Richard J. Long

Richard J. Long, age 67, of Superior Township, formerly of Pinckney, passed away on October 18, 2020 in Ann Arbor, MI.

He was born November 22, 1952 in Benton Harbor, MI, the son of George and RaJean (Lents) Long. Richard served in the US Navy from 1972 to 1979. After that, he attended Lawrence Technological University and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. He earned his MBA from the University of Michigan. He worked as an engineer for Eaton Corporation for 20 years. Richard married Kathleen (O’Mara), and they had four children.

In addition to his wife, Kathleen, he is survived by two sons, Jeffrey Long of Alabama and Derek Long of Grand Rapids, and one daughter, Lindsay (Andy) Beuerle of Lansing; one grandson, Tyler Long, and one grandchild on the way. Richard was the oldest of nine children and he is survived by seven siblings: William “Bill” Long, John “Jack” (Patricia) Long, Chris (Jayne) Long, Robert (Valerie) Long, Mary (Allen) Visel, Mary Jane (David) Hall, and Gregory Long. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his son, Adam Long in 2008, and his brother, Howard “Howie” Long in 2014.

A Memorial Service is planned on Thursday, October 22, 2020, 3:00 p.m., at the Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea. Memorial contributions in Richard’s name may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea.

Richard F. Neff

Richard Floyd (Dick) Neff, of Gregory, MI, age 78, passed away on Monday, October 19, 2020 with his family by his side. Richard was born on September 23, 1942 in Ann Arbor, MI, the son of Floyd and Louise (Henning) Neff. He graduated from Ann Arbor Pioneer in 1960, and married the love of his life, Sandra Kay Gieske on July 3, 1962, sharing a wonderful life of 58 years together.

At the age of 16, he started working at Mallek’s Service Station in Ann Arbor, MI, becoming a well-known mechanic for 46 years until retiring in 2003, mentoring many young employees along the way. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, fishing, camping, bluegrass festivals, pontoon boating on North Lake, and spending time with family. His friendliness toward people was infectious and the infamous drive-by “wave” on North Lake Road will be remembered by many. We will miss the legendary fisherman, and forever cherish the talents that have been passed down in his lineage for generations to come.

He is survived by his wife, Sandra, and three children: Teri (Tom) Bareis, Mark (Kristin) Neff, Susie (Joey) Long. He is also survived by five grandchildren and one great-grandchild, all whom he loved dearly: Emma (Gabe) Marshall, Addison, Hunter, and Jessica Neff, Hayden Long, and great-grandchild, Fern Louise Marshall. In addition, Dick is survived by his siblings, Ron (Sandy) Neff of Dexter, and Bob Neff of Chelsea.

A Gathering of Friends and Family will be held on Friday, October, 23, 2020, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea, MI. Funeral Directors are following current CDC recommendations for COVID-19 which allow for 10 people in the chapel at one time and a total of 40 in the building; those attending will be instructed accordingly, and masks must be worn. Expressions of sympathy in Richard’s name may be given to the St. Louis Center, Chelsea. Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea.

Richard E. Deanhofer

Richard E. Deanhofer, age 75, of Munith, MI, passed away on Sunday, October 18, 2020. Per his wishes he has been cremated.

Private services will be held at a later date. Arrangements by Caskey-Mitchell Funeral Home, Stockbridge.

John Conway

John Conway, age 97, of Pleasant Lake, MI, passed away on Sunday, October 18, 2020. He was born April 6, 1923 in Croom, Ireland, the son of Denis and Catherine (Quilter) Conway. He came to the United States by way of Canada as a young man, finally permanently settling in Michigan in 1954.

John had lived in the Pleasant Lake area for the past 30 years, moving there after living in Stockbridge for 25 years. He liked to tell everyone he had farmed in four countries before going to work at the Ingham County Road Commission, where he retired in 1990 after working there for 20 years. His heart never left farming; he loved raising cattle as a hobby. He also enjoyed helping his neighbors by snowplowing driveways with his beloved John Deere tractor, and tinkering in his barn. No matter what else he might be doing, his first priority was spending time with his family.

