Shaun M. McWhorter

Shaun Michael McWhorter, age 42, of St. Peters, MO, formerly of Chelsea, MI, passed away on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at his home. He was born January 4, 1979 in Bloomington, IL, the son of David R. and Dian H. (Powers) McWhorter. He graduated from Chelsea High School, class of 1997. He moved to St. Peters, MO where he had lived for the past 15 years, working as a collection specialist at a successful corporation.

Shaun was one of those people who loved life and everybody in it. He always put everyone’s needs before his own. He always had a smile on his face and was willing to lend a helping hand. He was known for his kind nature, always helping, smiling, and laughing. He loved spending time with his girlfriend, Rachel, and his dog, Skyler, and he was especially close with his sister, Shanell.

Shaun is survived by his mother, Dian (Tony) Powers of Davison, MI; father, David (Valeria) McWhorter of O’Fallon, MO; his loving companion, Rachel M. Darabcsek; sister, Shanell (Ben) Vermeylen of Chelsea; three nephews: Emmet, Quinn, and Nolan; and grandmother, Florence Jeffers of Davison. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather and paternal grandparents.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, June 10, 2021, 11:00 a.m., at the Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea. Burial will follow at Oak Grove East Cemetery of Chelsea. Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday, June 9, 2021, 4-8 p.m.

Those wishing to make a memorial contribution in Shaun’s name may do so to the Five Acres Animal Shelter in St. Charles, MO, or the Chelsea Athletics in Chelsea.

Howard D. Schenk

It is with great sorrow that we are announcing the death of Howard Dale Schenk, of Grass Lake, MI. The son of Winston and Betty (Harshbarger) Schenk passed away at the age of 63 on June 2, 2021.

Howard attended and graduated Chelsea High School, class of 1975, where he was very popular, receiving his Varsity letter in wrestling and cross country. As a young man, he worked in Detroit at Prime Meat, and then became a trucker, only to go on and receive his builder’s license and become a successful contractor.

He has left behind his son, Howard (Jenna Hetzel) Bentley of Grass Lake, his life-long partner, Connie Lowery, and her daughter, Heather McClung, a brother, Jon Schenk of Jackson, a sister, Janice Schenk of Wisconsin, and nephew, Michael Schenk of Jackson; as well as life-long friends, Anthony Bentley, Roger Stewart, Gary Mariott, and many more. He was preceded in death by his parents, and two brothers Robert Schenk and Richard Schenk.

He was a brother and a friend, and was loved by many. He will be sadly missed, but has gone to be with Christ.

A gathering of friends and family will be held on Saturday, June 12, 2021 at the Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home from 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. A private burial will take place at a later date. Those wishing to make a memorial contribution may do so to Faith In Action Chelsea.

Michelle R. Memering

Michelle Renee Memering, age 54, of Chelsea, MI, passed away at home on June 3, 2021. She was born July 3, 1966 in Wayne, MI, the daughter of Herman and Delphine (Baron) Memering.

She had lived in the Chelsea area for the past 17 years. Michelle loved her family and her cat Coco. Most of all, she enjoyed celebrating holidays, loved greeting cards, family photos, and visiting Florida. Michelle’s favorite color was red.

Michelle is survived by her siblings: Donald (Lisa) Memering of Indiana, Darryl Memering of Interlochen, Ann (Ronald) Memering of Chelsea, Karen (Robert) Green of Dexter, and Brenda (Tim) Pineau of Dexter; as well as many loving nieces and nephews and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Cremation has taken place, and a private graveside service will be held at Oakwood Cemetery in Grass Lake. Those wishing to make a contribution in memory of Michelle may do so to the St. Louis Center in Chelsea, MI or the Alzheimer’s Association. Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea.

Pamela A. (Heathfield) Lesser

Pamela Anne Heathfield Lesser of Chelsea, MI, age 71, passed away peacefully at home in the comfort of her husband’s and son’s arms on June 4, 2021. She was born in Detroit, MI on April 30, 1950, the daughter of Paul and Gladys (Myrand) Heathfield. Pam married Reuben A. Lesser of Chelsea, and he survives.

She worked at Bookcrafters in Chelsea as a plate maker for many years, and she was a resident of Chelsea since 1983. Chelsea was her home.

Pam loved her family and friends very much. She was so proud of her granddaughters’ accomplishments, and she was proud of her son, Paul, and her daughter, Shelly. Pam loved to visit and travel with her daughter and son-in-law. She also loved the simple things in life and she had a great sense of humor. She was very close with and loved her sisters; she spoke daily with her sister, Paula. She is now reunited with her sister, Lynda Collins, and her twin sister, Deborah Wedegartner. Her nieces and nephews and their children were important to her, and she enjoyed hearing about them and their growing families, too.

