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December 6, 2001ObituariesTRAVERSE CITY - George D. Ferris died Monday at Munson Medical Center.George was born in Traverse City, the son of George A. and Dora L. (Micham) Ferris. George had been employed as a tool and die maker and in electronic sales. He was active with the Boy Scouts of America and had served as a scout master and committee man. He also was a member of the Northern Michigan Artist Craftsman and was a past president of the Traverse City Camera Club. He also was a member of the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society and was involved in the Cherryland Amateur Radio Club. He was a very strong oil painter, cartoonist, animator, astronomer and general ham operator with the call letters W8FFG. George is survived by wife, Mary; a brother, John (Cebela) Ferris of Higgins Lake; children, John James (Valerie) Ferris of Titusville, N.J.; George D. (Roberta) Ferris of Southfield, Mass., Elizabeth (Lon) Ricketts of Knoxville, Tenn.; eight grandchildren; his mother-in-law, Helen Endres of Traverse City, two brothers-in-law, William Endres of Traverse City and Richard (Lisa) Endres of Eaton Rapids; two sisters-in-law, Ann (James) Abfalter of Traverse City and Dael Ealy of Easton, Md.; a special nephew, Jack Ferris, and a special niece, Joyce Ferris, both also of Easton Md.; a special niece Dorothy Hahnenberg of Greenville; and several more nieces and nephews. Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. on Dec. 15, at the community room of Hillview Terrace, 601 Fitzhugh Dr., Traverse City. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Cherryland Humane Society. The family was served by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home. TRAVERSE CITY - Esther M. Howard, age 82, of Traverse City, passed away Monday, Dec. 3, 2001, at Bortz Health Care of Traverse City. Esther was born August 27, 1919, in Hastings, the daughter of LeRoy and Josephine (Dann) Watrous. She married Edmund W. Howard on June 1, 1940, in Woodland. Esther studied music at Houghton College in Houghton, N.Y., and piano in Chicago. She later taught private piano lessons for 25 years. Esther was a member of the Grosse Pointe Community Choir and volunteered with children's reading programs in Detroit. Esther returned to Traverse City from Grosse Pointe Woods in the 1980s where she reunited with Asbury United Methodist Church. She participated in the Faith Circle. Esther enjoyed trips to Canada where she traveled through all the provinces and all of the continental United States. She also spent time in Europe visiting Greece, Scandinavia, England, Hungary and Romania. She is survived by her daughter, Connie (Loren) Trnka of Plymouth, Minn., sons, Stephen (Nancy) Howard of Lake Odessa and Alan (Judy) Howard of Escanaba; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and three step-grandchildren. Esther was preceded in death by her husband Edmund; her parents; and one granddaughter. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Dec. 8, at 1 p.m. at Asbury United Methodist Church. The Rev. William Haggard will officiate. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Asbury United Methodist Church. Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home is serving the family. PALM DESERT, Calif. - Jacques LesStrang, father, grandfather, author and former CEO and chairman of Harbor House Publishers, now based in Boyne City, died on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2001, at Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Desert, Calif. He was 75. Recognized as one of the nation's outstanding and most widely quoted authors on the Great Lakes, he authored six books dealing with international trade, maritime and political history, and U.S.-Canadian relations including the Book-of-the-Month Club selection, "Seaway." He began publishing the widely respected and internationally distributed maritime journal, Seaway Review, in 1969 and served as Editor-in-Chief for 24 years. He also served as CEO and Chairman of Harbor House Publishers, which he founded, until 1990. In addition, LesStrang published economic reports for the U.S. Congress and the Canadian Parliament and wrote the script for the 1993 PBS documentary, "Inward Passage." He was named "Maritime Writer of the Year" by the U.S. Propeller Club and "Great Lakes Man of the Year" by the governors of the eight Great Lakes states and premiers of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. In recent years, LesStrang served as the CEO of the LesStrang Group, a Christian publishing and marketing firm in Palm Desert, Calif. LesStrang was also the former president and creative director of an Ann Arbor-based international advertising and marketing agency with offices in Michigan and London, England. He served as an international marketing consultant to the state of Michigan heading trade missions to Europe to generate business for the state. In addition, he managed a number of successful state and national political campaigns for congressional and gubernatorial candidates including former Michigan Governors William Milliken and George Romney. LesStrang's work on international marketing, government, and the maritime industry has been published in 16 languages. Born in Pittsburgh, raised by his mother, Ada, and encouraged by his many aunts and uncles, LesStrang developed a lifelong love of literature and music which he shared with his seven children and 11 grandchildren. LesStrang served in the U.S. Air Force in World War II and as a military journalist at Scott Field in St. Louis. He received degrees from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. (1948) and the University of Michigan (1951). He is a former member of Washington's National Press Club and is listed in Marquis' international edition of Who's Who in the World. LesStrang is survived by his wife, Barbara LesStrang of Palm Desert, Calif.; his seven children, Michelle (Rod) Cortright of Boyne City, Dianne Mathias of Palm Desert, Calif., Steve (Debbie) Marcks of Carlsbad, Calif., Paul (Patty) LesStrang of Ringle, Wis., Linda (Evan) Keefer of Ridgefield, Conn., Dave (Elaine) LesStrang of Arlington, Va., and Christian LesStrang of San Francisco, Calif.; 11 grandchildren, Sarah, Melissa, Susie, Melanie, Chelsea, Jonathan, Benjamin, Joshua, Michael, Basia, and Matthew; and one great-grandson, Samuel. His entire family joined with him in the last days of his life for a time of reflection, confirmation and joy. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Jacques LesStrang Memorial Fund, c/o The Critter Coalition, P.O. Box 1841, Joshua Tree, CA 92252. CLARA M. BAILEY, age 102, of Traverse City and formerly of Birmingham, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2001, at Grand Traverse Pavilions. A funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, with Rev. Dr. David Gabel officiating. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery in Clinton, on Monday, Dec. 10, at 1 p.m. The family was served by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home of Traverse City. MARGARET LOUISE BAKER, 85, of Frankfort, passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2001. Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 7, at the Frankfort Chapel, McElduff Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8, at the Frankfort Congregational Church. Interment will be in Crystal Lake North Cemetery. RUBY BLANCHE BENWARE, 90, of Grayling, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2001. Visitation will be held between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6, at Sorenson Funeral Home, McEvers Chapel. Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6, at the funeral home. Interment will be in Elmwood Cemetery, Grayling. Arrangements are by Sorenson Funeral Home, McEvers Chapel, Grayling. HARRIET M. BYLE, 99, of Bellaire, passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2001, at Meadow Brook Medical Care Facility in Bellaire. The family will receive friends from 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 7, at the Penzien Funeral Homes, Inc. in Mancelona. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8, at the St. Anthony Catholic Church in Mancelona. |
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