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December 15, 2000

Obituaries

ZELDA M. PACKARD, 101, of Frankfort passed away on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2000, at Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital Long Term Care in Frankfort.
      Arrangements are being handled by The Bennett-Barz Funeral Home of Beulah.
     
WHITE LAKE - Goldie Josephine Tedder, 86, of White Lake, went home to be with her Lord on Sunday, Dec. 10.
      Mrs. Tedder was an active member of First Baptist Church of Pontiac. She will be missed by family and friends too numerous to mention.
      She is survived by her son, Donald J. (Sharon A. ) Cole and her daughter, Annette S. (Thomas H. ) Elliott; she was the loving grandmother of Amber G, Katherine D., Sarah E., Joshua T., Rachel A., and the late Christina A.; step grandmother of Gregory M., Jennifer L., Jeffrey M., Sherry M., Kristin A. and Kimberly M; great-grandmother of Brenden H. and step great-grandmother of Christopher L; step daughter of Cyrus C. Johnson; sister of Clifford (Mary) Meyers and Margery DeLong; also survived by many loving nieces, nephews and dearest lifelong friend, Rose Mills.
      Funeral service will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Donelson, Johns and Evans Funeral Home, with Pastor Terry Rudd officiating. Internment will take place at White Chapel Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home today from 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.
      Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Pontiac. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
     
NASHVILLE - Marsha Ann "Marti" Stites, 62, formerly of Traverse City, died Saturday at her home in Nashville, Tenn., where she has lived for the past 20 years.
      Marsha was born on December 13, 1937, in Williamsburg, to Mahlon R. and Ivah M. (Shaw) Blakeslee. On August 22, 1954, she was married to Irwin R. Stites in Boyne City.
      Marsha worked for 25 years in claims with State Farm Insurance in Big Rapids. She also worked 13 years at Northern Telcom in Nashville, Tenn. She was a member of Sweet Adelines in Big Rapids and Eastern Star. She loved to bowl, travel, play the piano and sing, and often played for weddings and funerals.
      She is survived by her husband, Irwin R. Stites of Nashville, Tenn.; her sons, Capt. Ronald P. (Kim) Stites of Virginia Beach, Va., and Leonard A. Stites of Lebanon, Tenn; daughters Dawn M. (Gilbert) Infants of Mesa, Ariz., and Julia A. (Alan) Koschmider of Cadillac; and sister Karon (James) Anderson of Williamsburg; as well as 10 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
      Marsha is preceded in death by her parents, Mahlon and Ivah Blakeslee, and a brother, Whitney R. Blakeslee.
      A funeral service at the Williamsburg United Methodist Church in April 2001 will be announced at a later date.
      In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made in her memory. A recipient has not been chosen at this time. Memorial donations may be directed to the family in care of Julia Koschmider, 3519 W. Cecil Rd., Cadillac, MI 49601.
      Arrangements have been entrusted to the Elk Rapids Chapel of Covell Funeral Homes.
     
TRAVERSE CITY - Anne H. Green, 87, of Traverse City, died Tuesday.
      She was born October 26, 1913 to Klaas and Klaska "Clara" (Fliestra) Hartsuiker in Rock Valley Iowa. In 1935 she married Dr. B.W. Green in Hawarden, Iowa.
      Anne is survived by her sons, Blythe (Sigrid) Green, Jr., of Grand Ledge; Dr. Ted (Grace) Green of Brookfield, Wis.; sisters Ellen (Manford) Billings of Calif.; Jackie (Winefred) Berryman of Okla.; grandsons Blythe III of Miss.; Theo of Milwaukee, Wis.; Jon of Minneapolis, Minn.; and Miles of Milwaukee, Wis.
      Anne was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; sister Tracy; and brothers Klaas and Billy.
      No services are planned at this time.
      Memorial contributions may be directed to East Bay Cavalry Church.
     
TRAVERSE CITY - Estelle Mosher Boughey, 86, of Nashville, Tenn., went to be with her Lord Wednesday after a short illness.
      Estelle is survived by three children, Grace M. Boughey of Nashville, Tenn., Alice Stackhouse of Kalamazoo, and Clyde L. (Patricia) Roberston, Jr., of Traverse City; three grandchildren, Charles Sedlacek of Kalamazoo, Tammy L. (Kieth) Mackenzie of Fenton, and Randy (Lori) Robertson of Cryne, Ky. She is also survived by four sisters, Mary Alice Grapentine of Atascadaro, Calif., Shirley Erwin of Traverse City, Maybelle Flees of Grawn, and Joyce (Robert) Brown of Caro; and one brother, Ray Frank of Eaton Rapids. She also leaves behind three great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
      She will be cremated in Nashville, with a graveside service planned in Traverse City in the spring.
      God looked around his garden and found an empty place. He then looked down upon the earth and saw your tired face. He put His arms around you and lifted you to rest. God's Garden must be beautiful. He always takes the best. He knew that you were suffering. He knew that you were in pain. He knew that you would never get well on earth again. He saw the road was getting rough and the hills were hard to climb, so He closed your weary eyelids, and whispered, "Peace be thine." It broke our hearts to lose you, but you didn't go alone. For part of us went with you the day God called you home.
      Contributions made in her name to the Cherryland Humane Society and the Father Fred Foundation are sincerely appreciated and heartfelt.
     