In addition to her husband, Reuben, Pam is survived by her son, Paul Kennedy of Chelsea, her daughter, Shelly (Jeff) Grajewski of Venice, FL, and her stepson, Mark (Cindy) Lesser of Chelsea; three granddaughters, Ashley (Chris) Kneale, AnnMarie (Brandon) Thayer, Katelyn Grajewski; and three great-grandchildren, Noah and Amelia Kneale, and EllaRose Thayer.

A funeral service is scheduled on Wednesday, June 9, 2021, 11:00 a.m., at Zion Lutheran Church, Chelsea. Visitation will be on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, 5-8 p.m., at Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea, and at Zion Lutheran Church the day of the funeral, 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. Expressions of sympathy may be made in Pam’s name to the American Lung Association , Zion Lutheran Church, or Cascades Humane Society.

Jacques (Jack) R. Groening

Jack and his daughter, Rose, at the Daddy-Daughter Dance.

Jacques (Jack) R. Groening, age 51, of Chelsea, MI, passed away on May 29, 2021 at his home. Born on September 14, 1969, in Garden City, MI, he is the son of Martin and Linda (Bulman) Groening.

Jack lived in the Chelsea area for 11 years after moving from Ypsilanti, MI. He enjoyed camping and fishing, and he dearly loved his children: son, Austin, and daughter, Rose. In addition to his children, he is survived by his parents, Martin and Linda Groening of Chelsea, and his brother, Stephen Groening, of Ann Arbor, MI. Jack was preceded in death by his brother, Sean Groening, in 2015.

Cremation has taken place, and a memorial service will be held at a later date. Expressions of sympathy in Jack’s name may be made to Faith In Action of Chelsea. Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea.

Nickie Lee Carpenter

Nick(ie) Lee Carpenter, of Fitchburg, passed away at his home surrounded by his family on May 29, 2021. He was born on November 28, 1947 the first son of Willie and Virginia (Barker) Carpenter in Stockbridge, MI. On June 24, 1972, he married Diane (Hazell), and she survives.

Nick was a proud member of the UAW and had 30 years of service with the Dana Corporation. He enjoyed working on cars, bicycles, and lawnmowers. He was an avid golfer and also enjoyed softball, bowling, along with hunting and fishing. He always supported our troops and he loved his family.

In addition to his wife, Diane, Nick is survived by his son, Joshua (Niki) Carpenter, granddaughters Reese Burch and Kaelyn Carpenter. He is also survived by his brothers, David Carpenter, Ted (Diana) Carpenter, Jeff (Kim) Carpenter, sister, Vickey (Wally) Brown, and sister/brother-in-law, Barbara and Wilferd Risner, along with numerous beloved nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his infant daughter, Rebecca Carpenter.

A graveside service at Fitchburg Cemetery will be held on Friday, June 4, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. 

Clarence W. "Bill" Price IV

Clarence W. “Bill” Price IV, of Jackson, Michigan, beloved son, brother, uncle, nephew and cousin, passed away at McLaren Hospital in Lansing on May 30, 2021.

Bill loved listening to music. He loved to BBQ and family gatherings. He was a good uncle to his nieces and nephews.

A gathering of friends and family will take place on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at the Caskey-Mitchell Funeral Home, 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Burial will follow at North Waterloo Cemetery. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Price family.

Ann M. Becktel

Ann M. Becktel, age 70, of Manchester, MI passed away on Saturday, May 29, 2021 at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor. She was born in Jackson, MI on February 23, 1951, the daughter of Harold and Florence (Kirk) Burch. On April 17, 1970, she married Lawrence G. Becktel, and he preceded her in death in September of 2016.

Ann had lived in Manchester her whole life. After being a devoted stay at home mother, she started working elections for Manchester in the late 80s. In 1995 she took a position with Manchester Township as Deputy Treasurer and assistant office administrator until 2003, when she was elected as Clerk for Manchester Township until 2016. She was an avid golfer and member of the Tecumseh Country Club. She loved to travel and golf was a big part of their travels. She would challenge herself by playing the white tees. She loved to eat out at nice restaurants, especially Knight’s Restaurant.

Ann is survived by three children, Tracy (Don) Hagerman of Manchester, Timothy Becktel of Jackson, and Terri (Ron) Johnson of Manchester; one sister, Mary Beth (Rod) Miller of Florida, and sister-in-law, Ruth Burch of Manchester; four grandchildren, Steven (Hailee) Frey, Jessica Frey, Charlize Booker, and Drake Booker. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a brother, Thomas Burch.

