Search Archived Marriage Records
ALTA CHAMPION
Chelsea
Alta Champion, 92, died May 10, 2003, at the Chelsea Retirement Community. She was born Jan. 11, 1911, in Burton, Ohio, the daughter of Daniel D. and Mary (Barkman) Miller.
She married
Thomas Edward Champion June 20, 1937, in Ohio.
Mrs. Champion moved to Chelsea in 1999, coming from Belleville. She attended the Nazarene Church in Chelsea, and was formerly active in the Faith Assembly of God in Belleville. She worked for the University of Michigan Hospital in Surgical Supply before retiring in 1973.
Mrs. Champion loved cooking, crafts and homemaking. She helped her husband with his custom homebuilding business.
She was preceded in death by her husband on Feb. 27, 2002. Survivors include a daughter, Lois Mary Champion of Denver, Colo.; three sons, David Lee (Kelly) of Los Angeles, Calif., Daniel Paul (Barbara) of Ann Arbor and Lloyd James of Chelsea; eight grandchildren, Jeffrey, Erik, Rebecca, Laurie, Karrie, Jody, Gina and Mia; several great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
A funeral was held yesterday at the Chelsea Retirement Community Chapel. The Rev. Jeff Crowder officiated. Burial was at Oak Grove cemetery in Chelsea. Memorial contributions may be made to UMRC Heritage Foundation.
Arrangements were by Cole Funeral Chapel.
LARRY LONIK
Royal Oak
Larry J. Lonik, 54, died April 15, 2003, of heart failure at Pike County Memorial Hospital in Louisiana, Mo., after a day of mushroom hunting and camaraderie.
He was born Jan. 31, 1949, in Detroit, to Anthony and Joann (Lawrence) Lonik.
Mr. Lonik is survived by his parents and two brothers, Gary Lonik of DeWitt and Barry Lonik of Dexter.
Mr. Lonik, also known as "Tree, " "Spore Boy" and "The Mushroom Man, " was an authority on morel mushrooms. He was the author of the first book on morels, "The Curious Morel" (1984), and designed and built the first commercial facility to grow morels indoors.
He also produced mushroom hunting and cooking videos, led seminars and mushroom hunting weekends, and picked mushrooms in 19 states, seven Canadian provinces, 12 countries and three continents.
Mr. Lonik had been featured in various newspaper, magazine, radio and TV appearances, including CBS News’ "Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood, " Mother Earth News, The Food Network, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, National Public Radio and Martha Stewart Living.
Mr. Lonik shared his expertise and experience freely with thousands of people, helping them become better mushroom hunters, cooks and lovers of nature. His energy and enthusiasm were infectious.
His appeal to use mesh bags for mushroom collecting so that spores would fall and "re-seed" was unprecedented, and will continue through his business, Morel Heaven.
In accordance with Mr. Lonik’s wishes, his body was cremated. His ashes will be spread in northern lower Michigan on land where he hunted mushrooms.
A memorial and celebration of his life will be held 11 a.m. June 1 at Hudson Mills Metropark.
AUSTIN ALBERT ARTZ
Bradenton, Fla.
Formerly of Waterloo Township
Austin Albert Artz, 87, died Nov. 12, 2002, at his home in Bradenton, Fla. He was born Dec. 10, 1915, in Waterloo Township.
Mr. Artz served in the U.S. Army field artillery during World War II. He was a member of Salem Grove Methodist Church, Grass Lake American Legion Post 252 and Moose Lodge of Jackson.
Survivors include his wife, Nadine; son, Gale (Gisele) Artz; and three brothers Grover, Lloyd and Lester Artz.
A memorial service will be held 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Salem Grove Methodist Church, 3320 Notten Road, in Grass Lake.
Memorial contributions may be made to Salem Grove Methodist Church or Waterloo Methodist Church.
Arrangements were made Sherwood Funeral Home in Grass Lake.
MARY MONICA GAUTHIER
Sublimity, Ore.
Formerly of Chelsea
Mary Monica (Merkel) Gauthier, 79, of Sublimity, Ore., died May 5, 2003. She was born Dec. 15, 1923, in Chelsea. She married
George Gauthier Jan. 20, 1945, in Chelsea. A funeral was held May 9 at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Salem. Interment was at St. Mary Catholic cemetery in Shaw, Ore.
LEROY E. BRISTLE
St. Joseph
Formerly of Chelsea
Leroy E. Bristle, 77, of St. Joseph, formerly of Chelsea, died May 9, 2003, at Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph. He was born in Lima Township the son of Emanuel and Christina (Prinzing) Bristle.
Mr. Bristle was a lifelong resident of the area prior to moving to the west side of the state. He was a lifelong member of Zion Lutheran Church at Rogers Corners and retired from Associated Spring.
Mr. Bristle was a veteran of World War II, serving in U.S. Army and was a member of the Herbert J. McKune Post of the American Legion in Chelsea.
He enjoyed fishing, gardening and canning, and had a love of horses and enjoyed attending horse pulls.
Mr. Bristle married
Ruth L. Schittenhelm Sept. 2, 1949, in Chelsea and she survives.
Also surviving are his three children, Elaine C. (Ronald) Falcone of Beavercreek, Ohio, Eileen R. (Charles) Rubino of Dowagiac and Ernest W. (Karren) Bristle of Royal Oak, as well as seven grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by six brothers, Clarence, Elmer, Paul, Wilbur, Lawrence and Adolph, and a sister, Ruth.