CEDAR - Josephine Rae Mazurek, 83, lifelong resident of the Traverse City and Cedar area, died Thursday at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City.
      Josephine was born December 2, 1917, in South Boardman, to Ray and Lottie (Brackenburry) Dick. She was married December 29, 1951 to Adam X. Mazurek at the Holy Rosary Rectory.
      Before she was married, Josephine worked for Kresges downtown and also for Parts Manufacturing. After marrying, she worked with her husband on the family centennial farm. She enjoyed sports and especially enjoyed watching her grandchildren participate. Most recently, on her 83rd birthday, she traveled to Sault Ste. Marie to see her grandson, Jamie Mazurek, play basketball for Lake Superior State.
      She is survived by her four children, Noel "Jean" Galla of Cedar, Gerri Ann (Frank) Brzezinski of Cedar, Gary Paul (Cheryl) Mazurek of Cedar, and Barry Philip (Barb) Mazurek of Cedar; sister Betty Barry of Marquette; 10 grandchildren, one great grandchild, and many nieces and nephews.
      Josephine is preceded in death by her husband, Adam, on January 23, 2000; her step mother, Mary Etta Matteson; two sisters, Marjory Crump and Arliss Haviland; her brother, LeRoy Dick; and her son-in-law, Paul Galla.
      Private family services will take place.
      In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Cedar Rescue.
      Arrangements have been handled by Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Homes of Traverse City.
     
TRAVERSE CITY - Mildred Van Petten, 89, of Traverse City, died Tuesday at the Grand Traverse Pavilions.
      She was born August 26, 1911 at the family home in Blair Township and spent all 89 of her birthdays at the place of her birth, the family home. She was the daughter of John and Clara (Brakel) Canfield, the youngest of eight children raised on the family farm near Silver Lake. On June 28, 1937, in Traverse City, she married William Van Petten who preceded her in death.
      Mildred's elementary school days were spent at the two room school house in Grawn, which was a three mile walk to and from home. During high school, she and her twin sister, Margaret, lived downtown. Mildred graduated in 1929 from Traverse City High School. She and Margaret continued their education at Central Michigan Normal in Mt. Pleasant, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree and a teaching certificate.
      Mildred began her career as a high school teacher. She taught in Bellaire, Whittemore, Brimley, Linden and Fenton school systems. She retired from teaching in June of 1971.
      She was very much a family person and was devoted to her family's land. A member of Grawn United Methodist Church, Mildred also enjoyed the company of her many friends, traveling, playing cards, baking, bowling, and swimming in Silver Lake.
      She is survived by her son, William (Peggy) Van Petten, Jr. of Allen, Tex.; two grandsons, Steve and Jason, and many nieces and nephews.
      Preceding her in death were her parents, a son, Richard, and siblings; Ida Ann, Crystal, Thereasa, Margaret (her twin), Bill, and twins, Carl and Charles.
      Funeral services will be today at 11 a.m. at the funeral home, with the Rev. Dan Biteman officiating.
      Burial will be in the spring at Maple Grove Cemetery in Grawn.
      Memorial contributions may be directed to the Grawn United Methodist Church.
     
TRAVERSE CITY - Elizabeth M. Burkheiser, 85, formerly of Detroit, died Wednesday in Traverse City, her residence of the past 25 years.
      Elizabeth was born in Republic, MI on December 18, 1914, to Fred and Hortense (VanHavermaat) Goggin. On November 25, 1933, she married William P. Burkheiser in Detroit.
      Elizabeth attended Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and was a member of the Eagles Auxiliary Aerie #383 in Traverse City. She was an employee of Chrysler Corp. at the Mound Rd. Engine Plant until her retirement in 1975. She was a member of the lower Michigan UAW Retired Workers. Elizabeth especially enjoyed playing Bingo.
      She is survived by four children, Thomas Burkheiser of Warren; Bonnie Burkheiser of Traverse City; Mimi (Marty) McEvoy of Farmington Hills; and Susan (Ken) Beck of Chapman, Kan.; her sister, Agnes (Woody) Barnes of St. Clair Shores; 10 grandchildren, six great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
      Elizabeth was preceded in death by her husband, William, on June 9, 1990; two brothers, Jack and Fred Goggin; and one sister, Geneva Rossi.
      No services are planned.
      Memorials may be directed to the Grand Traverse County Commission on Aging, 400 Boardman Ave., Traverse City, MI, 49684.
      Arrangements have been handled by Reynold-Jonkhoff Funeral Home of Traverse City.