Mary J. (Thurow) Eschelbach

formerly of Ann Arbor, Dexter and Chelsea, age 93, died Monday, May 8, 2017 at Saline Evangelical Home. She was born March 27, 1924 in Springport, MI the daughter of George H. and Vera (Gregory).

Mary graduated from Springport High School in 1943. On June 10, 1945, she married Neil Alfred Eschelbach in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In addition to raising her four children, she was a seamstress, a bookkeeper at Everhardus, and later was the Office Manager for Dr. T.J. Spencer for 12 years. Mary was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Ann Arbor, where she taught the children’s choir and Sunday School, and was a member of the adult choir. She was also a member of Ladies Aid and Charity Circle. Mary was an organist, pianist and loved playing music.

Roger Howard

age 60, of Jackson, died Wednesday, June 28, 2017 in Jackson, Michigan. He was born February 26, 1957, the son of Wiley & Betty (Wireman) Howard. Roger graduated from Chelsea High School in 1975. He worked at Federal Screw Works in Chelsea. Roger enjoyed fishing, hunting, shooting guns, and being outside. He loved his grandchildren and would do anything for them. They called him “Papa french fry” because he always took them to get french fries. Roger always made sure everyone was happy.

June Ramsay Burghardt

of Lacey, WA, formerly of Chelsea, MI & Gainesville, FL, age 100, died peacefully Monday, May 15, 2017 in Olympia, Washington. She was born April 8, 1917 in Wyandotte, Michigan, the daughter of Frank & Alma (Jeffers) Ramsay.  Mrs. Burghardt  studied art at Society of Arts & Crafts in Detroit, (now the Center for Creative Studies) and worked as a fashion illustrator for a time. On May 17, 1942, she married Louis Burghardt and he preceded her in death in 1992. She & Lou owned and operated the Burghardt Funeral Home in Chelsea for 26 years prior to their retirement in 1977. They traveled extensively in the U.S and abroad and finally settled in Gainsville, FL in 1986.  June moved back to Chelsea in 2004, living at the Pines until she moved to Washington in 2011 to live with her daughter. She was a member of St. Paul United Church of Christ in Chelsea.

Nancy Jane Harris

of Chelsea, Michigan, passed peacefully in her sleep on July 5, 2017. Nancy spent most of her 87 years in Petersburg, Michigan. She claimed to be a tomboy in her youth and loved climbing trees and bicycling.  Her parents, Stanley Alfred Elder and Florence Mabel Elder (Huston) had five children, Nancy being the eldest. Predeceased by her parents and three brothers, Blair and Paul in 1940 and Dennis in 2016, Nancy was incredibly close to her sister Rosemary with whom she shared a lifelong friendship. She graduated from Petersburg High School in 1947 as Valedictorian.  She attended the University of Toledo 1948-1949 and was an aspiring journalist.