A funeral was held Tuesday at Zion Lutheran Church. The Rev. Mike Konow officiated. Interment was at the church cemetery.
His family received friends Monday at the Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home and Tuesday at the church.
Memorial contributions may be made to Zion Lutheran Church or the American Diabetes Association.
MAX W. GRAMBAU
Ann Arbor
Formerly of Stockbridge
Max W. Grambau, 75, of Ann Arbor, formerly of Stockbridge, died May 13, 2003, at Riverview in Ann Arbor. He was born March 30, 1928, in Flint the son of Max W. Sr. and Edna (Ducap) Grambau.
Mr. Grambau was a tool-and-die maker for Gellman Sciences for many years.
He was also a veteran, serving in the U.S. Army during World War II and Korea. He was a member of Ann Arbor VFW Post 423.
Surviving are two sons, Mark (Sandra) Grambau of Ann Arbor and Michael (Michelle) Grambau of Chelsea; two brothers, John Grambau of Muskegon and Gary Grambau of Santa Rose, Calif.; one sister, Patricia Sullivan of Lansing; and three grandchildren, Joel, Melissa and Jacob Grambau.
He was preceded in death by one sister, Marjorie Panwas.
A funeral will be held 10 a.m. today at the Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, 901 N. Main St., in Chelsea. The Rev. William Turner will officiate. Burial will take place at Ft. Custer National cemetery in Augusta.
The family received friends yesterday at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
CARL W. LAIER
Chelsea
Carl W. Laier, 76, died Dec. 13, 2003, at home. He was born Nov. 26, 1927, in Chelsea Village, the son of Gustave and Rose (Merkel) Laier. He was a lifelong resident of Chelsea and member of St. Mary Catholic Church.
Mr. Laier was blind from birth, but he knew his livestock by touch and was able to put each animal in the correct stall. He also was accurate with names, dates, places and times. No one cleaned a barn better than him and his brother, Bob.
Surviving are his two sisters and two brothers, Sister Helen Laier and Robert F. Laier, both of Chelsea, and Teresa (George) Trumbull of Springhill, Fla., and Donald A. (Penny) Laier of Chelsea. Several nieces and nephews survive, as well.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Lawrence, Edward and Thomas; and his nephew, Rodney Laier.
A funeral Mass was held yesterday at St. Mary Catholic Church in Chelsea. The Rev. William Turner officiated.
The family received friends at the Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home in Chelsea, where a Rosary was held. Burial was at Mount Olivet cemetery in Chelsea.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Louis Center or Pious Union
ANE BELSER WOLF
Chelsea
Jane Belser Wolf, 86, of Chelsea, formerly of Flossmoor, Ill., died Jan. 30, 2005, at Chelsea Community Hospital. She was born July 26, 1918, in Detroit, the daughter of Paul P. and Esther Mary (Schenk) Belser.
Mrs. Wolf grew up in Chelsea and maintained a residence in Chelsea all her life. Upon the death of her husband, she returned home to Chelsea to be with friends and family.
Mrs. Wolf and her husband, Bernard, were longtime members of Ravisloe Country Club in Homewood, Ill., and the Tuscon National Country Club in Tucson, Ariz. She was treasurer and a lifetime member of the University of Chicago Mother's Aid Organization, as well as an avid supporter of University of Michigan football.
On July 22, 1944, she married
her husband, who preceded her in death Jan. 5, 2004.
Mrs. Wolf was a devoted wife for 59 years, as well as a loving and devoted mother and grandmother.
Survivors include her children, Jonathan (Joan) of Chelsea, Deborah (David) Allen of Smyrna, Ga., and David (Nancy) of Chicago; and her beloved grandchildren, Jason, Joseph and Jeremy Wolf, and Jessica and Robert Allen, and Caroline and Peter Wolf.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Fritz Belser.
A funeral was held Tuesday at Cole Funeral Chapel in Chelsea. The Rev. Barbara Wright and Peter Flintoft officiated. Private burial was at Oak Grove cemetery in Chelsea.
Memorial contributions may be made to Chelsea Community Hospital, Faith In Action, or the charity of one's choice.
HERBERT SCHWARZ
Dexter
Herbert Schwarz, 53, of Dexter died Jan. 27, 2005, at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. He was born Oct. 5, 1951, in Stuttgart, Germany.
Mr. Schwarz was the loving father of Irene and Dennis Schwarz. Both survive.
Also surviving are his former wife, Marlies; brother, Helmut Schwarz; his parents; and many friends.
A memorial service will be held 1 p.m. Saturday at Hosmer-Muehlig Funeral Chapel in Dexter. The family will receive visitors at the funeral home from 11 a.m. until the time of service.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
WALDO DANIEL LUCKHARDT
Dexter
Waldo Daniel Luckhardt, 87, of Dexter died Jan. 30, 2005, at Arbor Hospice. He was born March 20, 1917, in Saline, the son of Ernest and Lula (Klein) Luckhardt.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Alice; one great-granddaughter; and four brothers, Roy, Larry, Robert and Wesley Luckhardt.
He is survived by brother, Leo (Lorena) Luckhardt; sister, Lois Hieber; four sons, Karl (Evelyn), Richard (Debbie), Lamar (Pat) and Earl (Connie) Luckhardt; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; ex-wife and good friend, Bertha Luckhardt; and several nieces and nephews.
A funeral service was held yesterday at Hosmer-Muehlig Funeral Chapel in Dexter. The Rev. Mark Porinksy officiated.
Memorial contributions may be made to Arbor Hospice.
