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Gerald J. LaForest
NEGAUNEE -- Gerald J. LaForest, 71, of 104 Sterling St., died Sunday, August 5, 2001, in Sands Township of natural causes.
He was born in Negaunee on November 18, 1929 to the late Wilfred and Exilda (LaJoie) LaForest. Gerald was a graduate of St. Paul High School. He worked in construction, retiring in 1985, and was a member of Local 1329 of Iron Mountain.
Suriving are his wife Lois "Dolly", four sons; Gerald (Donna) LaForest, II, James (Liz) LaForest, William (Ann) LaForest and John LaForest all of Negaunee, one granddaughter; Michelle, two grandsons; Jesse and Jason, and four sisters; Priscilla, Joyce, Viola, and Marge.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers; LeRoy and Willard, and one sister; Mildred.
The family will have a private memorial service. The Perala Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Rilla Christian Larson
ESCANABA -- Rilla Christian Larson, 96, of 2801 3rd Ave. South Escanaba died on Sunday evening August 5, 2001 at the Christian Park Village following a brief illness. She had been a residen of the village for a short time.
Rilla was born November 14, 1904 in Ishpeming, MI, the youngest daughter of John Quale and Martha (Vicary) Christian. She graduated from high school in 1921 at the age of 16 and graduated from Northern West Virginia, Kimberly (Bruce) Olson, Terry C. Larson, Crystal (Jeff) Racine, Rhonda Bunnin, Jeffrey Bunnin, Lori Bunnin, Anthony Micheau II, Tracy Micheau, Josh Micheau. Eleven Great Grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Rilla was preceded in death by her parents; 3 sisters: Edith Sivula of Ironwood, MI, Myrtle Kirby of Sault Ste. Marie, MI, Viola Rau of Kingsford, MI; Husband Nils; 1 son Nils Jay; and infant daughter, Martha Christine.
Rilla's family will receive friends on Thursday, Aug. 9th at the First Presbyterian Church in Escanaba from 1:00 to 2:00 PM. Funeral services celebrating the life of Rilla will be held at 2:00 PM with Reverend Dr. Ken McCall officiating. A lunch will follow in the church hall.
Memorials in her name should be directed to the Rilla Larson Scholarship Fund which will be established for the Escanaba School area.
The Skradski-Boyce Funeral Home of Escanaba is assisting the family.
Russell Marvin Bartanen
MARQUETTE -- Russell Marvin Bartanen, 65, of 1809 Gray St., died Monday, August 6, 2001 at St. Michael's Hospital in Milwaukee where he had been a patient since Sunday.
He was born March 19, 1933 in Fulton, MI to Ivar and Eleanora (Siivikko) Bartanen and moved here in 1968 from Rudford Township. He served with the U.S. Coast Guard during the Korean War. Prior to retiring in 1992, Russell worked as an installer/ repairman for Washington, DC -- Caryl Mercadal Fair, of Michigan, January 2, 1945 and graduated from Ludington High School in 1963. She lived in Paris, France 1966-1970, and attended the American University in Paris 1967 & 1968. She graduated from George Washington DC with distinction, BA in English & Human Development in June, 1972, and taught French in DC public schools, 1973-1980. Caryl also operated Svensk, a crepe eatery in Cape May, NJ for 10 years, and taught French & Spanish in Maryland Public Schools, 1991-1996. Survivors include her mother, H. Katherine Brendle, Ishpeming, sister Michele Mercadal Talbot
of Asbury, Washington Ethical Society, 7750 - 16th Street NW, Oklahoma, was raised and attended school in Norman, OK. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from East Central State College in Ada, OK in 1949. She began her teaching career in Dalkart, Michigan, died August 8, 2001 at her residence at Northwoods Assisted Living in Escanaba, Michigan the daughter of the late Theodore J. and Leona Nault and was a graduate of Ishpeming High School. On December 26, 1953, the former Marilyn P. Nault married Mario L. Gelmi in Ishpeming, MI. They lived in Ishpeming and in Crystal Falls for several years and moved to the Manistique area 15 years ago. Mario preceded her in death on February 15, 2001.
Marilyn was employed at the Marquette Branch State Prison and later as the office manager at the Wisconsin; 4 grandchildren, Andrew Bjorne, Dean Bjorne, Tara Bjorne and Michelle Blattner; her brother, Theodore Nault of Ishpeming; her sister, Ann Gaboury of Ishpeming; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by an infant son Michael Gelmi and a grandson Nicholas Bjorne.
