October 29, 1999

Obituaries

VIRGINIA J. KILDEE, 74, of Traverse City, was also preceded in death by her brothers, Winston and Wintkrup Setchfield.
      Services for Virginia will be held at 11 a.m. today at St. Francis Catholic Church. Arrangements are being handled by Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home of Traverse City.
     
      RALPH T. RINGEL, 82, of Manistee, died Tuesday evening, Oct. 26, 1999.
      Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Manistee. Johnson Funeral Home of Manistee is in charge of arrangements.
     
      MARY STINDT, 84, of Grayling, died Thursday, Oct. 28, 1999, at Hilltop Manor Nursing Home in Roscommon. She was born Jan. 6, 1915.
      Visitation will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Sorenson Funeral Home, McEvers Chapel in Grayling. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
     
      Paul G. Belanger
      Died October 28, 1999
      BELLAIRE - Paul G. Belanger, 64, of Bellaire, died Thursday at his home.
      Born May 29, 1935, in Detroit, he was the son of Joseph A. Sr. and Julia (Waite) Belanger.
      He was raised in Bellaire and was a 1954 graduate of Bellaire High School. Following graduation he joined the U.S. Navy, serving 28 years and retiring as a chief warrant officer. On May 30, 1959, in San Diego, he married Delia Scholfield. They returned to Bellaire in 1982 where Paul was a bus driver for Antrim County Transportation for ten years.
      In 1993 he was presented the Heart O' Gold Award from the Michigan Department of Transportation for saving a young boy from an accident. Paul was a member of St. Luke Catholic Church in Bellaire, the Knights of Columbus and the Naval Institute Fleet Reserve Association.
      He is survived by his wife, Delia; four children, Charles G. of Muskegon, Debra J. (Daniel) Gaves of Ortonville, Patrick A. (Carla) of Colchester, Conn. and Robert A. (Tina) of Serrento, Fla.; two brothers, Charles L. (Rose) of Bellaire and Joseph A. (Sandi) of Troy; one sister, Yvonne O'Brien of Hart; nine grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
      He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Alice Kyte.
      The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the Bellaire Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes, where a Rosary will be recited at 8:30 p.m. by the Knights of Columbus and a Wake service will follow by Sr. Celine Goessl. A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Luke Catholic Church in Bellaire. Graveside services will follow at Eldred Cemetery, Kearney Township, under the auspices of the Torch Post VFW No. 6985.
      Memorial contributions may be made to the University of Michigan Cancer Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48109.
     
      Maria T. Coyne
      Died October 27, 1999
      TRAVERSE CITY - Maria Therese Coyne, 19, went home to be with the Lord after a two year battle with complications from heart disease at U of M Medical Center.
      Born Jan. 8, 1980, in Traverse City, she was the daughter of Gerald Coyne of Traverse City and Deborah (Denoyer) Coyne of Traverse City. Maria was a member of the St. Francis Parish family.
      Maria's work career included Big Boy, Auntie Anne's, Tom's and Casa Del Norte. Her daughter, the light of her life, Morgan Elizabeth Chippewa, was born on July 28, 1997. One month later, Maria was diagnosed with post-partum cardiomyopathy, later suffering cardiac arrest. Throughout her two year illness, Maria was a member of the Doula teen program and went on to earn her high school diploma while being a loving and caring mother to Morgan.
      Maria is survived by her beloved parents, sister, Christina; brother, Benjamin; maternal grandparents, Roy and Dorothy Denoyer; Morgan's father, Raymond Chippewa; many aunts, uncles and cousins; and her special friends, Nancy Anne Baynton, Marsha and Jack Conlon, Aunt Terri Denoyer, Maureen Nelson, Brenda and Tanya Nicolen, Beth Nussdorfer, Tony Pizzo, J.R. St. Croix and Scarlett Zamora. She was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, George and Christina Coyne; her uncles, Scott and Jeff Denoyer and Thomas Coyne; and her precious dog, Pixie.
      In Maria's short life, she touched the lives of many people. Throughout her illness she rarely complained. She always thought about how everyone else was feeling and tried to cheer them up. She had a delightful sense of humor and a beautiful smile. Maria never attracted attention to herself even though she endured great suffering. She was a loving mother to her daughter, Morgan, who will miss her greatly. Maria loved to hear Morgan's sweet little voice call her mommy. Even though Maria's physical heart couldn't make it, the love she leaves all of us keeps our hearts beating in her memory. She was committed to Jesus and now rests in His loving arms.
      Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. today with a scripture service at 7 p.m. at St Francis Catholic Church. Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated by Father Bill Lipscomb at 11 a.m. Saturday at the church. Following burial a luncheon will be served in the church's family center. Maria's resting place will be in Grand Traverse Memorial Gardens.
      Maria's family would like to thank the staff of Munson Home Health, particularly Munson Hospice, for all their love, support and care throughout her illness.
      Memorial contributions may be made to the Pregnancy Resource Center, or for the care of Morgan Elizabeth Chippewa in care of Deborah Coyne.
      "Maria: Living Fragrance," For to God we are Christ's fragrance for those who are being saved and for those who are perishing. II Cor. 2:15"
      Arrangements were handled by Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home of Traverse City.
     
