All Obituaries

Coleta L. “Coco” Butryn passed away peacefully in her sleep on September 25, 2023, at her home in Escanaba. Coleta was born in Dougherty, Oklahoma, on September 2, 1926, the daughter of Ruth (Phipps) and Ross Benn. She graduated from Ardmore (Okla.) High School in 1945.  She met Stan Butryn while he was stationed in Ardmore and they married on June 2, 1945.  They lived in Oklahoma for 3 years and moved to Escanaba in 1948 where they raised their family and shared...

Richard Kenneth Heikkinen, age 59, of Watson passed away Saturday, September 23, 2023 at U.P. Health Systems- Marquette. He was born October 23, 1963 in Chicago, IL and was the son of Kenneth and Marianne (Bischke) Heikkinen. Rick grew up in California and was employed as an auto mechanic in California. In 1985 he moved to Watson and worked at Usher’s Sawmill and did logging with his father Ken. He later worked at Coplan Iron and Metal in Escanaba as a torch operator. Rick enjoyed...

Virginia Ann Stenlund, age 93, of Rapid River passed away Wednesday, September 20, 2023 in Muskego, WI. She was born March 24, 1930 in Milwaukee, WI and was the daughter of Joseph and Ann (Jackovac) Pavletich. Virginia “Ginnie” was raised in West Allis, WI where she met her husband Bernard “Swede” Stenlund after he was discharged from the U.S. Navy. They married on October 22, 1949 in Waukegan, IL. Together they started their own company Aetna Van and Storage. While...

Escanaba, MI – Bruce David “Moose” Dewar, age 69, of Escanaba passed away September 20, 2023. Bruce was born on May 21, 1954 to Floyd and Mary (Richard) Dewar in Grand Island, Nebraska. They later moved to Escanaba, where Bruce spent most of his childhood. He graduated from Escanaba High School in 1972. Bruce and Sandy (Winner) married on August 28, 1976 in a small, intimate ceremony in Midland, MI. They had children Nicole and David before moving back to the Upper...

Martha “Marti” A. Martin, age 57, of Escanaba passed away Thursday, September 14, 2023 at Aurora Medical Center- Bay Area in Marinette, WI. She was born October 15, 2023, in Escanaba, MI and was the daughter of Robert J. and Mary Jane (Johnson) Martin. Marti graduated from Escanaba High School in 1983 and then attended Bay de Noc Community College and received her associate’s degree in accounting. Marti worked as a cashier at Lakestate Industries. She was an avid Green Bay...

Raymond Francis Frenette, age 91, of Escanaba passed away Tuesday September 12, 2023 at Bishop Noa Home in Escanaba. He was born July 19, 1932 in Hancock, MI and was the son of Raymond J. and Inza (Lamothe) Frenette. Ray graduated from Hancock High School and then entered the U.S. Army during the Korean War, serving at Fort Knox in Tennessee. He married the former Betty Miller on February 15, 1958 in Hancock, MI. Ray was employed as a painter all of his working years, working in the Houghton...

Arthur Robert Good, our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away at home peacefully on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease and prostate cancer. Art was born December 30, 1939, in Escanaba, Michigan, to Chester Alan and Helen Lillian Good. He was raised on a dairy farm in Bark River, MI, as the seventh of nine “Good” children. He cherished many fond memories of his farm life with his family and friends....

Joan Marie Kotcher, age 80, of Escanaba, Michigan, formerly of Sterling Heights and L’Anse, passed away peacefully on September 3, 2023, knowing she will be reunited with her husband, the late Jay E. Kotcher. Joan was born to William and Mamie (Waisanen) Taipalus in Detroit, Michigan on November 17, 1942. Her family moved to L’Anse in 1945, where she attended and graduated from L’Anse High School. Joan worked as a pay role specialist for U.S. Army Tank Automotive...

After an extraordinarily long and full life, former Escanaba coach, athletic director, and assistant  principal Harold William Johnson passed away in Escanaba on September 1st at the age of 99. Harold was born in Felch, MI, the 8th and final child of Swedish immigrants. At the age of 3 years he lost his mother to tuberculosis, so the task of raising him fell to his eldest sister, Evangeline, who was forced to drop out of school. With 4 older sisters doting on him and 3 older...

  Nancy Catherine Davison passed away on September 1, 2023, in Escanaba, MI, at the age of 80. She was born on July 26, 1943, in Medford, WI, to her parents, the late Walter and Mary Isabel (Gengler) Sigmund. Nancy is survived by her beloved husband, Leon Frischman, and her children, Naomi Rouse-Kugel of Madison, WI, Erin Hanson of Middleton, WI, Sean (Nancy) Davison of Carson City, NV, Heather Davison of Madison, WI, Ian (Bonnie) Davison of Louisville, KY, and...