Carl J. Lesser

Carl J. Lesser, age 98, of Dexter, MI, passed away on November 23, 2023. Carl was born on December 8, 1924 in Dexter, MI to Ezra and Edna (Mast) Lesser. He had lived in Dexter most of his life and resided at Silver Maples Retirement Community for the last five years.  

Carl graduated from Dexter High School as the valedictorian of his class in 1940. He attended Michigan State University, where he honed his passion for agriculture and community service.  Carl married Elizabeth "Betty" (Adams) on October 14, 1950, and they were married for nearly 68 years.

Carl was very active in farming and the Dexter community. He served on many committees and boards, which included former member of MMPA,  Board Member and former Trustee of Dexter Township, Board Member of the Chelsea Dexter Fire Authority, Board Member of the Washtenaw County Farm Council (which helped purchase the land where the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds/Saline Fairgrounds are located), member of the Michigan Livestock, Farm Bureau, and a breeder of registered Black Angus. He was a life-long member of St. Andrew's United Church of Christ, where he was baptized, confirmed, married, and will be laid to rest. He was big into politics, a Republican supporter. He was proud to have met several high level representatives of the Republican Party, including George W. Bush. Carl's commitment to his community, his passion for agriculture, support for local farmers, and his unwavering faith serve as an inspiration to all who knew him. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and the Dexter community he so deeply loved.

Surviving are two children, John Lesser of Dexter, and Susan (Darrell) Stoker of Grass Lake; two grandsons, Adam and Carl; a sister, Arlene Honbaum of Chelsea; and two sisters-in-law, Carol Lesser of Dexter and Ann Tesluck of Lexington, MI; many nephews and nieces, several great-nephews and great-nieces, and several great-great-nephews and great-great-nieces.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty, in September 2018, as well as his parents, Ezra and Edna (Mast) Lesser, his father- and mother-law, Henry and Suzanna (Martini) Adams; his siblings, Norwin Lesser and Mary Burmeister; brothers-in-law, Merritt Honbaum, Leonard Burmeister, George Adams, and Robert Tesluck; sister-in-law, Barbara Adams and a great-nephew, Jason Tesluck.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, December 2, 2023 from 2-5 p.m. at Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home in Chelsea. Funeral Services will be held on Sunday, December 3, 2023, 2:00 p.m., at St. Andrew's United Church of Christ in Dexter with Pastor Larry Van Slambrook officiating. He will be laid to rest at St. Andrew's Cemetery in Dexter.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Carl Lesser Ag Scholarship Fund, the Dexter Historical Society, St. Andrew's United Church of Christ, or the Silver Maples Employee Scholarship Fund. 

Mark A. Digue

Mark Alan Digue, age 61, of Jackson, MI, passed away peacefully on November 22, 2023. Mark was a true renaissance man, an avid outdoorsman, a skilled chef, devoted family man, and child of God.

He was born on February 27, 1962, the son of Betty (Counterman) Digue. After his mother’s passing, he helped raise his sisters.

Mark married Rene Michele (Stuebben) in Toledo, Ohio on February 5, 1988. She was his soul mate, and he loved her and their family more than anything.

Mark spent many years working at a print shop, and later he embraced the role of stay-at-home dad to his two boys, Justin and David. When his sons were older, Mark found his dream job at Ella Sharp Park Golf Course, where he honed his love for golf. He had a very low handicap and boasted seven Holes in One. He also loved spending time outdoors, hunting and fishing often with his sons.

Mark was a true domestic engineer before it was cool. He loved to bake and cook. His motto was "You can trust this skinny chef."

Mark was a devoted Christian and read his Bible daily. He was a man of many talents, a dedicated family man, and a true friend. His infectious smile, easygoing nature, and unwavering love for his family will be deeply missed.

He is survived by his wife, Rene; his children, Justin (Jessica) Digue and David (Breanna) Digue; grandchildren, Callie, Remington, Hadley, Grayson, and Emersyn; his siblings, Diane Walach, Dave (Joanne) Digue, and Dawn LaBean; and his beloved golden retriever, Gracie. He was preceded in death by his mother, a sister, Leigh Bell, and brother-in-law, Hank Walach.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home in Chelsea, MI.

Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, 11:00 a.m., at Zion Lutheran Church in Chelsea with Pastor Kurt Hutchens officiating.

Memorial contributions may be made to Zion Lutheran Church or Immanuel Lutheran Church Food Bank in Jackson.

Arlene M. Barringer

Arlene Mary Barringer, age 70, of Novi, MI, passed away on November 18, 2023. Arlene was born September 11, 1953 in  Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of  Bill and Alexandra Lovachis.

She was the beloved wife of Ronald J. Barringer, loving mother of Nicole Marie, cherished “Baba” (grandmother) to Ashton and Aubrie Bruining, dear sister to Tommy (Janice) Lovachis, sister-in-law to Alice Barringer and the late Derryl and Reginald Barringer, special aunt to Alexander, Nicholas, and Thomas Lovachis; Jarrett, Matthew, and  Andrew Barringer; and Joe and Tom Fugedi.

Arlene retired from a long successful career at Watson Wyatt Worldwide in 2015. With her extra time she enjoyed golfing with Ron and out of state golf trips with her friends. Spending time with her grandchildren was a highlight in her life. She very much enjoyed watching the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoons, walking and caring for her dogs over the years, and doing summer flower planting.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, November 30, 2023, 12:00 p.m., at St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church, 26355 W Chicago, Redford, MI. Visitation will be at the church from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Burial will be at Grand Lawn Cemetery in  Detroit, MI. In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church or a Humane Society of one’s choice.

Arrangements by Caskey-Mitchell Funeral Home, Stockbridge, MI.  

John C. Michael

John Calvin Michael, age 91, passed away on November 14, 2023 in Jackson MI. John was born on March 04, 1932 in Rivesville, West Virginia to Paul O. and Ruby E. (Linn) Michael.

After graduating from Rivesville High School in West Virginia, he joined the Air Force at age 19. He served from 1951 to 1955 and was stationed in Japan. John worked on C-36 cargo planes, specializing in electrical systems.

From the service John went on to college at Fairmont State for his degree in industrial arts. He later married Shirley Dawn Glover on September 1, 1956 and started his career as a Technical Illustrator. John had several positions with U.S. government contractors including Sperry Piedmont - Submarines in Charlottesville, Virginia, Bendix Aerospace in Ann Arbor Michigan, Northern Telecom also in Ann Arbor Michigan and Williams in Walled Lake Michigan.

John and Shirley started a family and had two children. Together they built their own home in Saline, Michigan. They were active in the Saline United Methodist Church.

John was an avid model airplane builder, often working from his own drawings - an Xacto knife and a ruler were the tools most favored for his precision designs. John was a handy guy and mechanically inclined. Much to all of our amazement - he could fix anything. John was a gardener, and a car enthusiast.

John is survived by his wife of 66 years, Shirley Dawn (Glover) Michael, his two children Debra Lynn (Mark) Drow and Daniel Lee (Sandy) Michael. Grandchildren: Anna Herbert (Brandon) of Jackson, Michigan, Alaina Drow of Chelsea, Michigan, Austin Michael of West Palm, Florida, and Addison Michael of Jersey City, New Jersey. Great grandchildren: Zoey Lea Herbert and Dax Michael Herbert. John also is survived by his sister Ramona Shafer of Cary, North Carolina.

He was preceded in death by his sister Janice Bondy of Rocky River, Ohio, and his beloved granddaughter Jillian Lea Drow of Chelsea, Michigan.

A gathering of friends and family will take place at the Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home on Sunday, November 19, 2023 from 2-4 p.m. A brief time of sharing will take place at 4p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Jillian Lea Drow Fund via the Chelsea Education Foundation P.O. Box 281, Chelsea, MI 48118.

Roberta M. Hill

Roberta M. Hill, of Dexter, MI passed away unexpectedly at her home on November 5, 2023. She was born the daughter of Reginald and Ida (Cochran) Marshall on June 10, 1957 in Royal Oak, Michigan.

On August 5, 1989 she married Bradford A. Hill, and he survives. Roberta was a city girl and loved the city life until she moved to Dexter. She immediately fell in love with the property and always bragged about her builder, which happened to be her husband, Brad.

