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October 27, 2000

Obituaries

LUCEINE V. AZELTON, 81, of Kalkaska, died Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2000, at Kalkaska Memorial Health Center. She was born Sept. 4, 1919, in Kalkaska County.
      Funeral services were held on Friday, Oct. 27, at the Wolfe Funeral Home in Kalkaska. Burial was at Evergreen Cemetery.
     
      IRENE C. DOHM, 99, of Traverse City, died Thursday, Oct. 26, 2000, at Grand Traverse Pavilions.
      At her request, no services will be held. Arrangements were made the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Traverse City.
     
      EVELYN C. GARLAND, 87, of Roscommon, died Thursday, Oct. 26, 2000, at Mercy Hospital in Grayling. She was born Dec. 18, 1912, in Grayling.
      Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. today at Sorenson Funeral Home, McEvers Chapel in Grayling. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. John Lutheran Church in Grayling, where visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service.
     
      LEORA 'LEE' MANKE, 79, of Arcadia, died Oct. 26, 2000, at her home. A retired factory worker and bar owner, she was born Jan. 25, 1921.
      Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Edwards Funeral Home in Bear Lake. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Arcadia. Burial will be at Pilgrim Home Cemetery.
     
      EDWARD A. RADTKE, 89, of Filer City, died Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2000, at Memorial Medical Center of West Michigan in Ludington. A retired civil defense and CETA program director for Manistee County, he was born Sept. 2, 1911, in Manistee.
      Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Manistee, where visitation will be from noon until the time of services. Arrangements are being handled by Johnson Funeral Home of Manistee.
     
      Memorial services for ORVILLE E. RICHARDSON will be held on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2000, at 2 p.m. at the American Legion Post No. 219 in Fife Lake. The post is located on Rt. 188, 1/2 mile west of Rt. 131. Orville passed away on Oct. 17, 2000, in Three Rivers.
     
      Margaret D. Long
      Died October 22, 2000
      TRAVERSE CITY - Margaret D. Long, 84, of Traverse City, died Sunday.
      Born March 5, 1916, in Wichita Falls, Texas, she was the daughter of Herman Otto and Mary Catherine (Green) Runge. She married her first husband Robert B. May, who preceded her in death in 1940. On Aug. 2, 1946, she married her second husband, Dr. Keith James Long, who preceded her in death in February 1988.
      Formerly of Munster, Ind., Margaret lived in the Traverse City area since 1974. She was a member of The Presbyterian Church, Munson Medical Center Women's Auxiliary and the Traverse City Ladies Book Club. Margaret enjoyed collecting figurines, painting, needlework and crafts.
      Survivors include two sons, Ronald K. Long of Levittown, Pa. and William A. (Lisa) Long of Traverse City; a daughter, Mary Kathryn (Robert Patrick) Hall of Traverse City; five grandchildren, Jeffrey S. (Patricia) May, Randall A. (Misti) May, Brian R. (Karen) May, Samuel K. Long and Taylor G. Hall; one great-granddaughter, Brianna May; and many nieces and nephews.
      She was preceded in death by two sons, James Runge May and Robert Belford May; a daughter-in-law, Carol J. May; two brothers, Otis Runge and William Runge; a sister, Alice Lofton; and a grandson, Craig May.
      Memorial services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, at The Presbyterian Church in Traverse City with Rev. David Ramage officiating. Friends may call at the church at the time of service. Burial will be at Grand Traverse Memorial Gardens.
      Memorials may be directed to Munson Hospice House Building Fund.
      The family is being served by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Traverse City.
     
