.

Dennis Joseph Rathnaw

March 18, 1935 – February 14, 2014

SUTTONS BAY – Dennis Joseph Rathnaw, 78, of Suttons Bay, passed away on Friday, Feb. 14, 2014 at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City. It was Valentine’s Day, and the 58^th anniversary of his engagement to wife Nina.

  Dennis was born of German, Polish and Kashub heritage on March 18, 1935 in Detroit, the son of Gregory and Mary (Selewski) Rathnaw. On Sept. 8, 1956 at St. Albertus Church in Detroit, he married Antonina Palazzola, who survives him.
  Dennis’s was a life that will be celebrated by all who knew him, and those that had their lives touched by his generosity.  His life was defined by a selflessness that showed in his devotion to his family, his career, his church and faith, and his community. Those close to him will remember his unerring ability to find elegant, often surprising solutions to the problems and challenges that he and his family faced.
  As a child, Dennis showed and aptitude and passion for music, picking up the accordion at the age of six, and performing on Detroit radio by age nine. Throughout his life, he could be persuaded to play for the special occasion, regaling everyone with a round of polkas or waltzes.
  Immediately following his wedding in 1956, he was drafted into the army and served a two-year tour of duty, including a post in Germany with US occupation forces. He was able to fly home for a visit to witness the birth of his first daughter, Grace Marie. In later years, we would retain a fondness for his time in Europe, and he and Nina would return, especially to France.
  Dennis devoted a 40-year career to the Engineering Division of General Motors. He worked at the Technical Center in Warren, and the Proving Grounds in Milford. His worked spanned various models and products, however he was especially proud of helping to usher in the era of air bag safety to automobiles.
  After retirement, Dennis fulfilled a long-held dream of living in Northern Michigan, where he built his dream home in Suttons Bay. His love of Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula had been nurtured over years of hunting and fishing trips, and he passed this on to his family through annual camping trips to the Porcupine Mountains and Sylvania Wilderness of the Upper Peninsula. His last visit to his favorite places involved a walleye expedition with his son Dennis Michael and son-in-law Kevin.
  He was devoted utmost to his family and his faith. To his children, he was Scout Leader, baseball and softball coach. He was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. And he served the St. Mary’s of Lake Leelanau as church lector. However, he was most proud of his commitment to, and achievements with the Knights of Columbus, with whom he attained the rank of 4^th Degree Knight, and served four terms as Grand Knight of Council.
  Although he endured a number of hardships in his life, including the loss of his daughter Anne Louise to a pulmonary embolism, and another daughter, Grace Marie to multiple sclerosis, he remained an unflinching source of stability and support for his immediate family, and the husbands and children of the deceased.
  He gave selfless and generously of his time and seemingly endless knowledge of how the world worked, and how to put it back together when it broke. His family’s motto for him, like his father before him, was, “why do something, when you can overdo it.”
  Throughout his life, the people all around him called on Dennis for help, guidance, wisdom, support, financial assistance, a car ride, a screwdriver, a light bulb. And he gave to everyone with grace, charity and dignity. His values centered on his home life, his house and his family, all of which he kept together and strong until his last breath. And that will be his enduring legacy, one in which we will all celebrate. He asked for very little in return. Dennis, Husband, Dad, Friend, asked for very little from anyone. He loved nothing more than a backyard full of family, a plate full of ribs, and Ernie Harwell on the radio on a warm summer evening.
  In addition to his loving wife of 57 years, Nina, Dennis is survived by his sister Claudia Poore; his children, Mary (Kevin) Kuznicki and Dennis M. Rathnaw; his sons-in-law, Alan Carver and Tom Skrok; his grandchildren, Regina, Kimberly, Joseph, Anne, Gabrielle, and Michelle; three great-grandchildren, Anne, Leah, and Emma Sue.
  He was preceded in death by his daughters, Grace Marie Carver and Anne Louise Skrok.
  Visitation will be held on Monday, Feb. 17 from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay.  The funeral mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church in Lake Leelanau with a visitation held one hour prior. The Rev. Michael Janowski will serve as celebrant.
  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Rathnaw Family, P.O. Box 159, Suttons Bay, MI 49682.
   Please share memories with Dennis’ family at  www.martinson.info.
  Arrangements are with the Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay.

Carol A. O’Harra

Died Jan. 31, 2014

TRAVERSE CITY – Carol Ann O’Harra, 74, of Traverse City, passed away Friday, Jan. 31, 2014 in Traverse City.