A Memorial Mass will be held at 1:00pm, Thursday, August 16, 2001 at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Manistique with Father Peter Minelli officiating. Memorial donations may be directed to the St. Francis de Sales Education Foundation.
Arrangements were handled by the Messier-Broullire Funeral Home of Manistique.
Einar Roos
GWINN -- Einar Roos, 71, of Gwinn, passed away Thursday night, August 9, 2001.
Born May 20, 1930 in Gwinn, a son of the late Eli and Mary (Maki) Roos, he was a lifelong Gwinn resident. Einar was a U.S. Army veteran. He worked for C.C.I. prior to being employed by Forsyth Township and had been retired for several years. Einar enjoyed fishing and hunting.
Surviving him are two brothers, Eino Roos of Wyandotte and Jalmer (Gladys) Roos of Gwinn; two sisters, Vivian (Harold) North of Shingleton and Hazel (Wayne) Roy of Gwinn; a sister-in-law, Elaine Roos; a special sister-in-law, Ellen Roos; and several nieces and nephews.
Private services will be conducted at the family's convenience. Memorials may be made to the Forsyth Senior Center.
The Gwinn Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Kay F. 'Tyke' Nelson
GWINN -- Kay F. 'Tyke' Nelson, 51, 158 Pine St., Gwinn, died at 6:35pm on Friday, August 10, 2001 at Marquette General Hospital with her family at her side, following a lengthy illness.
Kay was born November 30, 1949 in Princeton to Francis Corkin and Esther (Syrjala), grew up in Midway Location and attended Negaunee High School. She was a lifelong area resident. She worked as a waitress at several Gwinn restaurants, at Shop-Ko and most recently as a noon hour supervisor for the Gwinn Area Public Schools.
Mrs. Nelson was a member of Grace Lutheran Church and was a former member of the Gwinn VFW Auxiliary. She loved to play bingo and cards.
Surviving are her husband of 31 years, Fred O. Nelson; a son Terry (Peggy) Corkin, Gwinn; a daughter Amy Nelson, Gwinn; 2 step-sons, Chip (Vicki) Nelson, Gwinn and Mike (Regina) Nelson, Suomi Location; 5 grandchildren, Craig, Bobby and Sarah Nelson, Callie and Travis Corkin; 4 brothers, Jerry (Marian) Johnson, Baraboo, WI, Duane (Grace) Wendt, Baltimore, MD, Lee (Peggy) Johnson, in Michigan where she has resided for the past 10 years. She was born March 1, 1915 in Ishpeming and was a longtime Ishpeming resident.
An inurnment graveside service will be held 11:00am Tuesday, August 14, 2001 at the Keese Family Plot in the Ishpeming Cemetery.
Arrangements are being handled by the Bjork & Zhulkie Funeral Home.
Russell James "Bud" Knight
HARVEY -- Russell James "Bud" Knight, 76, of 201 Cherry Creek Village, Harvey, entered eternal life Friday evening, August 10, 2001 at the Bell Memorial Hospital Inpatient Acute Care Unit under the care of UP Home Health and Hospice. He had been a patient for only a few hours and had been in ill health for the past month.
Bud was born on April 21, 1925 in Detroit, a son of the late Russell James and Bertha A. (Kokko) Knight, Sr., and was raised in Detroit, spending many summers in the Pelkie area. Following graduation from high school, he entered the military, serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Upon being honorably discharged, he entered into the bricklayers apprenticeship program, working as a bricklayer for many years until his retirement in 1983. On May 15, 1959 he married Mary Lou Major in Oakland, and the couple moved to the Baraga area where Bud was involved in construction projects over the years at the Baraga County Hospital, Michigan University. In 1973, Bud and his family moved to Big Bay where they resided for 25 years. He had been a Harvey area resident for the past three years. Bud was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing and being near Lake Superior.
Survivors include: his daughter, Pam (Pat) Walsh of Palmer; a son, Nicholas (Deanna) Knight of Carpentersville, IL; ten grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Bud was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Lou Knight in 1997; a sister, Joyce Olson; and brother, Lowell "Pat" Knight.
The family will receive relatives and friends at the Fassbender Funeral Home on Monday, August 13, beginning at 5:00pm. A Service of Remembrance will be held at 7:00pm Monday evening in the funeral home with Rev. Paul Olson, UP Home Health and Hospice chaplain, officiating. Inurnment will be made in the Powell Township Cemetery in Big Bay.