      Samuel C. Wartinbee
      Died October 20, 2000
      TORCH LAKE - Samuel C. Wartinbee, 75, of Torch Lake, Central Lake Township, formerly of Ann Arbor and El Cajon, Calif., passed away peacefully Friday in Ann Arbor.
      Mr. Wartinbee was the son of the late F.D. and Isabelle M. Wartinbee of Clintonville, Wis. He was preceded in death by his wife of 45 years, Marjorie "Jo," and his siblings, Cupie, Donald, Betty Martini and Jane Schlice.
      Surviving are his four sisters, Mary "Midge" Haase, Ellen Mae (Ed) Giroux, Effie Ehrmann and Roberta "Bobbie" Tradewell, along with numerous nieces and nephews. Also surviving are his four loving children, Linda W. Harvey of Chesapeake, Va., Samuel C. Jr. (Linda) of Fruitland Park, Fla., Robert D. (Christina) of Glendale, Calif., and Betsy M. (Jeff) Waldrop of Ann Arbor, and eight grandchildren, Joshua (Sherri) Porter, Jessica Porter, Travis and Shelby Concon, Steven and Denisa Wartinbee, and Benjamin and Jacob Waldrop.
      Following his service in the Korean Conflict, Sam earned his degree at the University of Michigan College of Engineering, graduating with the class of 1950. He was a lifelong member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. During these years he met "Jo," and they married in 1954. He was invited into the partnership of McNamee, Porter and Seeley, an engineering firm in Ann Arbor, where he dedicated his life's work as a civil engineer. Prior to retirement and moving to Torch Lake in 1983, Sam provided for and raised his family. Sam served his community as a member of Kiwanis Club, and as a Deacon at the First Congregational Church. During his career he served as president of both the Michigan Society and the National Society of Professional Engineers, as well as, a founding member, and later chairman of Professional Engineers in Private Practice. In May of this year Sam was presented the 50-Year Emeritus Award by the U of M Alumni Association.
      Following retirement, Sam enjoyed his lifelong love of Torch Lake in northern Michigan. Gardening, canning, fishing, hunting, golf, family and friends filled his time over the years until he dedicated his every moment to the care of his wife, "Jo," following her stroke in 1998. A month after Jo's death on October 20, 1999, Sam was diagnosed with lung cancer and began his battle against the disease that claimed his life.
      Sam Wartinbee was a good man, an honorable man. He was a strong-willed, intelligent man, with a sharp mind right to the end. Godspeed, Sam Wartinbee. You are loved and missed.
      The family received friends Monday at the Muehlig Funeral Chapel in Ann Arbor.
      Services were held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, at the Ann Arbor First Congregational Church, 608 E. Williams St.; the Reverends Robert Livingston and Michael-Ann Dunbar officiated.
      The family will receive their northern Michigan friends today at 11 a.m. for 11:30 a.m. services at the Central Lake Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes [(231) 544-3600.] Interment at Lakeview Cemetery will follow services for those wishing to attend.
      Memorial contributions may be made to the Ann Arbor First Congregational Church, Samuel C. Wartinbee Memorial Fund.
     
