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BERTHA SNAY
Grayling
Formerly of Dexter
Bertha Snay, 100, died Feb. 25, 2005, at her daughter's home in Dexter. She was born Feb. 20, 1905, in Dexter, the daughter of Ludwig and Elizabeth Hanselmann.
Mrs. Snay is survived by her children, LeRoy Snay, Dwaine (Maureen) Snay, Evalyn (George) DuPree and Louise (Walter Jr.) Page; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, of 43 years; daughter, Leona Frank Mannor; seven sisters; and six brothers.
Mrs. Snay will be greatly missed by all her family.
A private burial was held at Forest Lawn cemetery.
Those wishing may make donations in her name to Arbor Hospice.
Arrangements were by Hosmer-Muehlig Funeral Chapel
LOUISE I. SHERWOOD
Torrance, Calif.
Louise I. Sherwood, 70, died Feb. 9, 2005, in Torrance, Calif. She was born May 30, 1934, in Ishpeming, the daughter of Juanita (Scott) and Robert Crawford.
Mrs. Sherwood graduated from Chelsea High School in 1952 and moved to Carson, Calif., in 1966. She was employed by Little Company of Mary in San Pedro for 27 years.
Mrs. Sherwood was preceded in death by her father, Robert Crawford; mother and stepfather, Juanita and Peter DeFant; and son, Ronnie Sherwood.
She is survived by her sons, Larry Roy of Corona, Calif., and Dale (Lisa) Sherwood of Grass Lake; brothers, Robert Crawford of Canada and Peter DeFant of Bradenton, Fla.; sister, Dorothy (DeFant) Fletcher of Grass Lake; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation was held Feb. 14, with rosary in the chapel of Roosevelt Memorial Park. Mass was held Feb. 15 at St. Philomena Catholic Church and was followed by Interment at Roosevelt Memorial Park.
WILLIAM "AL" SNIDER
Dexter
William "Al" Snider, 68, of Dexter died Feb. 27, 2005, after an extended illness. He was born April 10, 1936, in Lansing, to Bessie and Walter Snider.
Mr. Snider moved to Alanson in 1957 and married
Nola Kitchen in 1958. Three years later, the couple moved to Dexter, where Mr. Snider spent the remainder of his life.
Mr. Snider was employed by the University of Michigan, retiring in 1998 after 21 years of service. He was very passionate about life and enjoyed golfing and the outdoors. He also enjoyed spending time with his wife, children, grandchildren and many friends.
Mr. Snider is survived by his wife, Nola; five children, Virginia Ann (Greg) Keniston of Saline, Jill Marie (Robert) Snider-Meyer of Franklin, Wis., Sally Lee (Greg) Costa of Pensacola, Fla., Tina Louise (Keith) Dettloff of Holly, and Al Donald (Elizabeth) Snider of Brighton.
He is also survived by three brothers, Curtis (Mary) Snider of Lansing, Claude (Sherri) Snider of Hastings and Larry (Faye) Perfitt of Lansing; four sisters, Beatrice (Ted) Kilvington, Frances Wallace and Gladys (Larry) Cataline, all of Lansing, and Lydia (Richard) Ostrander of Jackson; and nine grandchildren.
Mr. Snider was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Bessie; brothers, Michael, Walter and Douglas Snider; and sister, Beth Misner.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to Medilodge of Howell, Unit 1, and Lighthouse Hospice for the compassionate care he was given. Al will be dearly missed by his family and friends.
A memorial service was held yesterday at the Hosmer-Muehlig Funeral Chapel in Dexter.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Dexter High School Baseball Team, 2200 North Parker Road, Dexter, MI 48130.
SANDRA E. POWERS
Chelsea
Sandra E. Powers, 55, of Chelsea died Feb. 25, 2005, in Scottsdale, Ariz. She was born Dec. 28, 1949, in Detroit, the daughter of Walter and Cecillia (Gurney) Bavol. She had lived in the area since 1990, coming from Stockbridge.
Mrs. Powers' entire life was centered on her family and grandchildren.
Surviving are her father of St. Clair Shores; two children, Dustin (Sonya) Byrd of Jackson and Shannon (James) Neate of Melbourne, Australia; her husband, Gary A. Basso, of 13 years; and her husband's children, Cathy (Hal) Andrews of Ann Arbor, Christine (John) Stewart of Leslie and James (Tara) Basso of Clinton.