Visitation will be held at the Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m., with a Rosary at 7:30 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, June 3, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. also at the funeral home. Burial will follow at St. Mary Cemetery in Manchester.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Manchester Fire Department or Manchester Chicken Broil.

Helen M. Lancaster

Helen M. (Grabowski) Lancaster, affectionately known as “Grams,” age 95, passed away on May 27th, 2021, surrounded by loved ones in her daughter’s home in Chelsea, MI. She was born on October 24th, 1925 in Chelsea, the daughter of Paul H. and Madelene (Krafft) Grabowski. Helen married Charles M. Lancaster on November 14, 1946, and he preceded her in death.

Helen lived in Chelsea her entire life. She was baptized, confirmed, and married at St. Paul United Church of Christ, where her father, Rev. P.H. Grabowski, pastored for 37 years. She graduated from Chelsea High School in 1943 and Elmhurst College in Chicago in 1947. She and Charles met at Cunningham’s Drug Store in Ann Arbor, and after marrying, became co-owners of Chelsea Drug Store. She was a realtor and both a member of the Million Dollar Club for real estate and a top performer in Washtenaw County for many years. Helen was extremely active in the community serving as a Girl Scout Leader and member of the Women’s City Club of Ann Arbor, the Chelsea Child Study Club, and several Bridge clubs. Helen loved playing cards, especially Bridge and Hand and Foot, with her family, friends or anyone she could take for a quarter! In addition, she was actively involved with the PTA, a founding member of the Chelsea Area Players, and sang in the choir at St. Paul United Church of Christ. Helen was an avid world traveler with her family and friends, and was extremely supportive of her children’s and grandchildren’s activities and sports.

Helen was a loving mother to her children Paul (Georgie) Lancaster of Eagle River, WI, Mark (Mary Kay) Lancaster of Alanson, MI, Laurel (David) Gravelyn of Chelsea, MI, and Tim (Beth) Lancaster of Petoskey, MI. She was a devoted grandmother to Lisa (Tom) Raney of Waverly, IA, Sam (Shannon) Lancaster of Mesa, AZ, Adam Lancaster of Golden Valley, MN, Cathy (Michael) Wargel of Alanson, MI, Matt (Sara) Lancaster of Oden, MI, Karen (Kyle) Culbertson of Conway, MI, Aaron Smith of Jackson, MI, Jason Smith of Federal Way, WA, Lauren Gravelyn of Kansas City, MO, Chelsea (Pete) Platte of Petoskey, MI, and Emily Lancaster of Pittsburgh, PA. Grams adored her great-grandchildren Jordan, Shannon, Benjamin, Jacob, Paxton, Wyatt, Gavin, Grace, Landon, Gabriela, Thea, Austin, Colby, Bruce and Townsend.

Visitation and funeral services will be held at St. Paul United Church of Christ in Chelsea. Visitation will be Friday, June 4th, 2021, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., and Saturday morning, June 5th, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. A Celebration of Life service will follow Saturday’s visitation, beginning at 11:00 a.m., with a luncheon afterward. A private burial service will take place for the immediate family.

The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to St. Joseph Mercy Hospice and Comfort Keepers for their loving care of Helen.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to St. Paul United Church of Christ or to a charity of one’s choice. Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea.

Talan P. Tolliver

Talan Phillip Tolliver, age 15, of Gregory, MI, passed away at home on May 26, 2021 after a hard-fought battle with cancer. He was born in Howell, MI on February 25, 2006, son of Jason A. and Christina L. (Brown) Tolliver.

To know Talan was to love him, and he was loved by all. His favorite place was Angels’ Perch in Tennessee, followed closely by Sunday Fundays spent at Uncle Phil’s swimming pool. He was a family guy and an “old soul,” who enjoyed music of all kinds, football, hoops, MMA, baseball, and hunting and fishing. Talan delighted in consuming large amounts of tacos and nachos. He treasured his cat, Mitsu, and his dog, Lucy.

Talan is survived by his parents, Jason and Christina; his siblings, Cody Tolliver and Cynthia Tolliver; his grandparents, Phillip and Margo Tolliver, Uncle Phil and Aunt Jenn Tolliver, and his Uncle Steve and Aunt Dianna Brownridge; and his cousins, Hannah, Nicolas, Sophia, Bonny, Donald, and Emily. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Don and Joan Brown.

A gathering of friends and family will occur on Friday, June 4, 2021, 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., at Stockbridge High School in Stockbridge, MI, with a memorial service scheduled at 1:00 p.m. Funeral directors are following current Michigan Department of Health and Human Services guidelines for COVID-19; those attending will be instructed accordingly. Expressions of sympathy in memory of Talan may be made to the Stockbridge Athletics Memorial Scholarship fund. Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea, MI.