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July 7, 2002ObituariesBENZONIA - Norma June Finks, 79, of Benzonia and formerly of the Flint area, died Monday, July 1, 2002.Norma attended the Benzonia Congregational Church and formerly was a member of the St. John Catholic Church in Davidson. She received her associate's degree from Mott Community College, and then was employed as secretary to the college's registrar until her retirement on June 30, 1979, after 21 years of service. Norma enjoyed ice-skating, dancing, roller-skating and participating in the Flint Senior Olympic Games, where she won several medals. Survivors include her loving children, Carol (Randy) Dye of Beulah, Judith (Carl) Kneiper of Davidson and Bill (Marcia) Finks of Fenton; the loves of her life, grandchildren, Kristi, Amy, Toni, Jason, Shayne, Danaca and Matt; her 10 great-grandchildren; her sister, Katherine "Kittie" (Gary) Kramer of Levering; brothers, E. Marne (Frances) Meyer of Lemon Grove, Calif., and Wayne (Barbara) Meyer of Bay City; sister-in-law, Irma Meyer of Bradenton, Fla.; aunts, Ruth Degenhart of San Diego, Dephane Hansen of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., and Harriette Parker of Pinellas Park, Fla.; and numerous nieces and nephews. Norma was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, William Thomas "Poppy" Finks who died in 1992; her brother, Hial Meyer; and several aunts and uncles. Private family burial has taken place at the Benzonia Township Cemetery. Memorial services to celebrate Norma's life will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, July 10, at the Benzonia Congregational Church, with the Rev. Stephen Davidson officiating. A luncheon will follow at the Sail Inn. Memorial contributions may be made to the Senior Fund, St. John Catholic Church in Davidson, or to The Homesteader for Senior Activities in Benzonia. The family is being served by the Benzonia Chapel, McElduff Funeral Homes. DEWEY WILLARD HARTZELL JR., 75, of Buckley, died Saturday morning, July 6, 2002, at his home. Per his wishes, cremation has taken place. The family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 9, at the Covell-Smith Funeral Home in Kingsley. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 10, at the funeral home. A full obituary will appear in Monday's edition of the Traverse City Record-Eagle. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Covell-Smith Funeral Home in Kingsley. ANNA CORA KILL, 94, of Kalkaska, died Friday, July 5, 2002, at her home. Visitation will be held between the hours of 7 and 9 p.m. Monday, July 8, at Wolfe Funeral Home in Kalkaska. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 9, at New Life Assembly of God in Kalkaska. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery. Arrangements by Wolfe Funeral Home, Kalkaska. IZABEL MARIE KRUMLAUF, one month old infant, of Fife Lake, passed away Thursday, July 4, 2002, at Butterworth Spectrum Health Center in Grand Rapids. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday, July 8, at Wolfe Funeral Home in Kalkaska. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the services at the funeral home on Monday. Arrangements by Wolfe Funeral Home, Kalkaska. MAXINE 'MICKEY' SCHAFER, 78, of Pierport, died July 2, 2002, at the West Shore Medical Center in Manistee. A celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 9, at the Onekama Church of the Brethren. The Oak Grove Cremation Center of Manistee is in charge of funeral arrangements. VICTOR ANTHONY VEPRAUSKAS III, 47, of Kaleva, died Wednesday, July 3, 2002, at West Shore Medical Center in Manistee. Cremation has taken place. The Oak Grove Cremation Center of Manistee is in charge of funeral arrangements. EAST JORDAN - Norman B. Lawton, 88, of East Jordan, noted industrialist, entrepreneur, environmentalist and beloved husband and father, died at home Saturday, June 29. He was born Norman Ballard Lawton in Athol, Mass., on June 25, 1914, the oldest of four children of Howard and Lucy Mary (Farrington) Lawton. At an early age, he moved with his family to Detroit. Following graduation from Northwestern High School, he attended the University of Michigan, studying engineering for three years, and was a member of Theta Chi fraternity. He was also a long distance runner, both in high school and college. With the outbreak of World War II, he returned to Detroit to work at the family