Also surviving are three brothers, Walter (Anita) Bavol, Bill Bavol and Charles (Georgia) Bavol, all of Florida; 10 grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her mother.
The family will receive friends from noon to 1 p.m. today at Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home in Chelsea. The funeral will be held 1 p.m. today at the funeral home. The Rev. William Turner will officiate.
Burial will take place at Safety Harbor cemetery in Tampa.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
CHARLES H. SAWYER
Chelsea
Charles H. Sawyer, 98, of Chelsea died Feb. 25, 2005, after a brief illness. He was born Oct. 20, 1906, in Andover, Mass., to James Cowan Sawyer and Mary Pepperrell Frost Sawyer.
Mr. Sawyer, or "Charlie" as he was fondly known, attended Phillips Academy in Andover and then Yale University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1929. He then went on to Harvard University, intending to become a lawyer, taking law classes, but also enrolling in a museum class with legendary teacher and museum director Paul Sachs, who took him in a new direction.
During that year, Mr. Sawyer was invited to become the first curator of the Addison Gallery of American Art at Phillips Academy in Andover, beginning a lifelong career as an art museum administrator and art historian.
He was hired by the Worcester Museum of Art in Worcester, Mass., in 1940 and then took a leave during the war years to join Office of Secret Service, working with the Roberts Commission to document works of art confiscated by the Nazis and see they were returned to their rightful homes.
In 1947, Mr. Sawyer returned to Yale, where he was granted an honorary master's degree and took on a challenging new position as director of the division of the arts and dean of the School of Architecture and Design. His duties included overseeing the colleges of architecture, art and drama, the Art Gallery, and the Department of History of Art.
During his tenure at Yale, Mr. Sawyer oversaw the construction of a major addition to the Yale University Art Gallery, working with legendary American architect Louis Kahn.
In 1957, he moved from New England to the Midwest, accepting a position as the second director of the University of Michigan Museum of Art and a member of the university faculty, where he remained until his retirement in 1972.
During his years at U of M, Mr. Sawyer created a landmark program in museum practice to train museum administrators, one of the first of its kind in the United States. Graduates of that program have filled leadership positions in major museums throughout the country, including the Toledo Museum of Art and the Cincinnati Art Museum.
A section of the pending addition to the University of Michigan Museum of Art to house a Center for Museum Studies will be named in his honor.
He was preceded in death by his wife Katharine "Kitty" Clay Sawyer, whom he married
in 1934. She was his devoted partner in receiving students and other guests into their home over many years.
They had no children, but are remembered with love by his niece, Elizabeth (Lee) Sawyer Klaeson of Durham, N.H.; his nephew, George F. (Geoff) Sawyer Jr. of Durham; and Katharine's three nieces, Phebe Leighton of Cambridge, Mass., Susan Berard of Fripp Island, S.C., and Paula Bungen of San Rafael, Calif.
He is also survived by his devoted caregiver, Dorothy Pickett of Jackson, and Susan Else Wyman of Ann Arbor, who knew him for almost 50 years and became his business associate and surrogate daughter.
A funeral was held Tuesday at the Chelsea Retirement Communities chapel, 810 W. Middle St. Burial was at Pine Hill cemetery in Dover, N.H. A memorial service will be held in early March at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Ann Arbor. A date will be announced.
A remembrance and celebration of Mr. Sawyer's professional life also will be held at the University of Michigan Museum of Art this spring.
Memorial contributions may be made to the University of Michigan Museum of Art, c/o James Steward, director, and designated, if desired, for the Charles H. Sawyer Center for Museum Studies.
E. JEAN MANN PURDY
Chelsea
E. Jean Mann Purdy, 76, of Chelsea died March 22, 2005, from complications of Alzheimer's disease at Towsley Village in Chelsea.
Mrs. Purdy was born Dec. 26, 1928, in Caro, the daughter of Frank and Veva (Kirk) Campbell. She graduated from Caro High School in 1946, attended the University of Michigan and received her teaching certificate and bachelor's from Central Michigan University in 1951. She earned a master's degree in guidance and counseling from Eastern Michigan University in 1971.
Mrs. Purdy taught for many years in the Chelsea School District and then served as a guidance counselor at Beach Middle School for more than 20 years, retiring in 1992.
She married
Paul Mann Aug. 2, 1952. He preceded her in death. Together they had four children.
