Obituaries

Irma Mildred (Leppanen)  Haanpaa

Irma Mildred (Leppanen) Haanpaa

Apr 15, 2019

Irma Mildred Haanpaa age 92 of L’Anse passed away on April 15, 2019, at Baraga County Memorial Hospital with family by her side. She was born February 11, 1927, in Ann Arbor, MI the daughter of Hilma (Tikkanen) and Nestor Leppanen. Irma was married to Robert Haanpaa on June 9, 1962. Irma was everyone’s caretaker. There wasn’t a family...

James Edward Fish

James Edward Fish

Apr 6, 2019

James “Jim” Edward Fish, age 78 of L’Anse, MI passed away on Saturday, April 6, 2019 at Baraga County Memorial Hospital. He was born August 10, 1940 in L’Anse, MI son of Donald and Isabelle (Johnson) Fish. Jim graduated from L’Anse High School in 1959. At age 16 he went to a Tiger tryout camp that was held in...

Mary Elizabeth (Lyle)  Mundo

Mary Elizabeth (Lyle) Mundo

Mar 24, 2019

Mary Elizabeth Mundo, age 79 of L’Anse, MI passed away on Sunday, March 24, 2019 at Baraga County Memorial Hospital. Mary was born May 27, 1939 in Paw Paw, MI daughter of Kenneth and Dorothy (Knoll) Lyle. She graduated from Decatur High School in 1957 and then received an Associate Degree from Hope College. While living in Van Buren County...

Paul "PJ" Edward LeClaire

Paul "PJ" Edward LeClaire

Mar 23, 2019

Paul “PJ” Edward LeClaire Jr, age 49 of L’Anse, MI passed away on Saturday, March 23, 2019 at his home with his family by his side after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born December 20, 1969 in L’Anse, MI son of Paul and Ann (Erickson) LeClaire. PJ graduated from L’Anse High School in 1988. He was married...

Robert Evert Godell

Robert Evert Godell

Mar 19, 2019

Robert Godell, 97, of Watton entered into his eternal rest on March 19, 2019 at his home. The youngest of eleven children with an age span of twenty-two years, Robert was born the seventh son. As family legend has it, his birth on a perfect autumn day, Sunday, October 2, 1921, caused Watton’s baseball team to forfeit a winning...

Rosamond Marie (Rolof)  Bianco

Rosamond Marie (Rolof) Bianco

Mar 17, 2019

Rosamond Marie Bianco, age 89 of L’Anse, MI passed away on Sunday, March 17, 2019 at her home surrounded by her family. She was born June 16, 1929 in Copper City, MI daughter of Albert and Rose (Schmidlin) Rolof. Rosamond graduated from L’Anse High School in 1947. While in high school she worked at Mazda Theatre, then after graduation she...

Scott David Anderson

Scott David Anderson

Mar 3, 2019

Scott David Anderson, age 60 of L’Anse, MI passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, March 3, 2019 at Baraga County Memorial Hospital. He was born February 19, 1959 in Iron Mountain, MI son of Donald and Barbara (Kunick) Anderson. He graduated from Kingsford High Scholl in 1976. After high school Scott worked as an ink man for a printing press in...

Oliver E Maki

Oliver E Maki

Feb 12, 2019

Oliver E. Maki, age 95 of L’Anse, MI passed away on Tuesday, February 12, 2019 at The Lighthouse in Hancock, MI. He was born May 10, 1923 in Mass, MI son of Samuel and Kate (Pirkola) Maki. During WWII he worked in the CC camps. Oliver married Irene Saari in Detroit where he lived since 1943 and worked in...

Bernard LaFernier

Bernard LaFernier

Feb 10, 2019

Bernard “Ben” LaFernier, age 69 of Baraga, MI passed away on Sunday, February 10, 2019 at The Lighthouse in Hancock, MI. He was born July 12, 1949 in Baraga son of Bernard and Virginia (Kunick) LaFernier Sr. Ben was in the U.S. Army serving during the Vietnam War. He worked for Donnie Santti logging in the woods. Ben enjoyed...

Eleanor Jean (Cardinal)  Moede

Eleanor Jean (Cardinal) Moede

Feb 10, 2019

Eleanor Jean Moede, age 68 of Baraga, MI passed away on Sunday, February 10, 2019 at Bayside Village in L’Anse. She was born December 30, 1950 in Baraga, MI daughter of James and Frances (Jondreau) Cardinal. Eleanor worked at Briggs & Stranton in Milwaukee for about 30 years. In 2000 she moved back to Baraga and worked at the...

