Archive - Feb 2009

Tecumseh’s school board members will be casting their votes March 25, on plans to build a sports complex at Tecumseh High School consisting of an artificial turf football field surrounded by a track with some stands and a press box. According to Superintendent Mike McAran, it would cost the school about $3 million dollars to upgrade the current facilities at the middle school, consisting of a football field surrounded by a track with stands and a press box. The new facilities as proposed at the high school would cost $2.1 million so if that saves us $1 million bucks, why isn’t everyone backing the new project?

In 2006, Britton-Macon Area Schools built a new sports complex consisting of a football field surrounded by a track with stands and a huge two story building with a press box, concessions, and also added varsity baseball and softball fields. All for about $900,000. The kicker is that after the Max Larson Foundation gave $200,000 to get things going, a Britton-Macon Area School Foundation was created and raised another $700,000 for the project. The school had to purchase land for the complex but with locals volunteering to help with construction the district’s costs were very limited.

Are costs for Tecumseh’s complex just being over-estimated as was the case in the initial bond proposal for the projects? Initially costs for repairs to the Community Pool and middle school were $1,478,008 but several weeks after the bond was denied they dropped to only $859,000, cutting $619,000 of fat from the overall costs.

Annabelle Brelish, 77, of Clinton, passed away February 19. 2009, at University Hospitals, Ann Arbor. Annabelle was born June 20, 1931 in Dalton, PA, the daughter of George and Bridget (Gallagher) Potter. On June 18, 1949, she married John Brelish in Olyphant, PA.   

He preceded her in death February 3, 2005. She was retired from DST Industries, Clinton, MI.   Annabelle was a member of St. Dominic Catholic Church, Clinton, MI and the Red Hat Society of Manchester, MI.  She also took part in helping to serve lunches at the Senior Center of Manchester.

Annabelle is survived by three daughters, Kathleen (Mark) Lentz of Clinton, Sharon (John) Quigley of  DeTour Village, MI and Donna (Edward) Braun of Manchester; 5 grandchildren, Tony (Natalie) Lewis of Adrian, Marcie (Roy) Dechert of Clinton, Jared Davis of Tecumseh, Kyle Lentz of Clinton and Jonathan Braun of Manchester; 2 great grandsons, Alex and Blake Dechert of Clinton; two sisters, Vera Russin and Ethel Potter, both of Scranton, PA; and numerous nieces and nephews, including a special niece Ann Marie Borowski and her family of Taylor, PA. She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers and three sisters.

A Mass of the Christian Burial will take place 11 a.m. Monday, February 23, 2009, at St. Dominic Catholic Church, Clinton, MI with the Rev. Fr. Paul Ruddy officiating.
Interment will follow at Lenawee Hills Memorial Gardens, Tecumseh. Following the interment, a luncheon will be held at St. Dominic Parish Hall, Clinton.

Visitation will take place from 4-7 p.m. Saturday and from 2 and 4 and 6 and 8 p.m. Sunday at the J. Gilbert Purse Funeral Home, Tecumseh. A memorial service will also take place 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Jerry Allen Robinette, 69, of Franklin, N.C., passed away Wednesday, February 18, 2009.  Born in Tecumseh, he was the son of the late Frank Robinette and Mildred Creger Robinette.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Allen Harvey Robinette.

Jerry was an avid sportsman and enjoyed hunting and fishing; liked attending the Red Barn Auctions; “Picking on the Square” and loved gem mining.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Clinta Gilbert Robinette of Franklin; daughter, Rene Spahr of Hillsdale, MI; three sisters, Peggy Winzeler of Tecumseh, MI, Karen Snead of Pioneer, OH and Connie Creech of London, KY; two grandchildren, Megan and Erin Spahr and several nieces and nephews.

No services have been planned at this time.

Interment will take place at the Glen Abbey Memorial Gardens in Auburndale, FL.
Memorial donations can be made to his wife, Clinta Gilbert Robinette.
Macon Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.  Online condolences can be made at www.maconfuneralhome.com

Valdine Elaine Kidd,  85, of Adrian, died Tuesday, February 24, 2009, at Grand Court.   She was born July 8, 1923 in Temperance,  MI to Ezra and Minnie (Ferrow) Brugger.  On May 7, 1941, she married LaVerne C. Kidd in Napoleon, OH.  He preceded her in death on October 4, 1993.  Valdine had been employed by Bixby Hospital, retiring in April, 1985.  She was a member of Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church.