He married Jo-Anne Marie (Helfrich) in Manchester, MI on August 11, 1956, and she survives. Also surviving are five children: Richard (Shari) Walters of Clark Lake, MI, Kathleen (Tom) Pizana of South Bend, IN, Shelly (Mark) Wiley of Quincy, MI, Becky Boyce of Jackson, MI, and Shawn Conway of Jackson, MI; four grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins throughout the world. He was preceded in death by ten siblings and two grandchildren, Colby Boyce and Shelby Boyce Schweda.

Per his wishes, he will be cremated, and a Memorial Service will be held at the Caskey-Mitchell Funeral Home on Saturday, July 31, 2021 at 12:00 noon. The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service. For their outstanding compassionate care at the end of John’s life, the family would appreciate anyone wishing to make a donation in John’s memory do so to Careline Hospice of Jackson.

Johannah W. Summers

Johannah W. Summers, age 72, of Chelsea, MI, passed away at her home on Saturday, October 17, 2020. She was born on March 27, 1948, in Wayne County, the daughter of Charles and Grace (Wells) Boughan.

Surviving are two sons, Andy (Bryn) Summers of Bridgewater, and Josh (Theresa Margerm) Summers of Ypsilanti; two grandchildren, Caleb and Cora, two sisters, Pam Boughan of Plymouth, and Gloria Phillips of Grand Blanc, and one brother, Peter Boughan of Quincy, also the father of her children, Gregory Summers of Florida. She was preceded in death by her parents, and two sisters, Peggy Havlick and Susan Ormanian.

Johannah had lived in the Chelsea area for the past 13 years. She was involved in the Chelsea Senior Center where she taught classes. She especially loved painting and drawing. Recently she had begun woodcarving, though portraiture was her primary subject of interest. She studied art at the University of Michigan and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1999, where she won several awards for her work. She also studied graphic design at the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit.

She has exhibited in several juried competitions such as the Women’s Works Art Exhibit in Woodstock, Illinois. And, some of her graphic design clients included St. Joseph Hospital, Skaff Furniture and the Genesee County Health Department. One early accomplishment she was also proud of was working as a drafts-person at Federal Mogul in the 70’s when it was uncommon for women to have that role.

Visitation will be held at the Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 from 5-7 p.m. Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, October 22, 2020, 11:00 a.m. at Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home. Funeral Directors are following current CDC recommendations for COVID-19 which allow for 10 people at one time; those attending will be instructed accordingly, and masks must be worn.

Those wishing to make a memorial contribution in Johannah’s name may do so to the Chelsea Senior Center.

Robert J. Clouse, Sr.

Robert J. Clouse, Sr., age 75, of Chelsea, MI, passed away on October 16, 2020 at his son’s home, surrounded by family. He was born in Saline, MI on August 27, 1945, son of Cecil and Gladys (Parker) Clouse, and he lived in Washtenaw County all his life.

Robert was co-owner of Huron Camera in Battle Creek, Chelsea, Dexter, Jackson, and Saline for 35 years. He loved watching baseball and cheering on any Michigan sport. He had a passion for fixing cameras. His favorite pastimes included mowing the lawn, tinkering around the house, driving a bulldozer, going to the casino, and hanging out with his family.

He is survived by his children, Kimberly (Chris) Nouhan of Saline, Robert (Lisa) Clouse, Jr. of Chelsea, and Rick (Joanne Rau) Clouse, also of Chelsea; siblings and in-laws, Naomi Hasselbach of Ann Arbor, Arthur Clouse of Grass Lake, Ray (Maxine) Clouse of Tennessee, Jay (Beth) Clouse of Napoleon, Trula (Terry) Snead of Manchester, Joann Clouse of Waterloo; and seven grandchildren: Miranda Nouhan, Kyle Nouhan, Colin Nouhan, Corinne Clouse, Courtnee Clouse, Emma Clouse, and Cole Clouse. Robert was predeceased by siblings, William Clouse, Cecil Clouse, Martha O’Brien, Patricia Smith, Dorothy Branstetter, Richard Clouse, Donna Carlson, and an infant baby girl.

A Gathering of Friends and Family will be held on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., with a final blessing at 7:00 p.m. by Reverend Kathy Schell, at Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea. Funeral Directors are following current CDC recommendations for COVID-19 which allow for 10 people at one time; those attending will be instructed accordingly, and masks must be worn. Expressions of sympathy may be made to Arbor Hospice, Ann Arbor, MI.