      Leona M. Kelenske
      Died October 28, 1999
      TRAVERSE CITY - Leona M. Kelenske, 85, of Traverse City, died Thursday peacefully at home with her family at her side.
      Born Dec. 4, 1913, in Traverse City, she was the daughter of Albert P. and Christina M. (Vogl) Attinger. On Sept. 4, 1937, at St. Francis Catholic Church in Traverse City, she married Anthony J. Kelenske, who preceded her in death on May 25, 1995.
      Leona was a lifelong resident of Traverse City and a lifelong member of St. Francis Catholic Church. She graduated from Manistee High School in 1931. With her parents and grandparents, the family operated the Oakwood Boarding House on Eighth Street from the late 1800's to the turn of the century. Leona also worked at the Traverse City Cigar Box Factory and in 1954 she began working for the Grand Traverse County clerk's office as the circuit court chief deputy, retiring in 1982. Following her retirement, she volunteered for numerous county programs. Most recently, she was a member of Grand Traverse County TRIAD, a crime prevention and education program for the elderly.
      She is survived by three daughters, Susanne (Thomas) Skudlarick of Canton, Christine (Sonny) Szejbach of Elk Rapids and Mary Ann (David) Shick of Warren, Ohio; seven granddaughters, Cathy (Ted) Manville, Connie (Bill) Carpenter, Cindy Champt, Caryn (Doug) Sieffert, Corinna (Brad) Balentine, Lisa Szejbach and Amy Szejbach; and seven great-grandchildren - all of Traverse City.
      Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home of Traverse City. An evening prayer from the Order of Christian Funerals will be held at 7 p.m. A Mass from the Order of Christian Funerals will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Elk Rapids with Rev. Robert J. Zuchowski serving as celebrant. Burial will be in Oakwood Catholic Diocesan Cemetery in Traverse City.
      Memorial contributions may be directed to St. Francis Catholic Church or Munson Hospice.
     
      William Paul Stusick
      Died October 27, 1999
      CALEDONIA - William Paul Stusick, 44, of Caledonia, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday.
      Bill was first and foremost devoted to his wife and family. He was employed by Consumers Energy. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Nancy.
      He is survived by his loving wife, Tracy; his children, Maggie Stusick, Michelle Stusick and Danielle Aspinall; his father, William H. Stusick and Pat; his mother, Patricia Stusick; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Richard and Vivian Allerding; his sisters and brothers, Sharon and Joseph Carlton, Michael and Julie Stusick, Joseph and Christine Stusick and John Stusick; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Steve and Sue Allerding; and many nieces and nephews.
      The family will receive relatives and friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the DeVries Funeral Home, 4646 Kalamazoo Ave., S.E., Kentwood. Funeral and committal services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home with Rev. Michael Anton officiating.
      The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Stusick Children Education Fund. Envelopes are available at the funeral home.
     
      Eleonore V. Ziemba
      Died October 27, 1999
      LUDINGTON - Eleonore V. Ziemba, 84, of Ludington, died Wednesday at Oakview Medical Care Facility following an extended illness.
      Born Dec. 14, 1914, in Detroit, she was the daughter of Martin D. and Susan (Stolpa) Glinski. She was a graduate of St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor and worked as a registered nurse at Sinai Hospital in Detroit for many years. In 1937, in Angola, Ind., she married Walter P. Ziemba, who preceded her in death in 1963.
      Eleonore lived in Houghton Lake for ten years and in 1983 she moved to Ludington where she has since made her home.
      She is survived by two daughters, Barbara (Robert) Ozdarski of Milford and Rosemary (John) Bruno of Detroit; two sons, Walter P. (Geri) Ziemba, Jr. of Traverse City and Martin Ziemba of Ludington; one sister, Agnes R. (William) Shankin of Oakland; one brother, Jerome V. (Stella) Glinski of Detroit; two sisters-in-law, Mary (Charles) Gordon of Roscommon and Josephine (Tad) Rajda of Silver Springs, Md.; nine grandchildren, Christopher, Deborah, Douglas (Mindy), Matthew, Deanna, Andrew, Timothy (Beth), Trevor and Lauren; one great-grandson, Sage; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She is also survived by her good friends, Helen Gaines, Florence Helm and Ethel Stevenson.
      Private family services will be held at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield with Father Eugene Simon officiating.
      Memorial contributions may be directed to the charity or organization of the donor's choice. Envelopes are available at the Dorrell Funeral Home in Ludington.