Theodore Frank "Ted" Kokenakes

of Chelsea, Michigan, formerly of Ann Arbor, age 87, died Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at the Chelsea Retirement Community. He was born January 10, 1936, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the son of Frank John and Younoula “Jennie” Kokenakes.

Ted was a graduate of Ann Arbor High School. He owned and worked for several party stores in the Ann Arbor area. Ted retired from the University of Michigan where he worked in the Housing Department. He enjoyed playing the piano, traveling and U of M sports. Ted had a kind heart and touched the lives of many. For Ted, family was everything.

Stanley Clyde Sprague

of Chelsea, MI died peacefully June 14, 2023. Stanley (Stan) was born November 13, 1934, to Clyde and Mildred (Kidd) Sprague, in Plain Township, Ohio. He was named after his mother’s favorite uncle (Stanley Hindley) and his father. He was an only child, the son of a farmer and spent a lot of his time alone. He learned to appreciate nature at an early age and loved to hunt and fish. He developed an interest in bird watching after a trip in high school with a friend. He found a coupon in a magazine for a correspondence course in taxidermy. He took the course and soon shot and stuffed his own collection of birds including an owl and pheasant using the wire and glass eyes provided by the course.

Stan attended school in Bowling Green where he was a good student. He had a motorized bike he rode into town. His interests included playing clarinet in the band, singing in the choir, track and he was a running back on his high school football team. He also developed an interest in photography, saving up for an entire year to buy his first camera.

Thomas Edward Denton

Thomas Edward “Tommy” Denton was born on March 19, 1961 with a head of curly red hair. Tommy grew up and went to school in Ypsi, Ann Arbor, and Dexter.  He took great pride in being good at everything – he could lift anything, fix anything, move anything, repair anything, play any sport – he could do anything and do it well.  He even made the best green bean casserole at Thanksgiving every year and sang in a professional Opera in San Diego when he was 13. Tommy was also very good at eating anything anyone else didn’t want or didn’t like and he was always there if you needed help with something. He was a HUGE UM Wolverines and Detroit Lions fan and he was really into wolves.

Robert Rasmussen

Age 101, passed away Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at his home, with his family at his side. He was born December 6, 1921 in Forest City, Iowa , the son of Anton Ensign and Clara Nateva (Emmons) Rasmussen.

Robert served in the Army as a Corporal in the Philippines during WWII. He was an Aeronautical Engineer and later an automotive engineer. He worked for Boeing in Seattle, Washington, then for Chrysler Aerospace in New Orleans, Louisiana (on NASA's Saturn rocket project); and finally the Chrysler Proving Grounds in Chelsea, retiring in 1991. He has lived in Chelsea since 1969. Robert was a member of the St. Paul United Church of Christ. He enjoyed traveling, particularly to San Francisco (where his son lived); and woodworking. Dad exercised 3 times a week on his Nordic track, which he bought when he retired at age 70. His favorite adage was “Bodies are made to move.” He also enjoyed classical music and played his trombone every day in retirement.