Harold P. Merrill, Sr. (Hal)

Harold Paul Merrill, Sr. (Hal) of Chelsea, MI, long-time resident of Manchester, MI, left this earthly planet peacefully on Tuesday evening, October 13, 2020. Hal was determined to celebrate his 100th birthday, and he did just that this year on August 19, enjoying special time with family and friends.

Hal was born in rural Oklahoma, the second son and sixth of seven children born to Reuben John and Laura Jane (Watt) Merrill. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 52 years, Lois Dell (Roberts) Merrill.

Born during the Great Depression, Hal was raised on a farm, and could remember standing in the field looking up at the silver airplanes flying above, and vowing that one day he would be in one. When Pearl Harbor happened, through Herculean effort, he joined the Navy and became a pilot. Stationed in the South Pacific war theater, his job was to fly the deceased and wounded back stateside to Honolulu, at night, by the stars, because there was no radar—and the only way to navigate was by a three-star fix. He became skilled at landing and taking off on the small runways built by the Army Corps of Engineers on the islands in the South Pacific, and, because of that skill, he was requested by many of the admirals and generals to be their personal pilot. When he returned stateside to Norfolk, VA, he became a requested pilot for the White House, and flew many important dignitaries. His favorite sayings were, “Go, and be on time” and “Fly low and slow, and throttle back on the turns”—and these became his mottos for life. When he retired from the Navy, he moved to Detroit, MI and began flying for General Motors, and piloting around the presidents of GM corporations. Again, he was chief pilot because of his skill and low incident record. He had an interesting and exciting life and retired with 50,000 hours of flight time. By this time, he moved to a small farm in Manchester, MI, where he dearly loved baling hay and raising goats, chickens, peacocks, and other types of animals.

Hal had a great sense of humor and was always cracking a joke. A proficient handyman, he taught all of his children to be self-sufficient, changing the oil in their cars, driving manual transmissions including tractors, and gardening—especially pulling weeds. His was truly a life well-lived.

Hal is survived by six children, Lori Alpert, Laura Blades (Gary), Lynette Fioroni (Joe), Harold Merrill, Jr., Lois Merrill, and Lisa Spears (Mike); 12 grandchildren, Joel Blades (Emma), Melissa Blades, Josh Blades (Sarah), Nick Fioroni (Sarah), Sam Fioroni (Sarah), Maddie Fioroni, Richard Janish, Sharilyn Leutz (Tony), Paul Spears (Cori), Kenzie Spears, Mara Spears, John Spears; and two great-grandchildren, Natilee Leutz and Francis Fioroni.

In accordance with his wishes, Hal was cremated and the memorial service will be private. Expressions of sympathy may be made in Hal’s name to the Military Aviation Museum, 1341 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23457 (https://militaryaviationmuseum.org/donations/). Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home.

Bonnie Lou Lowe

Bonnie Lou Lowe, age 72, of Munith, MI, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family and under the care of Henry Ford Allegiance Health Hospice.

Bonnie is survived by her four daughters, Veronica (Jeff) Hackworth, Terry Lee Cole (Eddie Barker), Erica Pierce, and Jeanette (Danny) Darrow; grandchildren, Ryan Hackworth, Gina Hackworth, Terry Michael Griffus (Elizabeth Myers), Natosha (Jessica) Griffus, Ricky (Katelyn) Griffus, Trenton Cole, Jace Barker, Cortney (Chelsea) Jordan, Jerry (Katrina) Pierce, Miranda Pierce; and great-grandchildren, Carson, Braylin, Reese, Rhett, Morgan, Ella, Lily, Tatum, and Teagan. She was preceded in death by her ex-husband, Lefty Terry Cole, and her husband, Bobby Eugene Lowe; her parents, Edward and Margaret Walz; brother, Lionel Walz, and sister, Marlene Walz.

Bonnie was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was a member of Waterloo First Community Church and attended until her illness, after losing her husband. Bonnie felt she still had a lot of love to give. She formerly owned and operated a daycare out of her home. She always had an open door for anyone in need, and she welcomed people with open arms, a hot meal, and a place to sleep. Her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were her absolute greatest joys.