      Donald Richard "Dick" Weber
      Died October 24, 2000
      GAYLORD - Donald Richard "Dick" Weber, 47, of Gaylord, died Tuesday.
      Dick was born June 9, 1953, in Calgary, Alberta, along with his identical twin brother, William. Dick met his wife, Sharon, at Chateau Lake Louise. They wed in 1981 after a four year courtship.
      Dick grew up in Toronto and attended Richmond Hill High School. He began his hockey career at the age of three and played Junior A hockey. He earned hockey scholarships at prestigious Cornell University of the Ivy League in Ithaca, NY. During his hockey career at Cornell, he earned the Joe DeLibro Award exemplifying his sportsmanship. Dick earned a degree in hotel management and graduated from Cornell in 1976. He was also offered a tryout with the LA Kings.
      Dick learned of a position as general manager opening at Hidden Valley Resort in Gaylord through the Cornell Alumni Services. He investigated Gaylord and the position at Hidden Valley and saw it as a wonderful opportunity. Dick and his family moved to Gaylord in 1985. He was instrumental in major improvements to the Hidden Valley Resort and Otsego Ski Club. Dick moved on after seven years at Hidden Valley to Marsh Ridge Resort in Gaylord. There, early on, he became the first president of the Gaylord Area Tourism and Convention Bureau. He was well suited as a leader in roles such as that of spearheading the Gaylord Golf Mecca.
      Early after becoming general manager at Marsh Ridge was when Dick first started acting on his personal dream to someday have ownership roles in hotels. In partnership with Daune Weiss, owner of Gaylord's Holiday Inn, they had owned several hotels throughout Michigan including Grand Rapids, Traverse City, Lansing and Greenville.
      Other accomplishments and achievements include Dick having a kingpin role establishing the Otsego County Sportsplex, which opened in 1996. He was also a gifted musician who could entertain friends for hours on the plane. Dick gave back to the community with his Rotary Club involvement.
      He is survived by his wife, Sharon; daughter, Jennifer; a son, William; his twin brother, William (Charleen DeLong); mother, Margaret Weber; Sharon's brother, Paul (Karyn) Espey; and Sharon's parents Al and Shirley Espey. He is also survived by two nephews, Graham and Samuel.
      Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. today from the Gaylord Evangelical Free Church, where visitation will be from noon until the time of service.
      Memorials may be directed to the American Cancer Society or the ALS Association through the Nelson Funeral Home, 135 N. Center, Gaylord, MI 49735.
      Daune Marie (Langestaff) Weiss
      Died October 24, 2000
      GAYLORD - Daune Weiss, 53, Gaylord community leader and owner of the Gaylord Holiday Inn, died Tuesdy, Oct. 24, in Gaylord.
      Daune was born July 29, 1947, in Newberry. A graduate of Northern Michigan University, she taught English and sociology in St. Ignace and Rudyard schools. She served on the development boards on both Northern Michigan University and Lake Superior State University and was nominated earlier this year to fill the next vacant position on Lake Superior State's board of trustees. She was recently elected to the North Country Bank board of directors.
      Daune moved to Gaylord in 1985 and became owner of the Holiday Inn. An active civic leader, she has been involved in numerous organizations and last July received the coveted Buergermeister award, an honor given to the "Citizen of the Year" by the Gaylord Herald Times. She was also selected Alpenfest parade marshal in 1995. Among her other awards is the Northern Michigan University Alumni Service Award, American Association of University Women (Gaylord chapter) Women Making History Award, Gaylord/Otsego County Chamber of Commerce Athena Award and Gaylord Kiwanis Club Citizen of the Year.
      During her 15 years in Gaylord she was active in the Gaylord/Otsego County Chamber of Commerce, Gaylord Area Convention and Tourism Bureau, West Michigan Tourist Association past president and board member, Otsego County United Way board of directors, Alpenfest Honors Luncheon Committee chairperson, Gaylord Rotary Club, Gaylord Downtown Development Authority board of directors and founder and president of the Gaylord Wish Tree Foundation, an annual activity that has provided gifts for hundreds of needy children at Christmas time each year. She also hosted Wertz Warriors snowmobilers annually, an event that raises money for the Special Olympics.
      She is survived by three sons, Christopher (Sarah), of Boulder, Colo., Peter of East Lansing and Andrew, a student at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie; and a grandson, Jacoby. She is also survived by her fiance, Robert Palmbos of Gaylord; a sister, Lori Langestaff of Rudyard; and brothers, Peter Langestaff of Fibre and Earnest Langestaff of Moran in the Upper Peninsula.
      She was preceded in death by a daughter, Kirsten, in 1975.
      Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. today and 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the Nelson Funeral Home in Gaylord. A public memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at St. Mary Cathedral in Gaylord. Burial will be at the Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Moran.
      Memorials may be directed to the Gaylord Holiday Inn Wish Tree or the Daune Weiss Memorial Fund through the Nelson Funeral Home, 135 N. Center, Gaylord, MI 49735.