She traveled extensively for work as a software engineer and with one job traveled over 200,000 miles. She also traveled with Brad on many cruises and over to England, where she studied and watched the Royal family for many years. She was an animal lover and loved all their dogs except Brad's dog, Sheba. Roberta and Brad were Michigan State Alumni and  attended a class reunion just weeks before her death. She loved music, especially going to Neil Diamond concerts.  

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her sisters, Sue (Andy) Gouldsbury, Elizabeth Marshall, many cousins, and her dog, Korie. 

A memorial service will take place at the Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home on Saturday, November 18, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. with Kathy Schell officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 10:00 a.m. until the hour of the service.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to Waggin' Tails Dog Rescue.

Heriknaz Nakas

Heriknaz Nakas, age 86, of Ypsilanti, MI, passed away on November 7, 2023 at her home.

Heriknaz was born on July 15, 1937 in Sivas, Turkey the daughter of Manuk and Zabel Tokpinar. She immigrated to the United States from Turkey, moving to Washtenaw County in 1980. She loved to cook and enjoyed entertaining and having people over. She also worked as a seamstress for many years at Men's Warehouse. Most of all she loved her family. She was a humble woman and loving wife, mother, sister, and grandmother.

Heriknaz married Kevork Nakas in Turkey, and he preceded her in death in 2011. Surviving are five children, Veron (Sarkis) Kiraz of Ypsilanti, Ojen (Vahan) Ahrun of Ann Arbor, Rudy Nakas of Howell, Iskender (Jerri) Nakas of Brighton, and Tabita (Sahin) Ozkaya of Ann Arbor; nine grandchildren and many great-grandchildren; four sisters, Arsalus Durmazguler of Ann Arbor, Azat Uzuncan of Ann Arbor, Vercanik Mendik of Dexter, and Yercanik (Manuel) Hirachian of Saline. In addition to her husband, Kevork, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Senekerin Tokpinar and Agacan Tokpinar, and two sisters, Haygan Bedoglu and Paris Susluoglu.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, November 13, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home in Chelsea. Burial will follow at Bethlehem Cemetery in Ann Arbor. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Monday from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea.

Elizabeth Ann Townsend

Elizabeth Ann Townsend, of Dansville, Michigan, passed away at the Vista Springs Majestic Bliss Assisted Living Center and Memory Care Facility in Lansing, MI at the age 82.

She was born the daughter of Norman D. and Ellen (Johnson) Jacobs on June 13, 1941 in Stockbridge, Michigan. On November 29, 1958, she married Leland H. Townsend, and he preceded her in death in 2014. Elizabeth enjoyed crocheting and tatting. She was a member of the Millville United Methodist Church.  

Elizabeth is survived by her children, Jeff (Denise) Townsend, Brad (Janet) Townsend,  Dawn Bostic, and Warren (Angelia) Townsend. Also surviving are her eight grandchildren, Jamie (Dean) Bloom,  Megan Townsend, Melissa Townsend, Katherine Townsend, Ashley Townsend, Julie (Michael)  DeLillo,  Jacob (Kelsey) Townsend, and Frances Miller; and nine great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings, Marie Stanfield, Norman D. Jacobs, Eleanor (Dave Shearing) Jacobs,  and Kevin (Cindy) Jacobs.   In addition to her husband, Leland, she was preceded in death by her brother-in-law, Dick Stanfield.

Per her wishes cremation has taken place, and a private service and burial will take place at a later date.  

Seize the day and live, laugh, love at the end.

Arrangements by Caskey-Mitchell Funeral Home, Stockbridge.

Barbara Grace Edridge

Barbara Grace Edridge, age 97, passed away on October 31, 2023 in Brighton, MI. Barbara was born on January 20, 1926 in Detroit, MI, the daughter of Sylvester and Mary Alma (Kavanagh) Kennedy. She graduated from St. Mary Catholic School in Detroit in 1945. 

Barbara married Herbert Edridge on July 25, 1958, and he preceded her in death on June 11, 2023. Barbara loved to travel. Together with her husband, family and friends she went on over 100 cruises. She traveled throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and the Caribbean Islands. She loved being on the water. In her younger days, she worked as a bookkeeper, nurse’s aide and cook on a superyacht which her husband captained. Barbara and Herbert were snowbirds, having had homes in Welaka and Eustis Florida, and Pontiac, Michigan. She was a gracious host on their boat, Lady Bea, where she enjoyed entertaining friends and family. She loved to watch her TV programs and was faithful to The Young and the Restless for over 50 years. She was also an avid reader and liked listening to books on tape. 