Visitation for family and friends will be held on Wednesday, October 7, 2020, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., at Caskey-Mitchell Funeral Home in Stockbridge, MI. Funeral Directors are following current CDC recommendations for COVID-19 which now allow for 40 people at one time; those attending will be instructed accordingly, and masks must be worn. A Graveside Service will be held on Thursday, October 8, 2020, 11:00 a.m., at Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Kennedy Road (due to the bridge being out on Kennedy Road, please allow more travel time), Munith, Pastor Georgie Dack officiating. It is suggested you bring a chair if unable to stand at the Graveside Service.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to Waterloo First Community Church. Arrangements by Caskey-Mitchell Funeral Home, Stockbridge.

Ruth L. Lewis

Ruth L. Lewis, age 95, of Ann Arbor, passed away on October 4, 2020 surrounded by loved ones. Ruth was born on April 25, 1925, the daughter of Earl and Cora (Hoover) Bauer. On August 16, 1946, she married John Lewis, and he predeceased her in 2005.

Ruth lived in Washtenaw County for years, and in Florida for 20 years of her life. She attended the Methodist church, and she loved to quilt, cook, and crochet.

She is survived by her daughters, Sandra Mets of Ypsilanti, and Susan Lewis of Chelsea; her grandchildren, Katherine (Chris) Caines, and Erik (Rebecca) Mets; great-grandchildren, Arlo and Midge Caines, and Theodora Mets; and her siblings, Joseph Bauer and Ken Bauer, both of Chelsea, John Bauer of Kentucky, and Mary Bauer of California. In addition to her husband, Ruth was predeceased by her siblings, Jean Freysinger, Mark Bauer, Paul Bauer, James Bauer, and Jerry Bauer. Per Ruth’s request, she was cremated and there are no services. Expressions of sympathy may be given in memory of Ruth to the St. Louis Center. Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea.

Wilma M. (Alber) Mynning

Wilma M. (Alber) Mynning, age 92, of Dexter, MI, died peacefully at home after a period of declining health. Daughter of Dorothy (Finkbeiner) and Julius Alber, Wilma was born July 5, 1928 at home on the family farm in Clinton, the youngest of four children.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her siblings, Florence Harvey, Paul Alber, and Ella May Smith; her husband of 70 years, Russell J. Mynning; and a son, David R. Mynning.

Mrs. Mynning is survived by a daughter, Rosemary Downer (Thomas); grandson, Paul Roberts (Karen); and great-grandchildren, Janie, Sophie, and William Roberts. Other survivors are her sisters-in-law, Jacqueline McGinn and Dorothy Alber, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Following graduation from Saline High School in 1945, Wilma found employment as a bookkeeper in Ann Arbor. She was living with her sister and brother-in-law, Ella and George Smith, in their home located on Pratt Road, just down the road from a family named Mynning. Whether by design or luck, Wilma met the love of her life when Russ Mynning was hitchhiking, and she stopped to give him a ride home. Russ and Wilma were married on December 27, 1947 at St. Thomas Catholic Church, Ann Arbor, and were together for 70 years until Russ’ death in 2018.

Wilma was an avid gardener and cook, skilled seamstress, joyful dancer, committed organizer of family events, savvy card shark, and exceptional raconteur. She was kind and generous to her extended family, and a dedicated volunteer for the Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary and St. Joseph Catholic Church, Dexter. Wilma was a woman of faith, love, determination, and purpose. She often said, “With God, all things are possible,” but also, relying on her own fortitude and pluck, “Where there is a Wilma, there is a way!”

Special thanks to: Family for their prayers, support, love, and laughter over the years; Paul and Karen Roberts; Betty Raab, for hands on assistance, especially in times of need; the good neighbors at the Cedars of Dexter; Father Brendan and parish members from St. Joe’s Church; Wilma’s caregivers from Our Family Friend; and Arbor Hospice for their kind care.

A private memorial service and burial are planned. Donations in Wilma’s memory can be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church, 3430 Dover Street, Dexter, MI 48130, the Arbor Hospice Foundation, or a charity of one’s choice. Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea.

Here is a link to her Mass