Archive - May 2009

Edsel F. Burnor, 90, of Britton, passed away May 22, 2009.  Edsel was born Nov. 29, 1918, in Deerfield, Mich., the son of Floyd and Edna (Opel) Burnor.  On Aug. 16, 1947, he married Margaret Osburn and she survives.  He was a graduate of Deerfield High School.

Edsel was a veteran of World War II serving as a military police in the Pacific.  He retired from the Tecumseh Products after many years of service.  While working at the Products he also engaged in farming.

After retiring he spent winters in Florida and enjoyed gardening, farming and fishing.  
Besides his wife,  Margaret, he is survived by his sons, Richard Burnor and Larry (Amy) Burnor;  grandchildren, Jeffrey (Erika) Burnor and Sarah Burnor; and great-granddaughter, Isobelle Burnor.

He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Johnny; sister, Ruth Langschied; and brother, Max.  

Funeral services were held Wednesday, May 27, 2009, at the  J. Gilbert Purse Funeral Home, Tecumseh with the Rev. Lloyd Jewett officiating.
Burial followed in Deerfield Cemetery.    

Condolences to the family may be made on line at www.pursefunerlhome.com.

Betty Ruth (Pask) Strand-DeSautel, 83, of Irish Hills, passed away surrounded by her family on May 26, 2009.

Betty was born, Sept. 18, 1925, to MaDonna and Raymond Pask and spent most of her life in Tecumseh and Manistique, Mich.  She married Henry Alfred Strand II who was the father of all of her children and preceded her in a sudden death on Jan. 17, 1964.  She later married Henry (Hank) DeSautel in 1978 who preceeded her in death on Dec. 19, 2006.

Betty enjoyed family gatherings, especially Mothers’ Day.  She was an avid board game and card player.  Betty worked at the Visitor Center in Manistique for many years and liked to camp and travel in her motor home.

Betty is survived by 11 children, Fred (Margaret) Strand, Donna (Bob) Logan, Carol Walker, Joann (Greg) DeClercq all of Tecumseh, Mark (Bert) Strand of Adrian, Terry (Mary) Strand of Clinton, Marci (Kevin) Nolan of Maybee, Darlene (Bruce) Yager and Tina (Ivan) Eberly both of Onsted, and Mitch (Tonya) Strand of Charlotte; three step-children, Wanda McComb, Raymond DeSautel, Henry (Sue)Desautel; brothers, Calvin and Leo Pask of Onsted; and numerous nieces and nephews.  Betty dearly loved all of her 64 grandchildren and 66 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grand-child.

A Mass of the Christian Burial will be held 11 a.m. Friday, May 29, 2009, at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, Tecumseh with Fr. Daniel Wheeler officiating.  Burial will follow in Brookside Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 28, 2009, at the J. Gilbert Purse Funeral Home, Tecumseh, and one hour before the service at the church on Friday.  A Scripture Service will be held Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the funeral home.

Harry Wayne Harvey, 60,  of Tecumseh, Mich., passed away Tuesday, May 26, at the Arbor Hospice Facility in Ann Arbor, Mich., following a two week bout with cancer. Harry was born on Dec. 31, 1948, in Eldorado Springs, Mo. He was married in August 1984, to the love of his life Anne who he will soon join in their final resting spot in Monrovia, Calif. later this week.

Harry Wayne Harvey is survived by his son, Wayne Travis Harvey (24) of Dickinson, N.D. and his lovely daughter, Jaime Leigh Harvey (21) of El Monte, Calif.   He is also survived by his two brothers, Jim (and Patricia) Harvey from Tecumseh, Mich. and Kevin (Dawn) Rudisill of Manitou Beach, Mich.  Harry also had two sisters, Sharon Elaine Craddick of Liberty, Mo. and Denise Scheel of Las Vegas, Nev.
He graduated from J.C. Penney H.S. in Hamilton, Mo. in 1967 and then served proudly in the U.S. Navy from 1968 to 1972. He moved to Arcadia, Calif. after leaving the Navy in 1972 where he worked in the finance industry.

After his 2007 retirement, Harry decided to join his brothers Jim and Kevin in Michigan where he made many friends especially at the T-Club, Brownies and the City Limits Diner, all three of Tecumseh, Mich.

A memorial service for Harry will be held soon after business hours at the Diner.  Arrangements are by the J. Gilbert Purse Funeral Home, Tecumseh.

Randy Jackson “Ran” Bow, 57 of Mendon, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 19, 2009, at his home.  He was born in Hudson, Mich., on Jan. 10, 1952, the son of Charles and Rose (David) Bow.  Ran was a 1970 graduate of Tecumseh High School, and resided in Tecumseh before moving to Mendon in 1991.

He was divorced from Paulette Martin-Bethuram.  Ran worked briefly as a pit-crew member at Michigan International Speedway and later worked as a bartender.  Ran was a truck driver for Aero Bulk Carriers for 27 years and for L & L Transportation for the past year. He enjoyed hosting poker parties at his St. Joseph River home, and hanging out with his friends at Prairie Crop Service and the Blue Bird Café in Mendon.

Ran is survived by three children, Kim Persing of Colon, Sara (Martin) Perkins and her husband, Kevin of Vicksburg, and Sam Martin of Three Rivers;  seven grandchildren, Melissa Land, Meagon Persing, Stephen Persing, Baylee Perkins, Amber Perkins, Erin Perkins, and Kevin James Perkins;  three brothers and their spouses, Jerry and Kathy Bow of Lakewood, Colo., Glen and Kathy Bow of Adrian, and Doyce and Barbara Bow of Nevada; several nieces and nephews; and his Prairie Crop buddies, Dale, Sandy, Deb, Jesse, Bob, Willard, Skippy, JB, Derek, Smiley, John, Sheldon, Meat, and Richie.

 
He was preceded in death by his parents.

The family received friends from Saturday at the Eickhoff Funeral Home in Mendon.  Funeral services were held Sunday, May 24, 2009, at the funeral home with his brother, Jerry Bow officiating.  Burial was in Mendon Cemetery.  Memorials may be directed to a charity of one's choice.  Online register is available, and condolences may be left at www.eickhofffuneralhome.com

Mary Lou Peck, 81, of Tecumseh, passed away May 21, 2009.  Mary Lou was born Feb. 10, 1928,  in Steubenville, Ohio, the daughter of  George and Mabel (McGrew) Reinacher.  On Nov. 21, 1948, she married Warren Peck in Nitro, W. Va.  He preceded her in death  May 11, 1995.   

Mary Lou is survived by two daughters, Bona Lynn (Rick) Laso of Tecumseh,  Chyrl Ann (Trey) Duggan of Amarillo, Texas;  five grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Betty (Paul) Bleau of W. Va. and Gertrude Prager of Georgia and numerous nieces and nephews.

Besides her husband, Warren, she was preceded in death by her parents.

 
At her request, Mary Lou was donated to the University of Michigan Medical School and  there will be no services.  Memorials in memory of Mary Lou may be made to the Music Department of the Tecumseh First United Methodist Church or Hospice of Lenawee.  Arrangements by the J. Gilbert Purse Funeral Home, Tecumseh.  

Condolences to the family may be made on line at www.pursefuneralhome.com.   

Melvin Wagner, a veteran and chaplain for 33 years with the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, was honored at Monday’s Memorial Day ceremony at Brookside Cemetery with a surprise presentation of a framed picture of himself in WWII uniform, as well as a flag and plaque. Wagner served in the United States Army during World War II. See page 10A in the online edition for a pictorial of the Memorial Day parade and services at Brookside Cemetery.