  Carol was born July 18, 1939 in Muncie, IN the daughter of John C. O’Harra, Jr. and Betty Ludington O’Harra. She graduated from Burris High School, Muncie IN and DePauw University, Greencastle, IN. Afterward, Carol taught school in Indianapolis and Boulder, CO. She was a cherished member of the sisterhood of Kappa Kappa Gamma, was a past member of the Fort Wayne Junior League, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and Old Mission Women’s Club of Traverse City, MI. 
  To sum up Carol here is impossible, as she was larger than life. 
  As a daughter, mother, sister, cousin, aunt and friend to all, Carol shared the loving wisdom of her positive nature and generous spirit. She made us all better, helped us when we were hurting or needed to talk. “Live in today and don’t go too far ahead” was her motto. She recalled the past to her children and spoke of future dreams, as well. Above all, Carol was a happy, forgiving person and is affectionately remembered by her friends and family as compassionate and loving. She was an avid reader, a lover of music and enjoyed living in her home along the shore of beautiful Lake Michigan’s West Bay on Old Mission Peninsula. She will be remembered for her wisdom and generous spirit cultivated from her own life experiences. Those close to her often sought out her guidance, encouragement and strength. We will always carry with us her sense of humor, the infamous “Carolisms”, her infectious laugh and her passion for life. She was a beautiful woman, even feature-published in the Ladies Home Journal in 1973. Her husband, Jim Suelzer, amazed her with his unique wit, humor and outlook on reality.
  Carol treasured her four children, Anne, Jon, Laura and Sarah, never losing sight of them. They adored her, as well. She cherished memories of her late grandparents and parents, Kelly and Betty, and deeply loved her siblings, Dave and Nancy. Indeed, Carol “came from good (Irish!) stock.”
  Carol overcame much adversity in her life gathering wisdom, strength and hope. She had a tender-loving, forgiving spirit. Her AA Sobriety Birthday of May 1, 1978 gave her a second chance for the years to follow. Carol counseled many who were challenged by alcoholism and addiction. She was a true survivor, an amazing example to all who knew her and will be sorely missed. Such a person is irreplaceable and this loss is a great one for all. She fully lived The Serenity Prayer, one day at a time, even one moment at a time, accepting hardships as the pathway to peace, taking as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it and trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will and that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
  “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
  Carol was preceded in death by her parents, John C. O’Harra Jr. and Betty A. (Ludington) O’Harra, two former husbands, Jon. B Gerster whom she married in 1961 and in 1983 to James R. Suelzer; and Tigger, her beloved four-legged 'son'. And we can't forget "Irish" - a found and adopted Irish Setter mix from Walloon Lake, MI - a beloved member of the family, and 'Queenie' her childhood horse.
  Carol is survived by her four children: Elizabeth A. Dupre of Dover NH; Jon B. Gerster Jr of Seattle WA; Laura A. (Joseph) Kochajda of Auburn Hills, MI; Sarah A. (David) Bochenek of Ann Arbor, MI; brother, David C. O'Harra (Jacki) of Jacksonville FL; sister, Nancy O'Harra Lohman (Robert) of Fort Worth, TX; nephews Michael C. O'Harra (Cristy), Eric H. Lohman (Beth), Robert C. Lohman (Jennifer); niece, Kimberly O'Harra Marsh (Gene); two grandchildren, Alicia E. Dupre and Jonathan V. Kochajda, as well as cousins, Steven L. Hammer, James Andrew Hammer and numerous adoring friends and extended family.   
   As mom would not like to say 'Good Bye' -  but rather:  "Til next time".  We love you so much and will see you again.
   A celebration of Carol’s life and internment in Beechwood Cemetery, Leland, will be held June 21st, 2014.  She will 'live' next to the love of her life, Jim Suelzer.
   Memorials for Carol may be directed to the Old Mission Women’s Club, a non-profit organization serving the needs of the community, in which she was a member: c/o the Carol O’Harra Fund, PO Box 23, Old Mission, MI 49673. She loved the membership and their volunteer spirit.
   Please share memories with Carol’s family online at www.martinson.info.
   Arrangements are with the Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay

 

James M. Anderson

Died Feb. 2, 2014

TRAVERSE CITY – James Mels Anderson, 77, of Traverse City passed away on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014 at Tendercare of Leelanau surrounded by his loving family.

  James was born May 5, 1936 in Detroit the son of Mels R. Anderson and Myrtle (Bringedahl) Anderson.  In 1972 in Traverse City he married Elizabeth A. (Lardie) Anderson who survives.
  Together both Jim and Liz owned The Weaver House of Flowers for 42 years.  Jim enjoyed playing tennis and working in his woodshop.  He was proud of his walking sticks, lamps and folk art.
  Jim was always available for a cup of coffee and a conversation.  Above all his family was the most important part of his life.  His children will always appreciate their special days with him.
  James is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; his children, Dennis (Kim) Ritchey, Debra (Carl) Anderson-Hagstrom, Jana DuGuay, Mark (Jackie) Anderson, Jennifer Anderson, Barbara Anderson; his grandchildren, Nicole Ritchey,Michael Ritchey, Sydney Richardson, Wesley Richardson, Jackson Anderson and Joseph DuGuay.
  He was preceded in death by his siblings, Barbara Arnell and Larry Anderson and a his son-in-law, Fred DuGuay.
  A memorial service will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6 at Immanuel Lutheran Church of Suttons Bay with the family greeting friends one hour prior to the service.  Inurnment in Oakwood Cemetery, Traverse City will be held at a future date.  Rev. Kent Lee will officiate.  
  Memorials may be directed to Tendercare Pet Fund, 124 W. Fourth St, Suttons Bay, MI, 49682.
  Please share memories with Jims’ family online at www.martinson.info.
  Arrangements are with the Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay.