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August 11, 2001

Obituaries

CLARE ARTHUR COBB, 43, of Northport, died Thursday, Aug. 9, 2001, at his home. He was born on Sept. 16, 1957, in Traverse City.
      Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Trinity United Church of Christ in Northport with Rev. Joseph Ripley officiating. Burial will be in the Leelanau Township Cemetery. Friends may call on Monday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Martinson Funeral Home in Suttons Bay.
     
      EAST JORDAN - Helen S. Lawton, 87, of East Jordan, beloved wife and mother, died peacefully at home on Wednesday.
      She was born Helen Virginia Shearer Jan. 9, 1914, in Greenville, Pa., one of three children of Earl and Hazel (Gosnell) Shearer. Following graduation from Northwestern High School in Detroit, she attended Highland Park Community College and graduated from the University of Wisconsin, earning a bachelor's degree in journalism. She was a proud me mber of the Pi Beta Phi sorority.
      On March 9, 1938, she married Norman Ballard Lawton in Detroit and was employed at the Whittaker Paper Company for several years. For the next 40 years, the couple resided in the Southfield/Farmington area, summering and vacationing in northern Michigan's Leelanau and Charlevoix counties.
      Helen took an active role in the lives of her husband, children and community. For over 35 years, she held a supportive role in the family's business, Star Cutter Company based in Farmington. As a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she instilled the values of spirituality, dedication and love through daily example to her family, friends and acquaintances. Her lessons were many during her lifetime and her spirit a life-long legacy. Artistic and athletic, she enjoyed ceramics, painting, collecting and reading and was an avid ice skater and swimmer. She was a member of the Church of Christ Scientist in Detroit and Milford, and numerous community and civic organizations, including the LSM group.
      She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Ethel Stanley and June Rowland; and one son, Gary L. Lawton. During their 63 years of marriage, Norman and Helen had five children, Maricia L. (David) of Durham, Conn., Bradley L. (Nancy) of Rapid City, Dee L. (Gregg) of Traverse City; Michelle L. (Todd) of Littleton, Colo. She was grandmother to Kristen, Kim, Kevin, Jeff, Bryan, Julie, Markelle, Joelle and Kendalle and great-grandmother of 10.
      Memorial services for the family to celebrate her life were held at the "Hill" on Lake Charlevoix. In accordance with her wishes, cremation has taken place.
      Contributions in her memory may be made to the American Heart Association or a charity of choice.
      Arrangements were handled by the Winchester Funeral Home in Charlevoix.
     
      PESHAWBESTOWN - Carolyn Diane McGrath Semasky, 33, of Peshawbestown, died on Thursday.
      She was born on April 25, 1968, in Bartow, Fla., the daughter of Mary Avis (McGrath) Hard. In November of 1998 in Peshawbestown, she married John Wade Semasky.
      Carolyn was employed as a human resource recruiter for the Leelanau Sands Casino. She was a member of Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
      She is survived by her husband, John; four children, Kayla Semasky, Elizabeth Shomin, Michelle McGrath and Charles McGrath; three sisters, Laurie Eager, Danielle Torres and Teresa Hard; mother, Mary Avis McGrath Hard; maternal grandmother, Lena Marie McGrath; and many other family members.
      Funeral services will be held on Monday at 11 a.m. at the Grand Traverse Bands Medicine Lodge with Jack Chambers Jr. officiating. Burial will be in the Kateri Tekakwitha Cemetery. Friends may call at the Medicine Lodge in Peshawbestown.
      Memorial contributions may be directed to the children.
      Arrangements were handled by the Martinson Funeral Home in Suttons Bay.
     
      ST. JOHNS - Peter F. Nieuwkoop died on Friday at the age of 88.
      Born in Cadillac April 30, 1913, the son of Anthony and Jennie (Zigter) Nieuwkoop. He married Vivian L. Bever Oct. 6, 1934, in Manton, and she survives him. Both were brought up in Manton where he became Postmaster. Later he entered the ministry and was ordained in the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Port Huron.
      During his 42 years of ministering he served in a number of Baptist Churches in Michigan. Several of the last churches he served were Northville Baptist Church, Maranatha Baptist Church in Lansing, and the First Baptist Church in St. Johns.
      Also surviving is one daughter, Jean (Edward) McKeehan of Harper Woods; one son, Roger (Susan) Nieuwkoop of Clinton Township; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; one brother, Cornelius "Casey" Nieuwkoop of Grand Rapids; and one sister, Thelma Sprague of Manton.
      Peter was preceded in death by two brothers, Bernard and Herbert Nieuwkoop.
      Funeral services will be 3 p.m. on Sunday at the First Baptist Church in St. Johns, with Pastor Tim Knaus officiating.
      Committal services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday at Fairview Cemetery in Manton. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday at the Osgood Funeral Home in St. Johns.
      Memorials may be made to the Gideon Living Memorial, Hospice for Clinton County or the St. Johns First Baptist Church Building Fund.
     
      BUCKLEY - Elgy W. Brintnall, 75, of Buckley, died on Friday at home.
      He was born on March 31, 1926, in East Jordan, the son of Arthur Welsey and Ledan Kovet (Stewart) Brintnall. On Aug. 14, 1948, he married the former Willa A. Clapsaddle at Echo Township in East Jordan.
      Mr. Brintnall was the owner of Elgy's Auto Body Shop in East Jordan. The family moved to Cadillac in 1965 when Elgy opened a business of restoring antique cars. He moved to Buckley in 1978 and retired on March 31, 1988. He enjoyed woodworking after his retirement. Elgy was a member of the Grant United Methodist Church in Grant Township, The James E. Dillon Lodge # 466 Free and Accepted Masons of Mesick Scottish Rite, Vally of Traverse City, AASR. He was Past Master of East Jordan #379 and Sherman Chapter # 179 OES.
      He is survived by his wife, Willa; children, William Brintnall of Sherman Oaks, Calif., Robert Brintnall of Buckley, Donna (Michael) Crosby of Cadillac, Patricia (Larry) Crawford of Clare and Mrs. Gloria Rad of New Bern, N.C.; 14 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; brothers, Bruce (Ruth Ann) Brintnall of Ada and Gale (Jane) Brintnall of Hudsonville; sisters, Lorena (Arthur) Cronin of Roscommon and Irene Hungerford of Sault St. Marie; and many nieces and nephews.
      He was preceded in death by his parents; a grandson, Jon Michael Rad in 1988; and a son-in-law, Darryl Rad.
      Visitation will be held on Monday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Peterson Funeral Home in Cadillac. A Masonic Lodge service will be held on Monday evening at 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
      Funeral service will be held on Tuesday at 1 p.m. at the funeral home with Rev. Bernie Griner officiating.
      Memorial contributions can be made to The Shrine Hospital or the Scottish Rite Scholarship Fund. Envelopes are available at the funeral home.