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JOSEPH C. WALKOWSKI
Joseph C. Walkowski, 84, of Decker, Michigan, passed away Tuesday, February 22, 2005 at the Marlette Community Hospital Hospice House.
He had lived in the Decker area since 1928.
He was born on December 12, 1920 in Detroit, Michigan son to the late Adam and Adele (Tudyk) Walkowski.
He served his country in the United States Marines Corps from 1942 to 1946 as a Technical Sergeant during WWII.
He married
Betty Corey on May 28, 1949 in Big Rapids, Michigan.
He attended Ferris State University where he received his Drafting degree.
He worked for General Coach in Marlette and Pontiac Truck & Bus until his retirement in 1983.
He was a member of the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Marlette, a life member of the Marlette V.F.W. Post #4837 and was a former member of the Lamotte Township Firemen for many years.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Walkowski of Decker; a son, Mark and Tina Walkowski of Holly, MI.; daughters, Nancy (Pete) Mutch of Lapeer, MI., Roxann and Dale Nichol of Flint, MI., and Peggy and Paul Gilmour of Decker; a brother, A. Jay and Marian Walkowski of Salt Lake City, UT.; grandchildren, Amy, Jill, Ann, Andy, Nathan, Greg, Paul, Brian, Michael, Kim and Phillip and great-grandchildren, Corbin, Ethan and Jacob.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Adam and Adele Walkowski.
Funeral services were conducted on Friday, February 25, 2005 at 11 a.m. at the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Marlette with Fr. Reginaldo Salcedo officiating. Interment was at the St. Elizabeth Catholic cemetery in Marlette.
Memorials may be made to the United Hospice Service or the Marlette V.F.W. Post #4837.
Arrangements by Marsh Funeral Chapel, Marlette.
ROBERT C. BALLARD
Robert C. Ballard, 80, a life long resident of Marlette, passed away Friday, January 21, 2005 at his home.
He was born on June 19, 1924 in Marlette, son to the late Clare and Alice (Fletcher) Ballard.
He graduated from Marlette High School in 1943.
He served in the U.S. Army during WWII, under General George Patton in the 460 3rd Ordinance Invasion Co.
He married
Mary Plummer on September 23, 1944 in Tavares, Florida.
He was a member of the Marlette First Presbyterian Church, the Marlette VFW Post #4837 and the American Legion Post #457 in North Branch.
He owned and operated Ballard’s Sales and Service and also was a former owner of Marlette Standard Gas Station. He worked for Wilson Chevrolet as a mechanic and service manager, Jim Hinterman Corp and retired from Marlette Auto Parts.
He is survived by his wife, Mary of Marlette; daughters, Carolyn and Roger Bailey of Clarkston, MI., Deborah and Craig Borgman of Spring, TX. and Robin and Elliott Passman of Troy, MI.; a son, Roger C. and Leslie Ballard of Marlette; brother, Charles and Donna Ballard of Beulah, MI; sisters, Ila Lee of Frankenmuth, MI. and Joy Harper of Hazel Park, MI.; and grandchildren, Leslie Bailey, Izaak Borgman, Julian Bailey and Andrew Passman.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Cremation took place at the Sunset Valley Crematory in Bay City, MI.
A memorial service will be conducted on Saturday, February 5, 2005 at 1:00 p.m. at the Marlette First Presbyterian Church with Rev. Kenneth Parker officiating. Visitation with the family will be conducted February 5 from 12:00 noon until the time of the service at the church.
Memorials may be donated to the Marlette V.F.W. Post #4837 and the Marlette First Presbyterian Church.
Arrangements by Marsh Funeral Chapel, Marlette.
JOSEPH ALLEN BRADLEY
Joseph A. Bradley, 33, a life long resident of Marlette, passed away Thursday, January 20, 2005 at his home in Koylton Township.
He was born on March 29, 1971 in Yale, Michigan, son to Kurt and Mary (Putz) Bradley. He was a 1989 graduate of Marlette High School.
He served his country in the U.S. Air Force from 1983 to 1993.
He worked as a concrete technician for a road construction company.
He is survived by his parents, Kurt and Mary Bradley of Marlette; a sister, Dawn Bradley of Saginaw; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by a brother, James Martin Bradley. Cremation has taken place at the Sunset Valley Crematory in Bay City, Michigan. A memorial service was conducted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 at 1:00 p.m. at the Marsh Funeral Chapel in Marlette with Fr. Reginaldo Salcedo from the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church officiating. Memorials may be given to a donation of choice.
MARY IRISH
Mary Rettig Irish, a devoted wife whose passion for motherhood paralleled a life devoted to friendship and philanthropy, died Sunday, Jan. 23, 2005, after a long battle with cancer. She was 59.
Mrs. Irish was married
for 38 years to George B. Irish, president of Hearst Newspapers. They maintained homes in New York City and in Plano, the Dallas suburb where their two daughters and grandchildren reside. “Families relocate often in the newspaper business,” said Jeff Cohen, editor of the Houston Chronicle and a long-time family friend. “Mary embraced the challenge each time. She became involved in the community and always developed a wide circle of interesting friends.”
As an adult, Mrs. Irish lived in eight cities. She was an enthusiastic traveler who spent much of her free time on trips that took her to four continents. She was an avid tennis player and golfer, and her gardening talent continually amazed her friends and family.