Valdine is survived by two sons and their wives, Carl and Janice Kidd of Chelsea and Dale and Nancy Kidd of Tecumseh; two daughters and their husbands, Beverly and Jesse Underwood of Florida and Karen and Jerry Foote of Adrian; three brothers and their wives, DeArle and Lucille Brugger of Marysville, OH, LeRoy and Marge Brugger of Tecumseh, MI and Leon  and Margaret Brugger of Adrian; seven grandchildren, Michelle (Roger) Moorehead, Craig (Beth) Foote, Angela (David) McKenzie, Shawn Boss, Bryan (Beckey) Kidd, Grant (Casey) Kidd and Darcy (Jake Clark) Niblack; nine great-grandchildren and four step great-grandchildren.  
In addition to her husband, LaVerne, she was preceded in death by her parents and a sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Robert Harper.

Memorial services for Valdine will be held Saturday, February 28, 2009 at Noon at Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church with the Rev. Richard Rentner and the Rev. David Cornwell officiating.  Burial of cremains will be in Lenawee Hills Memorial Park in Adrian.  Visitation will be held on Saturday from 11 a.m. until time of service.
You may send condolences to the family at www.andersonfuneralhomeadriantecumseh.com.

 
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Christ the Redeemer Lutheran Church or Great Lakes Hospice. Envelopes are available at the Anderson Funeral Home, Adrian.

Dorothy J. Murphy, 81 of Tecumseh, died Tuesday, February 24, 2009 in her home surrounded by her loving family and cat, Bo Bo.  She was born in Palmyra, MI, the daughter of Walter and Louise (Iffland) Engel.On June 22, 1946 she was married to Jim Murphy and he preceded her in death on December 29, 2003.

Dorothy was a member of the Tecumseh United Methodist Church where she was a member of the Irene Circle. She was also a member of Herrick Medical Center Auxiliary. She worked as a retail clerk for J. C. Penney Co. in Adrian, D & C Variety Store in Tecumseh, Bird and Company in Tecumseh, and British Pantry in Tecumseh for 40 years, choosing never to retire. Dorothy delivered Meals on Wheels, was a Girl Scout Leader for 6 years, and a volunteer for the Red Cross Blood Drives. She enjoyed spending time at their lake cottage for 49 years.   

She is survived by her son Dan (Linda) Murphy and her daughter Cinda (Duane) Brooks both of Tecumseh;  one sister, Hazel (Lee) Kayner of Tecumseh; four grandchildren, Rhonda (Martin) Miller, Wendy (Lon) Randolph, and Nathan and Kelly Murphy; four great grand children Tyler and Matthew Miller and Jacob and Taylor Randolph; and one step-great granddaughter, Laura Miller.

In addition to her husband, Jim, she was preceded in death by her parents, and one granddaughter, Melissa Murphy.  

Dorothy was a loving mother and grandmother and will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

Visitation will be at the Tecumseh Chapel of Handler Funeral Homes on Thursday, February 26 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. The Funeral Service will be at the Tecumseh United Methodist Church on Friday, February 27 at 11 a.m. with the Rev. David McKinstry officiating. Burial will follow in Lenawee Hills Memorial Gardens in Tecumseh. There will be visitation at the church on Friday from 10 a.m. until service time.

Margery G. Root, 85, of Tecumseh, died Tuesday, February 24, 2009 at Tecumseh Place with her family by her side.  She was born on August 30, 1923, in Buffalo, NY, the daughter of Frank A. and Della (Hughes) Garvey.  She married Dan Sidney Root on June 27, 1953.

Margery worked as a secretary at Siena Heights College and retired after 17 years of service in 1993.  She was a graduate of Nordin Academy in Buffalo, NY and continued her education by attending classes at Siena Heights College, Adrian.

In addition to her husband Dan, Margery is survived by five sons, Dan Shawn Root of Adrian, Larry (Joan) Root of Kalamazoo, Donald Root of Toledo, Michael (Susan) Root of Lake St. Louis, MO, and Patrick (Pam) Root of Lebanon, MO; one daughter, Mary Ellen (Dan) Pizana of Saline; and eight grandchildren; Shawna, Alex, Jacob, Tyler, Justin, Joey, Matthew and Eric.  She was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers and one sister.  

Visitation will take place at the Tecumseh Chapel of Handler Funeral Homes on Sunday, March 1 from 2 to 4 p.m. Visitation will then be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, Tecumseh where a Vigil service will be held at 7 p.m.  The Funeral Mass will be Celebrated on Monday, March 2 at 11 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church with the Reverend Fr. Daniel Wheeler as Celebrant.  Rite of committal will follow at Ridgeway Cemetery, Britton.  Visitation will also be held at the church on Monday from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass.  Memorials may be made to the Discalced Carmelite Nuns/Archdiocese of Detroit; 35750 Moravian Dr., Clinton Twp., MI 48035.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.handlerfuneralhomes.com.