Obituaries

Violet (Wolfe) Chambers, 91, our beloved mother, grandmother, friend and neighbor passed away on May 21, 2026 in the care of hospice and the compassionate, attentive skilled nursing staff at the Grand Traverse Pavilions.

Vi, as she was affectionately known, was born in 1934 to Bernice and John Wolfe in Snover,...

Norman Dow Hoag, of Traverse City and formerly of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, passed away peacefully on June 4, 2026, at the age of 94.
Born on August 7, 1931, in Morrice, Michigan, Norm was the son of Walter and Gertrude Hoag. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Yvonne, his brother Donald, and his...

"The more the merrier" was one of Marilyn's favorite sayings, reflecting her deep desire to include everyone. When asked for their favorite stories about Marilyn, her family offered a flood of wonderful memories: racing up the Great Wall of China in her 70s, taking the 90-foot plunge at Typhoon Lagoon at age 73, and...

Patricia "Pat" Staley, 88, of Interlochen, Michigan, passed away peacefully on May 28, 2026, at Munson Medical Center, surrounded by her loving family after a brief battle with cancer.
Pat was born on August 25, 1937, in Webster, South Dakota, the daughter of Max and Frances Lewno. She graduated from Waubay High...

Phyllis Ann Heniser, 90, passed away on June 1, 2026, in Frankfort, Michigan. She was born on September 10, 1935, in Honor, Michigan, to Wayne and Alada (Friday) Ingleston.
Phyllis graduated from Honor High School in 1954. She married Eugene Heniser on September 11, 1954. She was a homemaker, a school food service...

Arne Thad Hegerberg, former band director in Traverse City, passed away Monday, June 1, 2026, in Shelbyville, Kentucky. His was a remarkable musical career with many stories. After growing up in Boyne City, Michigan, he advanced his musical talent with a BA at Michigan State University. His first year as a band...

Joan Marie Orent, 83, of Suttons Bay, passed away unexpectedly and peacefully on June 1, 2026.
Joan was born on April 3, 1943 in Grand Rapids to the late Peter Thomas and Lotus (Hall) Thiebout. She graduated from Creston High School in 1961.
On February 1, 1964 she married Robert Walter Orent in Grand Rapids.
She...

Glen "Hutch" Hutchinson, 68, of Traverse City passed away on May 19, 2026, at Munson Medical Center. Hutch served many customers as a bartender at North Peak, Parkshore Resort, and Boone's Prime Time in Suttons Bay.
He also cashiered at the Bayside Market, and most recently Meijer.
He will be remembered in a...

On Sunday, May 17, 2026, Patricia Anne Dowker passed away in Ann Arbor, Michigan at the age of 74. Patricia was born on December 3, 1951 in Lansing, Michigan to William Richard Thomas and Dorothy Eileen Thomas, née Homan. She was raised in Traverse City, Michigan, a town she loved throughout her life and returned...

Eugene Walter Berg, known as "Sunny" or "Moose," passed away peacefully on May 24, 2026.
Born on March 20, 1933 in Suttons Bay, MI to Walter Lawrence and Martha Berg. Sunny was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters Delores and Marylou.
He is survived by his sister Betty Watson and her husband John...

Florence "Mike" Johnson, age 101, passed away peacefully early Sunday, May 24, 2026. She was surrounded by the love of her family and the very attentive care of the staff at the Eastport Village Care Facility of Central Lake.

Mike was born on September 4, 1924 in Highland Park, Michigan, to her parents Varhan and...

Toni Perfect, age 89, of Empire, MI passed away on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 following a brief battle with cancer.
Toni was born on November 10, 1936, in McGregor, IA to the late Dallas & Iantha Perfect. In his early years, his family moved to Milwaukee, WI, where he graduated in 1954 from Whitefish Bay High School. He...