Barbara is survived by a sister, Mary Anne (Russ) Kraft, nieces and nephews: Judith (Mark) Westerberg, Aileen Jacobs, Eileen Ward, and Sandra (Lance) Hudnell, Paul Frederick and Patrick (Stacy) McGee; and many great-nieces and great-nephews. Preceded in death by her sisters Mary Joan (Tom) McGee, Maureen Kennedy and niece Gail Babb. The family would like to thank Barbara’s caregivers over these last few months for their supportive care. 

Remembrances can be made through donations to the National Shrine of St Jude, Chicago, Illinois.  Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Mary Catholic Church in Pinckney on Friday, November 10, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.  She will be laid to rest at a later date at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, MI. 

Kathleen Salyer

Kathleen Salyer, age 94, formerly of Chelsea and Stockbridge, passed away on November 1, 2023 at Sacred Heart Nursing Home in Gregory, MI. Kathleen was born on October 27, 1929 in Magoffin County, KY, the daughter of Sheridan and Rebecca (Risner) Marshall. Kathleen had lived in Chelsea for many years, and she worked for Chelsea Milling Company in the packaging department for 22 years. She later moved to the Stockbridge area to be closer to family. She enjoyed going to church and attended the Highest Praise Worship Center in Stockbridge. She also enjoyed sewing and quilting. On September 25, 1947, she married Charles E. "Buck" Salyer, and he preceded her in death in 1987.

Kathleen is survived by her son, Danny (Phyllis) Salyer of Stockbridge, son-in-law, Jack Baum; a sister, Opal Risner of Plainwell, and brother, Ellis (Markeen) Marshall of Plainwell; eight grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by two daughters, Barbara Allen and Lorraine Baum, and a son, Robert Salyer.

Visitation will be held on Friday, November 3, 2023 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home on Saturday, November 4, 2023, 2:30 p.m., Charlotte Craft with officiating. Burial will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Mackinder Glenn American Legion Post #510. Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea.

Patricia J. Trinkle

Patricia J. Trinkle, age 89, formerly of Dexter, passed away on October 30, 2023 at the Chelsea Retirement Community. She had lived in the Dexter area for nearly 80 years.

Pat was born on February 4, 1934 in Carleton, MI to Walter and Alice (Grundman) Miles. Pat grew up in Dexter and graduated from Dexter High School in 1952. She married Charles W. Trinkle on June 5, 1954, and they lived on a farm in Dexter, where they raised their family. Pat was an active member of the Dexter Gospel Church, and she was the longest attending member of the church. She was also past president of Dexter Jaycettes and was a member of the Washtenaw Co. Farm Bureau. In 1969, Pat was one of the first secretaries at the Chelsea Family Practice Medical Center. After that she worked for the University of Michigan College of Engineering, helping students for many years register for classes and keep them on track with their credits.

Pat is survived by her children: Cheryl (Luther) Haab of Chelsea, Donald Trinkle of Whitmore Lake, and Duane (Linda) Trinkle of Dexter; ten grandchildren: Nancy (Scott) Brown, Carl (Alyssa) Trinkle, Michael (Amanda) Pidd, Steven (Bridgette) Trinkle, Kristie Jo (Ben) O'Neill, Brandon Trinkle (Cathy Schulz), Sarah Trinkle, Ashlee (Jonathan) Reese, Mark Trinkle, and Amber Trinkle (Jesse Asbel); ten great-grandchildren; and a brother, Roy Miles of Morrice. She was preceded in death by her husband, Chuck, a daughter, Joyce Marie Trinkle, a son, Darroll Trinkle, and her brother, David Miles.

Visitation will be held at the Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea on Thursday, November 2, 2023 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, November 3, 2023,11:00 a.m., at the Dexter Gospel Church in Dexter, MI, with Pastor Dan Robelen officiating. Burial will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Dexter.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Chelsea Senior Center or Dexter Gospel Church. Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home.