One of her greatest pleasures came from the support of charitable organizations, especially those involved with education.
“Mary had a compassionate heart for others who didn’t have the financial ability to attend a Catholic school,” said Kathy Boukissen, director of development at St. Joseph Catholic High School in Fremont, Ohio, which Mrs. Irish attended and where she endowed a scholarship in the name of her parents. “Even though she wasn’t living here, she cared about families who wanted a religious education.”
In a note to the school explaining her gift, she said she wanted to honor the memory of her parents and their regard for the school their children attended.
“Both of them gave so much for others,” Mrs. Irish wrote. “While they weren’t able to complete their education, they sacrificed for the education of their children and so many others.” Friends remembered her as always pleasant and, like her parents, imbued with simple values that stressed putting the needs of others first.
“She started every day with a smile,” said Janice Freeman, a friend from New York with whom she often walked in Central Park. “She was true to herself, whether she was with a movie star or with Janice Freeman. She was totally devoted to her family — George, her daughters and grandchildren. She would do anything to simplify and facilitate their lives. They came first, she came second.”
Daughter Sandi Irish said her mother was a source of constant support and inspiration.
“She’s always been there for us, physically and emotionally,” she said. “She’s definitely helped us make the right decisions as parents. Through the whole cancer, we’ve drawn strength.” Mrs. Irish was born of German parents in Nachod, Czechoslovakia, now the Czech Republic, in the waning days of World War II. She and her parents, Mathias Rettig and Anna Illi Rettig, later immigrated to the United States and made their residence in Fremont, where Mrs. Irish and her husband were married
in 1966. The Irishes moved to New York in 1993, when her husband was transferred to corporate headquarters and later appointed president of Hearst Newspapers. Mrs. Irish was active in charity work and was a frequent volunteer at the Call Again Thrift Shop in New York City, which benefited Brandeis University.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Irish is survived by their two daughters, Sandra Lynn Irish and Christine Marie Irish Sheedy, both of Dallas; a third daughter, Diane Leslie Irish, died in infancy.
Other survivors include son-in-law, Malcolm Sheedy; two grandchildren, Carson Matthew Irish and Samuel Joseph Sheedy; and two brothers, Mathias Rettig of Kent, Ohio, and John Rettig of Fremont, Ohio. Burial will be in Fremont. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to either St. Joseph’s Central Catholic High School, 702 Croghan St., Fremont, Ohio 43420, for the Mary Irish Center for Language Arts and Journalism or to the Anointed Hands Hospice, 445 E. FM Rd. 1382, Cedar Hill, Texas, 76104.
RHEA M. SMITH
Rhea M. Smith, 83, of Marlette, passed away Sunday, January 16, 2005 at her home.
She had lived in Marlette since 1975 and was previously from Gross Pt. City and New Castle, IN.
She was born on December 4, 1921 in Croswell, Michigan, daughter to the late Harry and Ethel (Goodrich) Niles.
She graduated from South Eastern High School in Detroit.
She married
James M. Smith on March 7, 1942 in Union, Missouri. He preceded her in death on October 19, 1998.
She worked as a cosmetologist and also worked for the former Kingston Lumber Co. She was a member of the Marlette First United Methodist Church where she taught Sunday School, and was a member of the Methodist Woman's Club where she was a former treasurer.
She is survived by two sons, James and Marion Smith of Marlette and David and Gwynneth Smith of Washington Township; grandson, James Smith III of New Castle, IN.; two granddaughters, Candice Smith of Bloomington, IN. and Kimberlie and Ron Schuchard of Romeo, MI.; great-grandchildren, Sidnie, Steven and Joseph Morris of Romeo, MI and Maegan and Ronald Schuchard of Romeo, MI.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brothers, Fredercik, Charles and Grant and a sister, Gladys.
Funeral services will be conducted on Thursday, January 20, 2005 at 1:00 p.m. in the Marlette United Methodist Church with Pastor Daniel Bowman officiating. Interment will be at the Marlette cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the United Hospice Service.
Visitation will be conducted on Wednesday, January 19 from 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Marsh Funeral Chapel in Marlette and on Thursday, January 20 from noon until the time of the service at the church.
Arrangements by Marsh Funeral Chapel, Marlette.
LILLIAN VIOLA NIELSEN
Lillian Viola Nielsen, 87, of Elmer Township, Marlette, passed away Sunday, January 9, 2005 at McKenzie Memorial Hospital in Sandusky, Michigan.
She was born on April 17, 1917 in Detroit, MI., daughter of the late Louis and Charlotte (Zielke) Bolton.
She served in the army.
She married
Alfred N. Nielsen on November 26, 1947 in Detroit. He preceded her in death on June 23, 1989.
She moved to this area 38 years ago from Detroit where she worked as a bookkeeper for the City of Detroit Police Department. She worked on the farm with her husband in Marlette.
She is survived by a sister-in-law, Betty Dreger of Ohio, and several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Ernest Bolton.
Funeral services were conducted on Wednesday, January 12, 2005 at 11:00 a.m. at the Marsh Funeral Chapel, Sandusky with Rev. Joyce Johnson officiating. Interment was at the Juhl cemetery in Marlette.
Casketbearers included Fred Darling, Randy Miller, Ken Nielsen, Alex Waske, Wayne Laursen and Scott McCready.
Memorials may be made to the Hope Lutheran Church, Juhl.