Mrs. Purdy was a very involved mother and grandmother. She also did much community work. She was a founding member of the Chelsea Hospital Auxiliary, member of Chelsea Child Study Club, Bridge Club, Ann Arbor Women's City Club, Inverness Golf Club and First Congregational Church of Chelsea, among other groups.
Mrs. Purdy loved her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed sewing, golfing, traveling, singing, cooking, boating, playing bridge and being in charge. She had the most amazing patience, which certainly benefited her children.
Mrs. Purdy also was preceded in death by her parents; her son-in-law, Bill Shrosbree; and her brother, Douglas Campbell.
She is survived by her children, Jane Shrosbree of Chelsea, John and Anne Mann of Chelsea, Laurie and William Porter of London, England, and Susie Mann of Scottsdale, Ariz.
Mrs. Purdy was a loving grandmother to her nine grandchildren, Alison, Timothy and Stuart Mann; Paul, Thomas and Gus Porter; and Katherine, Sarah and Emily Shrosbree.
She is also survived by her sister, Anne Campbell Natvig, and her sister-in-law, Marilyn Campbell, both of Ann Arbor, as well as many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held March 26 at the First Congregational Church in Chelsea. The Rev. Clover Bailey officiated.
The family received friends at Cole Funeral Chapel and at the church.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Chelsea Community Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship Fund.
ALBERT ST. GERMAIN
Chelsea
Albert St. Germain, 86, of Chelsea died March 25, 2005, at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Superior Township. He was born June 7, 1918, in Baraga, the son of Chauncey and Ilene (Burke) St. Germain.
On Sept. 17, 1938, he married
Velma Wilson in Baraga, and she preceded him in death Sept. 15, 2004.
Survivors include two daughters, Jane (Ken) Stolaski of Chelsea and Sue (Walt) Pieknik of Belleville; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by an infant granddaughter.
A memorial service was held yesterday at Cole Funeral Chapel in Chelsea. Deacon Tom Franklin officiated.
Private burial was at Maple Grove cemetery in Sylvan Township.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.
BEULAH M. RANKIN-BEISSEL
Chelsea
Beulah M. Rankin-Beissel, 80, of Chelsea died March 27, 2005, at Chelsea Community Hospital. She was born Feb. 24, 1925, in Harbor Springs.
Mrs. Rankin-Beissel was a nurse at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor for 20 years, retiring in 1984. She also was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Chelsea for many years. Favorite pastimes were making latch-hook rugs, cooking, baking pies, putting together jigsaw puzzles and collecting trivets.
Surviving are four children, John (Rhonda) Rankin of Luna Pier, Henry (Ellen) Rankin of Alto, Carl Rankin of Chelsea and Catherine (Walter Broll) Rankin of Bloomington, Ill., as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Mrs. Rankin-Beissel was raised by Amanda and Albert Schneider, and they preceded her in death. She also was preceded in death by one sister, Doris Reynolds, as well as her first and second husbands, Marshall A. Rankin and Edward W. Beissel.
Funeral Mass will be held 10 a.m. today at St. Mary Catholic Church, 14200 Old US-12, in Chelsea. The Rev. John Miles will officiate. Burial will follow at Ridgeway cemetery in Ridgeway Township.
The family received friends yesterday at the Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home in Chelsea.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Louis School in Sylvan Township.
DAVID DeLONG
Ann Arbor
David DeLong, 87, of Ann Arbor died March 28, 2005, at the Chelsea Retirement Community. He was born Jan. 6, 1918, in New London, Conn., to David A. and Sarah M. (Bump) DeLong. In 1944, he married
Eugenia (Eady) in Guatemala, and she preceded him in death in 1972.
Mr. DeLong was a graduate of Dennison College in Grandville, Ohio, and lived to golf. He was a lifelong member of Barton Hills Country Club.
Mr. DeLong was the first B-29 bomber pilot to fly around the world.
He is survived by his three children, Sallie (Reo) Anderson of Carlton, Roger (Claire) DeLong of Chelsea and Denise (Ralph) Mackintosh of California; 11 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
He is also survived by one brother, Richard (Pat) DeLong of Dexter, as well as many nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents and wife, Mr. DeLong was preceded in death by one son, David E. DeLong, and one sister, Virginia.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to the World War II Monument Fund.
Arrangements were by the Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home in Chelsea.