Maria Dianne Mustonen

Maria Dianne Mustonen

Feb 7, 2019

Maria Dianne Mustonen, age 73 of L’Anse, MI passed away on Thursday, February 7, 2019 at The Lighthouse in Hancock, MI. She was born October 2, 1945 in L’Anse, MI daughter of Reino and Elsa (Siivola) Mustonen. Maria graduated from Jeffers High School in 1963 and received a bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology from MTU in 1967. Maria worked...

Florence Marie (Dudo)  Smith

Florence Marie (Dudo) Smith

Feb 4, 2019

Florence Marie Smith, age 102 of L’Anse, MI passed away on Monday, February 4, 2019 at Bayside Village in L’Anse. She was born August 16, 1916 in Goodman, WI daughter of John and Catherine (Egnarski) Dudo. As a child Florence lived in Pulaski, WI and attended L’Anse High School, later she lived in Chicago for a while where married...

Frances T (VanAbel)  Brunet

Frances T (VanAbel) Brunet

Jan 18, 2019

Frances T Brunet, age 91 of L’Anse, MI passed away on Friday, January 18, 2019 at Baraga County Memorial Hospital. She was born November 7, 1927 in Pequaming, MI daughter of Raymond and Ruth (Perry) VanAbel. Frannie graduated from L’Anse High School. She married Raymond Pierre Brunet. Frannie worked as an admitting clerk at Baraga County Hospital. She loved to...

David Uno Haapala

David Uno Haapala

Jan 14, 2019

David Uno Haapala, age 71 of L’Anse, MI passed away on Monday, January 14, 2019 at his home. He was born May 13, 1947 in Ironwood, MI son of Uno and Hulda (Korsman). David grew up in the western U.P., and received his high school diploma from Ontonagon. In the early 60’s he sailed on the Great Lakes, Valley Camp...

Timothy Lowell Watchorn

Timothy Lowell Watchorn

Jan 12, 2019

Timothy Watchorn, age 56 of Sault Ste Marie, MI passed away on Saturday, January 12, 2019 at the Omega House in Houghton, MI. He was born June 12, 1962 in Sault Ste Marie, MI son of James and Alice (Carlson) Watchorn. Tim grew up in Sault Ste Marie. He played hockey as goalie, from age 6 until into his...

Maxine H (Harty)  Dempsey

Maxine H (Harty) Dempsey

Jan 11, 2019

Maxine Harty Dempsey, age 88 of Traverse City, MI passed away on Friday, January 11, 2019 at Bayside Village in L’Anse, MI. She was born March 13, 1930 in Traverse City, MI daughter of Samuel and Ruth (VanWagner) Harty. Maxine graduated from Grand Traverse High School in 1948. She married William J. Dempsey on June 5, 1948 and they...

John Thomas Mayo

John Thomas Mayo

Jan 9, 2019

John Thomas Mayo (Zeb), age 76 of Greenland, MI passed away unexpectedly at Aspirus Ontonagon Hospital on Wednesday, January 9, 2019. He was born on November 12, 1942 at the L’Anse Hospital to Richard and Elma (Koskinen) Mayo. John married Patrice Tahtinen in 1975 and they had 2 children. He later married the former Judith (Immonen) Kin of Greenland...

Peter Russell Morin

Peter Russell Morin

Dec 17, 2018

Peter R Morin, age 68 of Baraga, MI died Monday, December 17, 2018 at U. P. Health System Marquette. He was born November 28, 1950 in Bay City, MI son of Elzior and Elizabeth (James) Morin. Peter was raised in California; he was in the US Army serving during Vietnam. After the service he came to Baraga. In 1970 he...

Lisa Kaye (Aho)  Kinnunen

Lisa Kaye (Aho) Kinnunen

Dec 15, 2018

Lisa Kaye Kinnunen, age 48 of Baraga, MI passed away on Saturday, December 15, 2018 at her home. She was born July 15, 1970 in L’Anse, MI daughter of Walter and Dorothy (Aho) Kinnunen. Lisa graduated from Baraga High School and worked as a waitress and bartender in the area. Surviving are her son Justin Kinnunen of Baraga; mother...

Verna Lynn (Maki)  Funke

Verna Lynn (Maki) Funke

Dec 3, 2018

Verna Lynn Funke, 67, of L’Anse, died Monday morning, December 3, 2018, at her home following an illness. She was born August 21, 1951 in L’Anse, a daughter of the late Alec and Gertrude (Tolonen) Maki. She was raised in L’Anse and was a 1969 graduate of L’Anse High School. Verna worked as a teller for Superior National Bank early...