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February 21, 2003ObituariesTRAVERSE CITY - Gary E. Lefler, 68, of Traverse City, died Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2003, at his home.He was born Sept. 10, 1934, in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, the son of Earle William and Evelyn (Walters) Lefler. Gary lived in Windsor, Canada, where he was employed as a supervisor for TNT Overland Express in Detroit before retiring in 1992. It was at this time that he moved to Traverse City. On April 16, 1996, he married Carol Ann Charboneau in Traverse City. Gary enjoyed woodworking, listening to music and watching hockey and football. Gary is survived by his wife, Carol of Traverse City; his seven sons, Blair (Sandy), Gary Paul (Helen), Brian, Steven (Carol), David (Joslyn), Todd (Christine) and Mitchell (Vanessa); and two daughters, Kim (Roy) Brown and Pamela (Les) Sulyok; 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and his brother, Beverly (Ruth) Lefler. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Barbara; his parents; and his brother, Donald. Cremation will take place and no services are planned at this time. Memorial contributions may be made to Munson Hospice. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Traverse City Chapel of Covell Funeral Homes. RAYMORE, Mo. - Dawn Eloise (Emery) Tullis, 82, of Raymore, Mo., passed from this life at daybreak Monday, Feb. 17, 2003. It was the morning of her 61st wedding anniversary. Dawn was born Sept. 1, 1920, in Ovid, the second of 13 children born to S.I. and Lelia Emery. She spent her early childhood years in Central and northern Michigan, where her father was a minister. For many years her family home was in the area of the south shore of Clam Lake near Bellaire. In the early 1940s her family lived in Colorado Springs, Colo., where her father was president of Colorado Springs Bible Training School, now Oklahoma Wesleyan University. It was here that Dawn met a young ministerial student named Lyle Tullis. On Feb. 17, 1942, they were married and in the summer of 1942, the couple moved to Newkirk, Okla., where Lyle was assigned his first pastorate. As these were the war years, very soon Lyle was in the U.S. Army and Dawn was raising a young son alone. Following the war, they lived in Southern Michigan while Lyle attended Central Michigan University and Michigan State University. In the early 1950s, the family moved to Hermiston, Ore., and later to Colorado Springs, Colo., and El Monte, Calif. While in California, Dawn earned her bachelor's and master's degrees at California State University in Los Angeles. She taught school at Montrose elementary in Glendale until the family moved to Bartlesville, Okla., during the summer of 1964. Along with her husband, Lyle, she taught at Oklahoma Wesleyan University, generally in the areas of education and psychology. In 1972, the family moved to Yukon, Okla., and she returned to her first love, teaching young children. For many years she taught first grade at Lake Park Elementary in the Putnam City School District. In recent years, she traveled extensively with Lyle, usually on long driving trips throughout the United States and Canada. Dawn was an avid reader and loved making things with her hands. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Lyle Tullis of Yukon, Okla.; three sons, Ross (Laura) Tullis of Raymore, Mo., Rex (Phyllis) Tullis of Oklahoma City, Okla., and K.J. (Alice) Tullis of Yukon, Okla.; grandchildren, Lance Tullis, Jonathan Tullis, Renee Gorny, Rhett Tullis and Patricia Tullis; three great-grandchildren; four sisters; two brothers; and many friends and relatives. She was preceded in death by her parents and seven sisters. Memorial contributions may be made in Dawn's name to Southern Nazarene University. Services will be held at 7 p.m., today, Feb. 21, at the Oklahoma City First Church of the Nazarene, with private interment in the Fort Gibson National Cemetery on Monday, Feb. 24, 2003. Arrangements are being handled by the Mercer-Adams Funeral Service of Bethany, Okla., (405 )495-4363. TRAVERSE CITY - Ella Clune, 94, of Traverse City, died Tuesday morning, Feb. 18, 2003, at Grand Traverse Pavilions. She was born March 5, 1908, in Missaukee County. Ella attended the University of Michigan School of Nursing. She married James E. Clune, a civic leader and longtime Ford dealer in Cadillac and Traverse City who preceded her in death. A member of the First Congregational Church of Traverse City, Ella was an accomplished bridge player and volunteer at Munson Medical Center. In later years, she was employed by the Traverse City Record-Eagle. Survivors include her son, James F. (Madelene) Clune of Traverse City, and her daughter, Sandra McGeary of Santa Fe, N.M.; six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; her brother, Burt (Charlotte) Forquer of Dearborn Heights; and many nieces and nephews. Ella was preceded in death by her brother, Leo Forquer; and her sister, M'Ree Walker. Ella's wish was to be cremated with her ashes to be placed in the First Congregational Church Garden of Remembrance. No services are planned at this time. GRAWN - JoAn Hunter Blair, 73, much loved mother, grandmother, sister and friend, died Feb. 18, 2003, after a valiant fight against cancer. She was born Feb. 16, 1930, in Cincinnati, the daughter of James and Alice (Blues) Blair, immigrants from Scotland. JoAn graduated from Flint Central High School in 1947. On March 22, 1951, she married Dan Gwyn. She completed her diploma in nursing at the University of Michigan in 1952, graduating as a registered nurse. In 1979, she earned her bachelor's degree in vocational education and health occupations and in 1980, received her master's degree in vocational education administration from the University of Michigan. JoAn is survived by her three daughters, Jan (Ermin) Gornik of Ann Arbor, Julie (Marc) Courville of Grawn and Lee Ellen Gwyn of Grawn; grandchildren, Hannah Gornik, Martha Gornik, Noelle Gornik, Alexander Courville and Rachel Courville; her brother, John (Frances) Blair; nephews, Scott Blair, Stephen Blair and Michael Blair, and her niece, Bethany (Blair) Cartier; and many cousins. She was "host grandma" to Dominik Mayr and Feli Bruegel both exchange students from Germany. She was a hard working and compassionate nurse and teacher throughout her career. She worked for the Flint Public Health Department, Upjohn Homemakers Temporary Service, the Flint Board of Education, Genesee County Cooperative Extension Service, The University of Michigan, Flint Branch, Crestmont Medical Facility in Fenton, Genesee Intermediate School District and Community Health Service with McLaren Hospital. JoAn retired in 1993. Her volunteer work included being a 4-H leader in Washtenaw and Genesee counties, the Special Olympics, American Red Cross blood programs and the Young People's Ballet Theatre. She was the founder and Queen Mother of the Cherry Red Hatters, a chapter of the Red Hat Society, and a board member and costume coordinator for the Celtic Fire Highland Dancers. Her hobbies included sewing, writing her life story, actively researching her Scottish heritage and genealogy, community theater, ballet, movies, travel and playing bridge. JoAn was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, James Blair; and her niece, Cynthia Blair. A memorial celebration of her life will be held in her honor at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to The Young People's Ballet Theatre of Flint, the American Cancer Society or the American Red Cross.
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