Obituaries

Aug 17, 2019

Erik Vachon, age 78 of Baraga, MI passed away on August 17, 2019 at Houghton County Medical Care Facility. He was born on June 29, 1941 in Detroit, MI, eldest son of Stanley and Jenny "Jingo" (Viitala) Vachon. Erik grew up in Newkirk, NM, Escanaba, MI, St. Ignace, MI and Misery Bay, MI. He went to school at the Misery...

Aug 8, 2019

Norman George Juntunen, age 82 passed away peacefully Thursday, August 8, 2019 at his home in Farmington Hills, MI surrounded his wife and family. He was born January 21, 1937 in Nisula, son of Arthur and Armita (Lepisto) Juntunen. Norm grew up in Nisula and graduated from Baraga High School in 1954. He served in the National Guard for...

Aug 7, 2019

Lila Lemmikki Lehto, age 101 of Aura, MI passed away on Wednesday, August 7, 2019 at Bayside Village in L'Anse. She was born January 29, 1918 in Sault Ste. Marie, Canada daughter of Helmi (Koppana) and Matt Saari. Lila was raised in Pequaming and graduated from L'Anse high school in 1936, She married Hugo Lehto on November 11, 1939....

Aug 4, 2019

Catherine Sarah Velmer, age 46 of Zeba, MI passed away on Sunday, August 4th, 2019 at Baraga County Memorial Hospital. She was born December 5, 1972 in L'Anse, MI daughter of Virginia (Emery) and Frederick Shelifoe. Catherine married Lawrence Velmer on October 28, 2011 and they have been together over 24 years. She graduated from L'Anse High School in 2018....

Jul 13, 2019

John Anthony "Chip" Knapp, age 50 of Gladstone, MI passed away on Saturday, July 13, 2019 at U.P. Health System, Marquette, MI. He was born March 26, 1969 in L'Anse, MI son of Archie and Shirley (Hugo) Knapp. John attended L'Anse Area Schools and was a self employed carpenter. He resided in the Escanaba area for the last 30...

Jul 9, 2019

Joseph Anders "Jarbo" Paquette, age 77 of L'Anse, MI passed away on Tuesday, July 9, 2019 at U.P. Health System Marquette, MI. He was born May 31, 1942 in L'Anse, MI son of Paul and Agnes (Erickson) Paquette. Joe worked as a union construction worker until 1977 when he became disabled in an accident. He loved to ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles...

Jul 5, 2019

Michael Joseph Hirzel, age 61 of Baraga, MI passed away on Friday, July 5, 2019 at U.P. Health System, Marquette, MI with his family at his side.

He was born May 4, 1958 in Grand Rapids, MI son of Frank and Patricia (Bouchard) Hirzel. In 1976 Mike graduated from Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids, MI. ...

Jul 4, 2019

Jackie Leroy Roth, age 76 of L'Anse, MI passed away on Thursday, July 4, 2019 at U.P. Health System Marquette, MI. He was born October 21, 1942 in Wittenberg, WI son of George and Melinda (Smith) Roth. Jackie married Raylene Barnett on May 26, 1962 in Baraga. He worked at Celotex as a truck driver for 40 years, retiring in...

Jun 25, 2019

Adelaide E. “Addie” Hansen, 87, of Mosinee, WI (Formerly of Iron Mountain and Foster City, MI), went to be with her Lord and Savior on June 25, 2019 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield, WI, following a brief illness. Her beloved family was at her side. Addie was born October 27, 1931, in Carlshend, MI, daughter of the late...

Jun 25, 2019

Joseph "Butchie" Wayne DeCota, age 69 of Baraga, MI passed away on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at his home. He was born November 26, 1949 in "Beartown" Baraga, MI son of Joseph and Marie (Arsanault) DeCota. Joe graduated from L'Anse High School. He worked for a the gas company in L'Anse, tribal Construction, Erickson's Saw Mill, Menominee River Lumber for...

Jun 24, 2019

Elizabeth "Betty" Marie Simi, age 94, passed away on June 24th, 2019 at the Houghton County Medical Care Facility in Hancock, Michigan. She was born on November 6th, 1924 in Lake Linden, MI to Francis and Rebecca (Riopelle) Henry. She attended the Calumet High school until her mother's death, at which time she dropped out to raise her six siblings....

Jun 23, 2019

Nicholas Elmer Lindemann, age 81 of Pelkie, MI passed away on Sunday, June 23, 2019 at his home with his family by his side. He was born September 29, 1937 in Baraga, MI son of Nicholas and Marie (Ricken) Lindemann. Nicholas graduated from Baraga High School in 1955 and received a certificate in Machining from Michigan Tech. He married Dorothy...

Jun 21, 2019

Allan Thomas Mitchell, age 69 of Baraga, MI passed away unexpectedly on Friday, June 21, 2019. He was born September 23, 1949 in Hancock, MI son of Harold and Aurelia (St Onge) Mitchell. Allan was a Vietnam Veteran; drafted in 1969 to 1971, he served in Germany. He then went to trade school for pipe fitting and worked in the...

May 27, 2019

“Don’t get shook”, but Karl Presslein, Jr, 85 of L'Anse, MI, passed away on Monday, May 27, 2019 with family at his side at his daughter's home in Stillwater, MN following a brave battle with cancer. Karl was born on July 21, 1933 to Karl, Sr and Gertrude (Zumstein) Presslein, both Swiss immigrants. He grew up in a beautiful stone...

May 24, 2019

David Mark Ekdahl, aged 56, passed away at his home in Baraga, MI on May 24th, 2019. He was born on March 14th, 1963 in L’Anse, MI to Paul and Philomena (Loonsfoot) Ekdahl. David graduated from Baraga High School in 1981 and was an Assistant Manager at the Press Box in Baraga where he worked for over 25 years. He...

May 17, 2019

Elizabeth “Betty” Ann Brunk, age 81 of Baraga, MI passed away on Friday, May 17, 2019 at her home with her family by her side. Bede-way-ghezhi-gokwe (Bear Clan) “Coming of the storm”, was born on July 19, 1937 in Hayward, WI daughter of John and Alice (Brown) Kenosha. She attended school in Lac du Flambeau, WI. Betty married Albert Brunk...

May 17, 2019

Cindy Lou Edwards, age 58 of L’Anse, MI passed away on Friday, May 17, 2019 at Bayside Village in L’Anse, MI. She was born December 9, 1960 in Muskegon, MI daughter of Robert and Joyce (Tierman) Mitchell. Cindy graduated from Irving Crown High School in 1979. She married Bruce Edwards and they resided in Rockford, IL where she managed the...

May 14, 2019

Wayne Charles Kostamo, age 59 of Pelkie, MI passed away on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at U.P. Health System, Marquette, MI. He was born September 21, 1959 in L’Anse, MI son of Carl and Eva (Tolonen) Kostamo. Wayne married Mary Rantanen on May 3, 1982 and they had one son Wayne David. Wayne loved working on old classic cars; restoring...

May 3, 2019

Edward Joseph Brinkman, age 82 of L’Anse, MI passed away suddenly on Friday, May 3, 2019 at his home. He was born June 26, 1936 in Lake Linden, MI, son of Edward and Frances (Lamuth) Brinkman. Ed graduated from Lake Linden High School in 1954. He served his country in the US Navy from 1954-56, then continued in the Naval...

May 2, 2019

Anne Margaret Schutte, age 83 of Baraga, MI passed away on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at UP Health System Marquette, MI. She was born April 14, 1936 in Detroit, MI daughter to C. Mark and Marion (Smith) Cutler. Anne graduated from Redford High School in 1954 and then received a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University. On November 23, 1958...