Grace C. Price

Grace C. Price

Died Feb. 26, 2016

NORTHPORT – Grace Clara Price, 99, of Northport, died Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 at Northport Highlands with her family at her side.

  Grace was born on June 19, 1916 in Munster, IN, the daughter of John and Ella (Ebbens) DeVries.  On May 3, 1947 she married George Randall Price who preceded her in death in 1994.

  Grace was the “well-adjusted middle child” in a farm family with 11 children: “well-adjusted” because she had three older brothers and three younger brothers, two older sisters and two younger sisters.  The family operated a truck farm on the outskirts of the greater Chicago area, and Grace delighted in telling stories of her childhood and work on the farm, with chores and meals being shared by all 13 family members.

  A registered nurse, Grace during World War II worked in Ann Arbor at University Hospital, caring for returning vets as well as working on the pediatric ward.  It was at UM Hospital that she made lifelong friends amongst the nurses she worked with, and also where, after the war, she met G. Randall (Randy) Price.

  Grace loved to be with her immediate and extended family, loved to care for those in need, loved to bake and cook, and was the only person who could keep everyone organized!  She lived for many years in Battle Creek, raising her family along Harper Creek, where many wonderful memories were created.  In 1993, she and Randy retired to Freedom Village in Holland, then on to Leland and Northport later in life.  Wherever she lived she was a pillar of a local Reformed Church congregation, and she easily made life-long friends.

  In 1967, after several summers with week-long vacations at a friend’s cottage on Glen Lake, the Price family purchased a cottage of their own at Billman’s Beach on

South Lake Leelanau.  It was this cottage that both parents and all three children (Larry (Bugs), Brian, and Carol) came to dearly love and returned to each summer for nearly fifty years.  At the lake Grace made a whole new set of friends, and extended family and friends piled into the tiny two-bedroom cottage.  Many birthdays of the four grandchildren were celebrated at the cottage, and many cakes were baked by Grace.

  Grace is survived by her son, Brian (Susan) Price of Maple City; daughter, Carol (Santo Santoriello) Price of Bristol, VT; four grandchildren, Shannon (Chris) Torres, Nate (Sylvia Vong) Price, Ellen (Jeff) Keen, and Kevin Price.  She is also survived by three great-grandchildren who she dearly loved, her sole surviving sister, Helen, and too many nephews and nieces to actually keep track of!

  In addition to her husband Randy, Grace was preceded in death by her son, Larry (Bugs) Price in 1990; and by 9 brothers and sisters. 

  A memorial service will be held in Leland early August to celebrate Grace’s life with friends and family, details to be provided at a later date.

  The family is eternally grateful to all the staff at Effie’s in Leland, and at Northport Highlands, who lovingly cared for Grace in her later years. 

  Memorials may be directed to the Leelanau Conservancy, PO Box 1007, Leland, MI 49654 and/or to the Leelanau Children’s Center, PO Box 317, Leland, MI 49654.

  Please share memories and condolences with Grace’s family below:

Christopher W. McGrath

Christopher W. McGrath

Died February 24, 2016

PESHAWBESTOWN – Christopher William McGrath, 35, of Peshawbestown, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, Feb, 24, 2016 in Traverse City.

    Chris was born on Dec. 31, 1980 in Colorado Springs, CO, the son of Patrick and Eleine (DeVerney) McGrath.

    He loved to cook and was a creative culinary artist making wonderful homemade concoctions like soups and sauces.  His family loved his BBQ sauces and Chris especially had a talent with hot sauces.  He enjoyed fishing, mushroom hunting, pickle juice, listening to diverse music, and fires (being quite the enthusiastic pyromaniac).  Chris could always be found swimming in the summer. Most of all Chris cherished his friends and family and loved spending time with them.

    Chris is survived by his wife, Llanira Barajas; a son, Little Christopher McGrath; father, Patrick McGrath; sisters, Nicole Taylor and Misty McGrath; a brother, Patrick DeVerney; and nieces, Shai Mallory, Briteny Storm DeVerney, Paige Johnson; Aerial Doxtator, Nizhoni DeVerney, and Quill DeVerney.

    He was preceded in death by his mother, Eleine, in 2011 and a brother, Benjamin DeVerney, in 2015.

    Visitation will be held on Sunday, Feb. 28 from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay.  The funeral service will be held on Monday, Feb. 29 at 11 a.m. with a visitation held one hour prior at the Strongheart Center, Peshawbestown.

    Please share memories and condolences with Chris’ family online at www.martinson.info.

    Arrangements are with the Martinson Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Leelanau.

Gregory Scott Morrison

Gregory Scott Morrison

Died Feb. 20, 2016

TEXAS - Gregory Scott Morrison, 55, of Texas and formerly of Williamsburg, passed away early Saturday morning on February 20, 2016 due to complications of heart surgery in Longview, TX.       
  Greg was born on September 24, 1960 to James Boyd and Ernastine Elaine (Conant) Morrison of Williamsburg.

  Greg grew up on the family farm in Williamsburg.  He graduated from Elk Rapids High School in 1979.  He received his mechanics license in Florida. When he returned to Michigan, he settled back in Williamsburg where he worked as a mechanic and followed his mother’s footsteps volunteering with the Elk Rapids E.M.S. unit as a paramedic.    
  On April 12, 2008 in Holland, MI, he married Analia Rivera, who survives.  They moved to the Holland/Zeeland area where he continued as a mechanic working on large equipment and farm machinery until the relocated to Texas in 2011.   
  In addition to his wife, Greg is survived by his step-children, Josephine, Kristine, and Andrew; grandchildren, Jayden and Annalees; father, James (Racquel); brothers, Jeff, and Mark (Tracy) and their son, Devon; sister, Mary (Jim Collins) and their son, Mark V.

   He was preceded in death by his mother; maternal grandparents, Albert C. and Annabelle (Weathers) Conant; and paternal grandparents, Scott and Shirley (Boyd) Morrison.  

  Greg was a loving husband, grandpa, big brother, and a spiritual man.  He will be greatly missed.

  There will be a small service on the family farm in Williamsburg held in the spring.

  Please share memories and condolences with Greg’s family below:

Joellen Schwarz

Joellen Schwarz

Died February 18, 2016

LELAND – Joellen Schwarz, 64, of Leland, died Thursday, February 18, 2016 at Tendercare of Traverse City.
  Joellen was born on April 3, 1951 in Toledo, OH, the daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Baumberger) Schwarz.
  She graduated from Leland high school in 1969, and received an associate’s degree in library science from Ferris State University. She worked at the TBAISD REMC 2 Materials Center for 38 years, retiring in 2010. She was also a familiar figure at the counter of J & J Food Shop in Suttons Bay.
  Her golden labs and later Bear, a rescue Newfoundland, were her favorite companions. Her love of animals wasn’t confined to those she owned, however. She would stop her car to greet dogs sharing the sidewalk with their humans. In recent years her cats Harrison and Midnight enlivened her home.
  Jo created countless items with her knitting and crocheting talent, which she shared with friends, loved to read mysteries, and enjoyed attending concerts of her favorite performers. She was a loyal friend to many people she “adopted” along the way.
  Joellen was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Theresa DeWitt.
  Visitation will be held on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 11 a.m. until the start of the 12 noon memorial service at Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay. Interment will take place at a later date at Leelanau Township Cemetery, on her family’s lot.
  Memorials may be directed to the Northport Area Heritage Association, P.O. Box 453, Northport, MI 49670 and/or to Grand Traverse Area AC Paw, P.O. Box 94, Acme, MI 49610.
  Please share memories and condolences with Joellen’s family below: