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December 8, 2000

Obituaries

SUTTONS BAY - Charles J. 'Jay' Stratton, 73, of Suttons Bay, died Monday at his home.
      Born April 4, 1927, in Suttons Bay, he was the son of Ruben and Nellie (Crocker) Stratton. In 1963, in Detroit, he married Patricia A. Fuller, who survives.
      Jay served in the U.S. Coast Guard. He was a retired stone mason and he loved attending auctions. He was also very instrumental in setting up an AA program in Traverse City and was also a former Suttons Bay Village and Township Zoning administrator.
      He is survived by his children, Liz (Ed) Hart of Brea, Calif., Charlie (Debbie) Stratton, Jr. of Beulah, Teri (Denny) McCourtney of Davison, Tim Olson of Suttons Bay, Tom (Carla) Olson of Colorado Springs, Colo., Cheri (David) Durdel of Traverse City and Laura (Ted Anderson) Curell of Colorado Springs, Colo.; two sisters, Helen (Al) Birdsey of Traverse City and Ruby McCourtney of Davison; a brother, Bill (Martha) Stratton of Oxford; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
      He was preceded in death by his parents; a cousin, Johnny Geroy; and a brother-in-law, Dave McCourtney.
      Visitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Martinson Funeral Home in Suttons Bay. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Suttons Bay Congregational Church with Rev. James Beadle officiating. Burial will be at Suttons Bay Township Cemetery.
      Memorials may be made to Suttons Bay-Bingham Fire and Rescue, Grand Traverse Area Hospice or The Jay Stratton Memorial Fund.
     
      TRAVERSE CITY - Dorothy Hopkins Core Gray, of Traverse City, passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2000, four days after her 95th birthday.
      She was born Dec. 1, 1905, the child of Alice Ida Smith Hopkins and John N. Hopkins of Traverse City.
      Dorothy graduated from Traverse City High School and earned a teacher's degree from Eastern Michigan Normal in Ypsilanti. She subsequently taught at a one room country school on South Garfield Road near Traverse City.
      In 1927 she married Kenneth Edward Core. They had two children, Kenneth Robert Core of Traverse City and Norma Jean Core (Henry) Smitter of Grand Rapids.
      Dorothy managed the Hopkins Camera and Gift Shop owned by her uncle Richard Hopkins. The shop was located at 219 E. Front Street, now occupied by Kay's Unique Apparel, and was the first commercial photography developing business north of Grand Rapids. In the early 1950s, Dorothy and her brother John Hopkins and their families built Terrace Beach Motel on the location of their childhood home at 841 East Front Street. During that time she lived in Elk Rapids and wintered in Florida. She was a teacher in Elk Rapids for several years.
      After the death of her husband, she married Harold Gray in 1967. They lived in Elk Rapids and Florida until poor health forced her to return to Traverse City where they lived at Traverse Manor and more recently Bortz Health Care Center.
      Dorothy is survived by her husband, Harold Gray, and her two children. She is also survived by three step-children, Marilyn Purkiss, Alan Gray, Betty Parsons and their families; four grandchildren, Jacquelyn (Alan Madry) Core, Richard (Sylvia Bowling) Core, Joseph (Laura) Smitter and Anne (Thomas) Wright. There are also five great-grandchildren.
      She was preceded in death by her grandson, Kenneth Bruce Core.
      A memorial service will be announced in the future.
      The family is being served by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home of Traverse City.
     
      HOUGHTON LAKE - William Alexander Boyd III, 40, of Houghton Lake, formerly of Lansing, died Wednesday at Mercy Hospital in Grayling.
      Born May 6, 1960, at Women's Hospital in Detroit, he was the son of William A. and Jeanne (Brott) Boyd, Jr.
      William was employed in mobile home sales and service in various Michigan communities. He love boating, fishing, hunting, the out-of-doors, his friends and his golden retriever, Bud.
      He is survived by his parents, Bill and Jeanne Boyd of Elk Rapids; a son, Jonathan Brown of Lansing; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
      He was preceded in death by his grandparents and twin sisters, Pamela and Patricia Boyd, in 1962.
      Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Elk Rapids, where an evening prayer from the Order of Christian Funerals will be held at 7 p.m. Mass from the Order of Christian Funerals will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Elk Rapids with Rev. Robert J. Zuchowski serving as celebrant. Serving as Pall Bearers will be Jonathan Brown, Kevin Donnelly, a cousin from Bridgeport, NY, Timothy Keating, Randall Lewis and Eric Simon, friends from Lansing, and William Staley, a friend from Tarpon Springs, Fla. Visitation will continue Monday from 10 to 11 a.m. prior to the service. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Kewadin.
      Memorial contributions may be directed to Alcoholics Anonymous or the charity of one's choice.
      Arrangements have been entrusted to the Elk Rapids Chapel of Covell Funeral Homes.
     
      TRAVERSE CITY - Robert William Smith, 79, of Traverse City, died Wednesday night at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City.
      Born July 26, 1921, in Schultz, Mich., he was the son of Clarence B. and Lydia (Wunderlich) Smith. On Oct. 6, 1945, in Grand Rapids, he married the former Norma Jean Hampel, who survives.
      Bob was a veteran of the U.S. Airforce during World War II. He was a resident of Traverse City since 1967, coming from Grand Rapids. Bob was the former owner of Bob Smith Pontiac in Traverse City and was in the automobile retail sales or leasing business most of his life, both in Traverse City and Grand Rapids. His memberships include a former charter member of Faith Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids, a member and former past commander of AmVets, Michigan Auto Dealers Association, and the Traverse City Elks Club. He enjoyed boating, golf and tennis.
      Besides his wife, Bob is survived by his three children, Michael J. (Sara) Smith, Richard W. (Joanne) Smith and Suzette (Gary) Chapman - all of Traverse City; and four grandsons, Benjamin, Nathan, Justin and Judson.
      Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Traverse City. Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home with Rev. Robert Lignell officiating.
      Memorial donations may be made to the Kidney Foundation.
     
      Services for LOIS ELAINE EVANS DROBENA, 81, of Phoenix, Ariz., will be held at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Tempe Mortuary, 405 E. Southern Ave., Tempe. She passed away on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2000, in Phoenix.
     
      JOSEPH KROLCZYK, 55, of Manistee, died Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000, at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City. He was born Feb. 27, 1945, in Manistee.
      Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Herbert Funeral Home in Manistee. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at Trinity Lutheran Church, also in Manistee. Burial will be held in the spring at the Old School House Cemetery in Brown Township.
     
      DONALD M. LEE, 77, of Mancelona, died Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000, at his home.
      No services are scheduled at this time. The family was served by the Penzien Funeral Homes in Mancelona.
     
      MAYBELLE L. ROUND, 81, of Traverse City, died Thursday, Dec. 7, 2000, at Grand Traverse Pavillions.
      Arrangements will be announced by Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home of Traverse City.