business. On March 9, 1938, he married Helen Virginia Shearer in Detroit, his high school sweetheart, and together they celebrated 63 years of marriage until her death in August 2001. For 40 years, the couple resided in the Southfield/Farmington area, summering and vacationing in Northern Michigan's Leelanau and Charlevoix counties, and eventually moved to the Lake Charlevoix area. Norman assumed the presidency of Star Cutter Company in 1945, which had been started by his father Howard and Frank Burgess in 1927. Under his guidance and with a talented and dedicated team of employees, Star Cutter grew from 10 original employees to over 900 with plants in several states, becoming a world leader in the machine cutting tool industry. He led his company the same way he and his wife Helen led their personal life and family: with tenacity, boundless energy and unrelenting determination, while offering extraordinary kindness to whomever needed guidance and direction. He left an indelible mark on the lives of many. His motto was "find a way or make one," and Norm "stormed" through life with that commitment. He was known as a friend to the working man, not a boss. And he never asked anyone in his employ to do something he hadn't done or wouldn't do. He and his loyal staff pioneered countless machine tool manufacturing practices and innovations, and patented technological advances that to this day produce sophisticated metal cutting tools. Over the years he was a member of many boards and organizations including the Metal Cutting Tool Institute, Farmington Exchange Club and president of Detroit Skating Club. He held special appreciation for the environment and this state, protecting it through stream restoration, reforestation efforts and wildlife habitat improvements. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; sister, Vivian Stanley and brother, Leonard Lawton; and one son, Gary L. Lawton. He is survived by a sister, Dorothy L. Guilbert of Boyne City; Norman and Helen had five children, Marcia L. (David) Kalayjian of Durham, Conn., Bradley L. (Nancy) Lawton of Traverse City, Dee L. (Gregg) Smith of Traverse City and Michelle L. (Todd) Swank of Littleton, Colo. He was grandfather to Kristin, Kim, Kevin, Jeff, Bryan, Julie, Markelle, Joelle and Kendalle, and great-grandfather of 11. Memorial services for the family to celebrate his life were held at the Hill on Lake Charlevoix. In accordance with his wishes, cremation has taken place. Memorial contributions may be made to the Norman B. Lawton Education Scholarship Fund through Star Cutter Company, P.O. Box 376, Farmington, MI 48332. Arrangements were handled by the Winchester Funeral Home, Charlevoix. TRAVERSE CITY - Sheila Muriel McNeilly, 70, of Traverse City, died Friday, July 5, 2002, at home with her loving family at her side. Mother to Sharon and Susan, mother-in-law to Jim, grandmother to Natalie, Colby, Caitlyn and Jacob and great-gran to Mara, Sheila was loved and always will be loved by her family. A private family service was held at the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be directed to Munson Hospice. LAKE ANN - Eugene D. Roelofs Sr., 72, of Lake Ann, passed away at his home on Wednesday, July 3, 2002. Gene was born in Grandville on Feb. 22, 1930, to the late Albert and Dena (Hopp) Roelofs. He served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Gene married the former Estelle B. Fischer in Grand Rapids on Aug. 27, 1954. A retired construction superintendent, Gene was a member of the Lions Club, and a former member of the Lake Ann Fire Department and EMT. He enjoyed hunting, bowling and fast pitch softball. Gene is survived by his wife, Estelle of Lake Ann; his five sons, Dale (Sandy) Roelofs of Karlin, Bob (Sharon) Roelofs, Greg (Gina) Roelofs, Dave (Wendy) Roelofs and Kris (Lisa) Roelofs, all of Lake Ann; 11 grandchildren; and his brother, Del (Phyllis) Roelofs of Lake Ann. Along with his parents, Gene was preceded in death by his brother, Norm; and his sister-in-law, Donna Roelofs. Friends may call between the hours of 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 7, at the Bennett-Barz Funeral Home in Beulah. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday, July 8, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Almira Township Fire Department and EMS. Arrangements by the Bennett-Barz Funeral Home in Beulah. |
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