January 3, 2005

Obituaries

Jesse R. Abbott
Died December 30, 2004
      LAKE LEELANAU - Jesse R. Abbott of Lake Leelanau and formerly from West Frankfort, Ill., died Dec. 30, 2004 at the Birchwood Nursing Home.
      Jesse served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and married the former Shirley Mouilso during that era. After the war, he attended school for sheet metal and air conditioning on the GI Bill. He spent his years as a contractor and supervisor in the ventilation industry.
      Jesse is survived by his wife, Shirley; three sons, Richard (Kathy) of Huntington Woods, Rodger (Rose) of Phoenix, Ariz., and Randy (Donna) of Bloomfield Hills; and eight grandchildren, Maureen, Gary, Kerri, Josh, Timothy, Adam, Amy and Nathanial.
      Arrangements are with the Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay.

Gretel D. (Slack) Bernardini
Died December 20, 2004
      TRAVERSE CITY - Gretel D. (Slack) Bernardini, 88, died at the Arbor House in Traverse City Monday, Dec. 20, 2004. She was born April 17, 1916, the daughter of LeRoy and Allie Slack of Mesick.
      Gretel graduated from Mesick High School in 1933 and attended County Normal in Cadillac. She devoted her life to education and began her teaching career at the one-room Copley School in the northern part of Wexford Township.
      She later attended Western State Teachers College of Kalamazoo, where Gretel specialized in reading problems in children. Upon receiving her bachelor's degree in education, she taught at the Frankfort County Normal as critic teacher for several years.
      During summer vacations, Gretel attended the University of Michigan and received her master's degree. She worked with several schools in Michigan, setting up special programs for special students. She was also an associate professor at Central State University and Western State University of Gunnison, Colo.
      Gretel became well-known as a reading consultant and in 1961 she was asked by the United States Department of Education to help set up a curriculum for schools in Afghanistan. She did this, and subsequently provided the same needed service to Brazil.
      Gretel retired after 35 years of working in the various schools. The last five years were devoted to being a reading consultant for the Traverse City public school system.
      She is survived by her brother, Jerome (Margery) Slack of Traverse City; a step-daughter, Catherine Hoffman of North Carolina; two grand-nieces, Lesley Slack of Traverse City and Sundee McConnell of St. Louis, Mich.; and four grand-nephews, Jeffrey (Amy) Slack of Traverse City, Tom Slack of Florida, Patrick Slack of North Carolina and Christopher Slack of Cadillac; as well as several great-grand-nieces and nephews, and many friends.
      Gretel was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John; and her son, Peter.
      A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005, at the First Congregational Church of Traverse City, with Dr. Gary Hogue officiating.
      Memorial contributions may be left to the Scholarship Department of the First Congregational Church of Traverse City.
      The family is being served by Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home, Traverse City.