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November 1, 2000

Obituaries

HELEN J. BRACKEN, 88, of Manistee, died Friday, Oct. 20, 2000, at her home.
      A memorial Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Guardian Angels Catholic Church in Manistee, where visitation will be from 9:15 a.m. until the time of service. Arrangements are being handled by The Herbert Funeral Home, PC in Manistee.
     
      THOMAS JAMES BRADY, 50, of Grayling, died Monday, Oct. 30, 2000, at his home. A para-professional at Grayling High School, he was born March 23, 1950, in Rochester, NY.
      Visitation will be from 1 to 3 p.m. today at Sorenson Funeral Home, McEvers Chapel in Grayling. Memorial services will follow at 3 p.m. at the funeral home.
     
      ANNA M. STAMP, 94, of Manistee, died Monday, Oct. 30, 2000, at Manistee Heights Care Center in Manistee. A homemaker, she was born June 23, 1906, in Manistee.
      Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. today at Herbert Funeral Home in Manistee, where an evening prayer service will be held at 8 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Manistee. Burial will follow the Mass at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Manistee.
     
      MILDRED G. STRAIT, 91, of Memphis, Tenn., formerly of Traverse City, Mich., died Thursday, Oct. 26, 2000, at her residence.
      Burial was at Oakwood Cemetery in Traverse City. Arrangements were handled by Memphis Funeral Home, Polar Chapel in Memphis, Tenn.
     
      VERNA LOIS WELLS, 72, of Northport, died Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2000, at home.
      A full obituary will appear in Thursday's Record-Eagle. Arrangements are being handled by Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Traverse City.
     
      Jeremiah G. Kimball
      Died October 24, 2000
      ELK RAPIDS - Jeremiah G. Kimball, 24, a lifelong resident of Elk Rapids, died Tuesday.
      Born Sept. 1, 1976, in Bradenton, Fla., he was the son of Glen Eugene and Marlene (Johnson) Kimball.
      A 1994 graduate of Elk Rapids High School, he enjoyed playing sports, especially baseball, basketball and football. He also loved hunting, fishing and playing paintball combat games with his high school buddies. His favorite times were when all his family got together for gatherings and holidays. Jeremiah was loved by so many. He has touched so many people with his ever-present smile and charismatic personality. For being so young, Jeremiah lived a lifetime of love. There are so many loving memories that will be kept alive for all who cared and loved him. He will be forever missed.
      He is survived by one son, Kristopher Glen Kimball; two brothers, Eric Johnson and Jeremey Legg; one sister, Tanya Johnson; four very special aunts, Debra Fraley, Denise Richey, Della Benak and Tracy Kimball-Harris; one very special uncle, Don Benak; his grandfather, Glen (Judy) Kimball; and many cousins, Coriane, Priscilla, Billy, Terry, Crystal, Robert, Amanda, Daniel, Amanda, Adam, Tiffany, Tricia, Jimmy, Joshua and Samantha.
      He was preceded in death by his father, Glen Eugene Kimball; a grandmother, Clara Joan Driver; and an aunt, Marilyn Kimball.
      Visitation will be from noon until 2 p.m. Saturday at Elk Rapids Chapel of Covell Funeral Homes. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
      Memorials may be directed to family intentions.
     
     
      Albertine Mary Sawyer
      Died October 30, 2000
      TRAVERSE CITY - Albertine Mary Sawyer, a great-granddaughter of a pioneer Leelanau County family, came to rest in the arms of our Lord on October 30, 2000.
      One of 12 children of Joseph and Delia (Plamondon) Lamie, Albertine was born on December 28, 1919, in Traverse City. She grew up in her native Lake Leelanau and graduated from St. Mary's School in 1937. Proud of their French-Canadian heritage, the Lamie family spoke French at home and lived and loved their faith. She was a devoted child to her parents and a loyal sister to her many siblings.
      Following graduation, Albertine moved to Detroit with her sister, Mary Jane. As did many women of her generation, she served her country during World War II with her labor in numerous activities at a Detroit area defense plant. During that time, Albertine met then Master Sgt. Harold Sawyer (USMC) of Detroit and on October 24, 1946, they were married in her home parish of St. Mary's in Lake Leelanau.
      Albertine, her husband, and their growing family traveled extensively as her husband continued a military career. Wherever she lived she was active in parish life, Marine Corps life, and her family. She was a homemaker. Her special loves were sewing and swimming. She taught her children to swim and was an active swimmer throughout her life.
      After her husband's retirement, Albertine and her family came home to Traverse City in 1966. She was a member of St. Francis Parish. Her love of her faith grew throughout her life. She had a special devotion to the Carmelite Monastery in Traverse City. In retirement, she traveled with her husband and visited many places including her ancestor's home in Quebec. Recently she was learning computers and was proficient researching topics on the Internet.
      She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, Major Harold Sawyer, a grandson, Cameren Henry, sisters Elizabeth Wakulat, Mary Jane Gromek, and Barbara Lyon, and brothers Paul, Richard, and Donald Lamie. Also, in infancy a brother Evangeliste and sisters Mary and Lorraine.
      She is survived by her sons Buzz Sawyer and his wife Ardele Leavelle of Albany, Calif., and John and Marge Sawyer; daughters Mary Sawyer and her husband Rob Crandell, Anne and Kevin Henry, all of Traverse City; and grandchildren Laura Bramer, David Sawyer, and Brett Higgins. Also surviving are her sister Dorothy (Morris) Kolarik and brother Joe (Lorraine) Lamie Jr., all of Traverse City, and many nieces and nephews. Albertine was devoted to her faith and was a sterling example of womanhood.
      A Memorial Service will be held at St. Francis Church on Friday, November 3, at 11:00 a.m. The family will greet guests at the church at 9:30 a.m. followed by a rosary at 10:30 a.m. Interment will be at St. Marys Cemetery in Lake Leelanau.
      Memorials may be directed to the Carmelite Monastery or St. Francis of Assisi Church in Traverse City.
      Arrangements have been entrusted to the Traverse City Chapel of Covell Funeral Homes.
     
      Eugenia 'Genie' Marie Unkefer
      Died October 29, 2000
      TRAVERSE CITY - Eugenia "Genie" Marie Unkefer, 76, of Traverse City, died peacefully Sunday morning after a brief illness.
      Born Dec. 2, 1923, in Detroit, she was the daughter of Irma and Paul Heiler.
      After high school Genie attended nursing school in Delaware and worked as a registered nurse in the Detroit area. In January 1947 she married Dr. William Thomas Unkefer, who preceded her in death in March 1999. Also preceding her in death was her son, William Thomas Unkefer, Jr. in 1997, and three stepbrothers, George, Philip and Paul.
      She is survived by three sons, Paul (Connie) of Traverse City, David of Okemos and Daniel of East Lansing; and her brother, Jacques, of Corpus Christi, Texas. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, Hannah, Kyle, Lyndsey, Nathan, Brienne, William and Rebecca.
      Cremation has taken place. A private family memorial service will be held December 2.
      Gifts in memory of Eugenia may be directed to the Dennos Museum in care of NMC, 1701 E. Front Street, Traverse City, MI 49686-9955 or to the Cherryland Humane Society, 3201 Lafranier Road, Traverse City, MI 49686.
      Arrangements are being handled by Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home of Traverse City.